Monthly Archives: December 2014

Wising you a safe and happy 2015!

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With the new year quickly approaching, many people will reflect on the current year and how they can improve their lives in the coming one.

With that in mind, we’ve come up with some Red Cross Resolutions that will help you, your family and your community in 2015.

#1: Get a Kit

Whether you call it your disaster kit, a survival kit or a 72-hour kit – every household should have one. This kit should include everything your family would need to survive if you needed to shelter-in-place for at least 3 days.

For an in-depth look on how to build a kit for your home and auto, take a look at this blog post (home), this one for auto or visit www.redcross.org/prepare

#2: Make a Plan

Experts agree, an individual may have as few as 2 minutes to exit a burning building.

It is important to make sure that the entire family is prepared and informed in the event of a disaster or emergency. You may not always be together when these events take place and should have plans for making sure you are able to contact and find one another.

Here are some basic steps to make sure you remain safe:

  • With your your family or household members, discuss how to prepare and respond to emergencies that are most likely to happen where you live, learn, work and play.
  • Identify responsibilities for each member of your household and plan to work together as a team.
  • If a family member is in the military, plan how you would respond if they were deployed.
  • Choose two places to meet:
    • Right outside your home in case of a sudden emergency, such as a fire.
    • Outside your neighborhood (such as a relative or friend’s house in a different part of town), in case you cannot return home or are asked to evacuate.
  • Choose an out-of-area emergency contact person. It may be easier to text or call long distance if local phone lines are overloaded or out of service. Everyone should have emergency contact information in writing or saved on their cell phones.

For more information on how to make a plan for your home, visit www.redcross.org/prepare

#3: Volunteer

There are many ways to help your community with the Red Cross. You could volunteer to assist donors at a local blood drive, turn heartbreak into hope as a Disaster Action Team member, help connect emergency communications for military families or by giving your time and talents in any of the many volunteer positions available. To get started, visit www.redcross.org/volunteer

#4: Learn CPR

Would you know what to do in a cardiac, breathing or first aid emergency? The right answer could help you save a life. With an emphasis on hands-on learning, our First Aid/CPR/AED courses give you the skills to save a life.

To view local courses, visit www.redcross.org/takeaclass

#5: Give Blood

There’s no one reason to give blood. Maybe you or a family member received blood, or you think that one day you’ll be in need of it. Maybe your friend or colleague asked you to give blood. Maybe you think it’s the right thing to do. No matter the reason, your getting involved helps the Red Cross maintain a healthy and reliable blood supply.

To find a Blood Drive or donation location near you, visit www.redcross.org/blood

Operation Save-a-Life installs the 150,000th Smoke Alarm in Cleveland

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It began in 1992, when five children died in a home fire. For Cleveland businessman, Sam Miller, those deaths were a wake-up call for change. The city had been experiencing 30-40 fire-related deaths each year.

That morning he called city leaders and the American Red Cross and soon the structure of Operation Save-a-Life began to take shape.

On December 19, 2014 the 150,000th smoke alarm was installed in the Erickson’s home on the west side of Cleveland.

“It is appropriate that this the home of five beautiful children,” said Sam Miller, who was in attendance at the installation, “as it was five deaths that were the catalyst for the creation of this life-saving program.”

Smoke alarms are integral in decreasing fire-related deaths. Experts agree that a family may have as few as two minutes to exit a burning home. Without the warning of a smoke alarm, the odds of getting out are severely lessened. To learn more about fire safety for your home, visit redcross.org.

In part to the efforts of Operation Save-a-Life, Cleveland has seen a continual drop in fire fatalities, which are at the lowest level in the past 100 years. So far, in 2014, there have been three.

“This program is one of our proudest achievements,” said Mary-Alice Frank, CEO for the Northeast Ohio Region, said to those gathered at the installation. Leaning down and handing the ceremonial gold smoke alarm to one of the Erickson children, she added, “May you know the sound that this alarm makes, but never have to hear it in an emergency.”

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Operation Save-A-Life is currently available to residents in Cleveland, Cleveland Heights, Euclid, and South Euclid. The alarms are free, which is made possible through the donations of community members and local businesses, and are installed by the Cleveland Fire Department. Interested community members are encouraged to call their city’s contact number for further information:

Cleveland – (216) 361-5535

Cleveland Heights – (216) 291-2291

Euclid – (216) 289-8425

South Euclid – (216) 691-4273

For more details contact John Gareis at john.gareis@redcross.org

 

Why I Donated to the American Red Cross Gift Catalog

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By Joe Traylor

During my time at college, I became friends with many students that were part of the Reserve Officer Training Corps, commonly known as ROTC.  It never really dawned on me that they would be going overseas to Afghanistan and Iraq.  These are some of my best friends, and they are fighting for my life.  Now that the season of giving is at hand, I decided to give back to them.

The author Joe Traylor and his friend, Cadet James Pooler.

The author Joe Traylor and his friend, Cadet James Pooler.

I began searching for ways to donate to the military.  Then the American Red Cross came to mind.  Their Holiday Gift Catalog was exactly what I was looking for.  The catalog has three ways to help the troops.  One is Emergency Communications.  This delivers urgent messages to service members that may require them to come home to tend to family emergencies.  Another way to help our troops is through Reconnection Workshops.  The Reconnection Workshops are small-group classes held by mental professionals to help returning service workers readjust to society.  Though these two are excellent services for the military, I chose to go with the Military Comfort Kits.

While the thought of one of my friends getting injured makes me feel ill, knowing that the military comfort kits helps an injured soldier makes me feel reassured.  That is why I went with the Military Comfort Kit.  These kits go to military hospitals and are given to wounded soldiers.  In the kits are items such as a robes, shower shoes, toiletries, and even music gift cards.  Knowing my friends, I know that a gift like this would put a smile on their face.  And that makes me feel that I am truly contributing to their, and other wounded soldiers’, well-being.

Regardless of all of the other gifts I have bought this year, these kits make me feel like I actually made a difference; that I gave a real gift for Christmas.  For $100, I gave two comfort kits to two different individuals.  I encourage everyone to donate in some way through the Red Cross.  It is a gift that really matters, and it gave me a feeling of bettering the world.  It could do the same for you.  There are many other ways to donate aside from helping the troops.  You can find the one that is most important to you.  Let the Red Cross help you give with meaning this year.