The American Red Cross has launched its official Hurricane App with the goal of putting lifesaving information right in the hands of people who live in or who visit hurricane-prone areas.

This free app is the second in a projected series by the American Red Cross, a leader in emergency preparedness, for use on both iPhone and Android platforms. It gives instant access to local and real-time information on what to do before, during and after hurricanes, according to a press release.

The app also includes a number of features that allow people to monitor personalized weather alerts in locations where family and friends reside and to share information with others in their social networks who might also need it.

This Red Cross app provides important lifesaving information to people in areas threatened by hurricanes, … travelers, people who have second homes in hurricane-prone areas, and those with elderly relatives or college students in coastal areas,”  said Dr. David Markenson, chair of the Red Cross Scientific Advisory Council.

Stating that the new app provides personalized preparedness information, Jack McMaster, president, Preparedness and Health and Safety Services at the American Red Cross, added that  “we’re especially proud of the app’s social features that will help friends and families stay in touch during storms, reducing much of the fear and uncertainly for loved ones and property owners far away.”