American Red Cross chapters across central Illinois are launching a new website to help businesses, organizations, and schools get better prepared for natural and manmade disasters. The site, www.readyrating.org, helps members assess their readiness level for emergencies and offers customized feedback and resources to help improve preparedness scores.

Peoria Police Chief Steve Settingsgaard says prepared groups help emergency responders when disaster strikes.

"The more prepared an organization is, the less assistance we have to provide to that particular organization, (and) the quicker they'll recover. And the more we'll be able to help those that are truly in need, that are truly in a dangerous situation," says Settinggaard.