Sands China's Free Kits Help Community Get Ready for Emergencies and Natural Disasters

2024 Sands Cares Disaster Preparation & Emergency Response Kit Programme

(Macao, Jul 1, 2024) – Sands China recently ran its 2024 Sands Cares Disaster Preparation & Emergency Response Kit Programme in collaboration with Macau Red Cross and with the support of the Social Affairs Bureau and the Education and Youth Development Bureau. Over 90 Sands Cares Ambassadors participated in packing emergency kits and supporting disaster prevention workshops in local schools.

The Sands China initiative aims to enhance the community's awareness and precautionary measures before natural disasters and during emergency situations. It is the sixth year in a row that Sands China has worked with the Macau Red Cross on this programme, which has thus far benefitted 5,900 households.

This year's initiative comprised packing and distributing the kits, disaster prevention workshops, and a social media campaign.

Sands China Ltd. Executive Vice Chairman Dr. Wilfred Wong said: "We are very pleased to have successfully completed the sixth consecutive year of this important initiative to help Macao residents have the information and tools they need to effectively respond to emergencies and natural disasters. Through initiatives like this, we continue our commitment to the well-being and safety of the community. Our thanks go to Macau Red Cross for their continued collaboration, to the Education and Youth Development Bureau and the Social Affairs Bureau for their support, and to our Sands Cares Ambassadors for their hard work."

Emergency Response Kits
Sands Cares Ambassadors helped assemble 1,500 emergency response kits at Macau Red Cross headquarters June 5-6.

The kits were customised to help the community better prepare for emergency situations, with items for disaster preparation, emergency escape, and personal health and safety. Each kit contains a variety of items inside a multi-functional waterproof bag, including a first aid pack, disinfectant wipes, whistle, raincoat, KN95 facemasks, hand towel, adhesive tape, a government emergency response leaflet with useful information about emergency shelters and disaster preparedness, and a Disaster Preparedness Safety Guidelines brochure.

This year, the company has specially added a multi-function hand-cranked solar-powered emergency radio with LED flashlight to the emergency kit to help the community better prepare for emergency situations; the device can also serve as a power bank for mobile phones.

The content of the kit was designed by Macau Red Cross based on its experience in disaster preparedness and relief, with the items sourced locally and donated by Sands China.

For the first time, Sands China will deliver the kits to nine local schools in low-lying areas in Macao that may be affected during storm surges, including Praia do Manduco, Patane, Bairro Fai Chi Kei, Ilha Verde, and Toi San. This further expands the programme's range of beneficiaries to include younger children of primary grades 1-3 and their families, thereby driving students' awareness of disaster prevention and how to deal with emergency situations at home from an early age.

Disaster Prevention Workshops
Sands Cares Ambassadors assisted with two disaster prevention workshops conducted by Macau Red Cross June 20 and 27 for local primary students at Escola Lin Fong Pou Chai and Escola Santa Maria Mazzarello.

Conducted in an interactive format featuring games and puppetry, the workshops were attended by 100 students and teachers and covered topics such as previous disasters in Macao and what lessons have been learned as a result, disaster prevention at home, emergency shelters, sources of accurate information, relief support during and after disasters, and an introduction to the Sands Cares emergency response kits that the Sands Cares Ambassadors gave to each participating family.

Owen Wong, deputy director of disaster relief affairs for Macau Red Cross, said: "In order to enhance the knowledge and skills of Macao citizens to respond to large-scale emergencies and natural disasters, and at the same time improve the ability of vulnerable communities to respond to community hazard incidents, the Macau Red Cross community disaster preparedness service actively promotes the importance of disaster preparedness to the public. Through different forms of public education and community projects, we convey disaster preparedness knowledge and enhance the public's confidence and ability to respond to disasters. By encouraging a spirit of service and mutual aid in critical situations, we can enhance the community's overall ability to respond to disasters. We believe that everyone can play a role in disaster prevention and emergencies with their different abilities; in critical situations, we can take care of everyone's needs, making Macao a healthy, mutually supportive and safe city."

Social Media Campaign
Sands China ran a social media campaign June 12-18, called Sands Cares Presents: What you need to know about disaster preparation, to help spread knowledge about the importance of being ready for natural disasters. Participants in the online quiz game had the chance to win lucky draw prizes after correctly answering the quiz questions. Winners were announced on June 20, with food and beverage vouchers as prizes.

Sands China's community initiatives and the company's Sands Cares Ambassador programme are part of Sands Cares, the global corporate citizenship programme of parent company Las Vegas Sands Corp.