The Key Chapter of the American Red Cross wants to be ready for any potential outbreak of the bird flu in the United States.

Pandemic flu occurs when a new flu virus appears that people have never been exposed to and no vaccine has yet been created.

The key chapter is preparing for the possibility of the spread of bird flu and is ready to educate the public on steps to remain healthy.

"Right now, we're asking everybody to prepare. Get enough food at your house to last anywhere from six to eight weeks," said Gordon Stewart of the American Red Cross Key Chapter. "Prescription medications, anything that one might need to survive at home in the event that our government officials and emergency management agencies advise us to stay at home "

School age children would be hit the hardest in the case of pandemic flu. The Red Cross has sent a pandemic flu checklist to all local schools.