Lifeguard Honored for Saving Classmate’s Life

Posted on January 9, 2017 by American Red Cross of Northern Ohio

“I let you save my life!”

Allison Uplinger teased Baylie White as the two graduates of Shelby High School walked through the hallways of their alma mater on Thursday, January 5th. Baylie had just received the American Red Cross Certificate of Merit, the highest award offered by the Red Cross (so high, in fact, that it is even signed by President Obama) for a lifesaving act.

Allison Uplinger and Baylie White at Shelby High School, after Baylie received the American Red Cross Certificate of Merit for saving Allison’s life

Last spring, while Baylie and Allison were finishing their senior year, Allison began to choke in the cafeteria. Baylie, who has received Red Cross First Aid training as a certified lifeguard, knew immediately what was happening, and what to do. After several sharp blows to Allison’s back, the food was dislodged and Allison was able to breathe again.

“I have been lifeguarding for several years, and so I always renew my first aid certification,” Baylie said after receving the framed certificate on the stage of the Shelby High School Performing Arts Center. The award was given by Lara Kiefer, Executive Director of the Lake Erie/Heartland Chapter, and board member Chris Hiner, the President of Richland Bank.

Chris Hiner, Lara Kiefer and Baylie White at the Shelby High School Performing Arts Center

Allison, who has not yet received Red Cross First Aid training, said it’s on her to-do list. “Since I plan to be a teacher, I know how important it is to be able to help a choking child.”

The Red Cross offers training in First Aid/CPR/AED, Lifeguarding, even babysitting. Some classes can be taken online. You can search for the class most convenient for you here.

Shelby High School Principal John Gies joined Chris Hiner and Lara Kiefer in congratulating graduate Baylie White for her Certificate of Merit, award to her after she saved the life of classmate Allison Uplinger last spring. Photos by Jim McIntyre/American Red Cross

Smoke Alarm Requests Spike

Posted on December 10, 2016 by American Red Cross of Northern Ohio

Red Cross, Partners Hard at Work to Fulfill Requests Following Fatal Akron Fire

In the immediate aftermath of the devastating fire in Akron’s North Hill neighborhood on Saturday, December 3, hundreds of Northeast Ohio residents called the Red Cross to request free smoke alarms.

The Red Cross offers free smoke alarms, free installation, and free home fire safety inspections for every residence in need in Northeast Ohio. This initiative, known locally as Operation Save-A-Life, began in Cleveland in 1992. It has since been rolled out nationwide, with the goal of reducing serious injury and death due to home fires by 25% over a five year period.

On Tuesday, December 6, the Red Cross and the Akron Fire Department went door-to-door in the neighborhood where the fatal fire occured, offering to install smoke alarms in every home. Many media outlets covered the effort, including the Akron Beacon Journal, WEWS, WJW, and WOIO.

Bob Jones of WEWS coversing the installation of smoke alarms in Akron

WJW Photographer Jim Pijor records John Gareis installing a smoke alarm

Lacey Crisp of WOIO covering the story

Akron resident Rodney Bowden was interviewed by WJW reporter Maia Belay

Rachel D’Attoma, Executive Director of the Summit, Portage, and Medina Counties Chapter was interviewed by Maia Belay of WJW

“It’s very unfortunate that it takes something like this for the community to say, ‘Yes, we need smoke detectors,’ ” Rachel D’Attoma, Executive Director of the Summit, Portage, and Medina Counties Chapter told the ABJ.

If your home doesn’t have a working smoke alarm on every floor, log onto the Operation Save-A-Life page on the Red Cross website, or call 330-535-2030 in theAkron area, 216-361-5535 in Greater Cleveland, or 866-319-7160 in the Youngstown area.

Ordinary People Honored for Taking Extraordinary Action

Posted on December 9, 2016 by American Red Cross of Northern Ohio

Recognized with Highest Award the Red Cross Offers

Lifesavers. When we hear that word, we think of surgeons, firefighters, police officers, lifeguards.

Add teacher and massage therapist to the list.

Two people who have been certified by the Red Cross for their lifesaving skills have now been honored after putting those skills to use.

Mike Parks, Molly O’Donnell, Charlotte Rerko and Shawn RIley

Natasha Alexander-Cooley, her daughter Juanita Ewing and her mother Juanita Alexander

Mike Parks, Natasha Alexander-Cooley, Charlotte Rerko and Shawn Riley

Molley O’Donnell

Certificates of Merit were awarded to Natasha Alexander-Cooley and Molly O’Donnell. The certificates, signed by President Barack Obama, cite their “selfless and humane action in sustaining a life.” They are the highest award given by the Red Cross to someone who sustains or saves a life by using the skills learned during Red Cross training.

Natasha, an educator at Tremont Montessori School in Cleveland, was honored for saving the life of a choking student, by performing several abdominal thrusts until food was dislodged from the choking boy’s throat.

Molly, a licesned massage therapist and trained First Aid/CPR/AED instructor, was cited for her efforts to save the life of her Instructor Trainer, who suffered cardiac arrest prior to the start of their class earlier this year.

“The Red Cross trains people to react to emergency situations, and these individuals did exactly what they were trained to do,” said Charlotte Rerko, Regional COO and a Registered Nurse. “It was an honor to present these awards to them.”

Charlotte was also honored with a Certificate of Extraordinary Personal Action. She also responded to the stricken CPR Instructor.

Mike Parks, Charlotte Rerko and Shawn Riley

The awards were presented by Mike Parks, Regional CEO, and Shawn Riley, Board Chair, during the quarterly meeting of the Greater Cleveland Chapter Board of Directors on Thursday, December 8. There’s a photo gallery from the meeting on the Greater Cleveland Chapter Facebook page.

The Red Cross teaches not only First Aid/CPR/AED, but also Basic Life Support, Babysitting and Childcare, and Lifeguarding. Go to redcross.org/take-a-class to learn these live saving skills. You may be called on someday to take extraordinary action in order to save a life.

Festival of Trees Celebrates Silver Anniversary

Posted on December 7, 2016 by American Red Cross of Northern Ohio

Holiday Tradition Continues with Annual Fundraiser in Wooster

The room was beautiful, the food was abundant, and the mood was festive for the 25th Anniversary of the Festival of Trees, a fundraiser for Red Cross disaster relief in Wooster.

Highlights included a live auction of the beautifully decorated trees ringing the room, a special award given to John Gareis, Regional Preparedness Manager, and a special mission moment delovered by Nick Cleveland. His family survived a home fire in Wooster last summer, and he called the immediate assistance provided by the Red Cross at the time extremely helpful.

See a photo gallery from the Festival of Trees on the Lake Erie/Heartland Chapter Facebook Page, at https://www.facebook.com/RedCrossLakeErieHeartland/.

If you missed the Festival this year, but would still like to help the Red Cross help families like the Clevelands, #GiveWithMeaning by donating to Red Cross disaster relief. Log on to redcross.org, call 1-800 Red Cross, or text RED CROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

Smoke Alarms Installed Ahead of Holiday Cooking Time

Posted on November 23, 2016 by American Red Cross of Northern Ohio

With the holiday season in full swing we can not stress enough the importance of…

SMOKE ALARMS.

Let’s face it, winter in NEO is C-O-L-D! It’s prime time for home fires, between holiday cooking and trying to stay warm. And that’s why our Operation Save-A-Life program is so vitally important.

We applaud the volunteers and fire department personnel of Olmsted Twp. who braved our first real cold snap last Saturday to install smoke alarms in one Olmsted Township neighborhood. Through their work, we were able to install more than 320 smoke alarms in 130 homes!

(Click on the photo below to view our album on Flickr!)

If you or someone you know need smoke alarms installed, please visit www.redcross.org/neoosal and click on your county to learn more about this free program.

Ashtabula Residents Get Free Smoke Alarms for Their Homes

Posted on October 22, 2016 by American Red Cross of Northern Ohio

Ashtabula Fire Department, Aqua Ohio Workers Help Red Cross Make Neighborhoods Safer

Residents who live in close to 100 homes in Ashtabula now have working smoke alarms, thanks to the efforts of the Red Cross, the Ashtabula Fire Department and Aqua Ohio.

More than 20 volunteers fanned out throughout Ashtabula on Thursday, October 20 to provide residents with fire safety information and to install, at no cost to the residents, smoke alarms featuring batteries with a 10-year lifespan.

“We urge residents to check the batteries in their smoke alarms, especially at this time of year, when we’re about to turn the clocks back,” said Karen Conklin, Executive Director of the Lake to River Chapter of the Red Cross. “And even if the batteries are good, if the alarm is more than 10 years old, it should be replaced because the sensors are out-of-date.”

Gary Offerdahl, the Red Cross volunteer who coordinated the installation event, called it a success. “We’re protecting more people from smoke and fire casualties and possibly fatalities, which is the motivating factor.”

Ashtabula resident Carmen Rocco receives fire safety information in his home from a Red Cross volunteer on Octiber 20, 2016

Now in its second year, the Red Cross Home Fire Preparedness Campaign is meant to reduce the number of fatalities caused by home fires by 25% over a five year period.

The Red Cross has more smoke alarms to install, thanks in part to the generosity of the United Way of Ashtabula County and the Ashtabula Foundation. Companies interested in helping make residents safer in their homes by allowing their employees to participate in similar smoke alarm installation events can call 866-319-7160.

Photo credit: Paul Wadowick/American Red Cross Volunteer

Another Successful Save-a-Life Saturday

Posted on October 17, 2016 by American Red Cross of Northern Ohio

Would you know how to save someone’s life if they dropped to the ground in front of you?

Thanks to our ongoing partnership with the Cleveland Clinic Akron General, over 30 community members now know how to perform hands-only CPR.

Learning cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR for short, is a vital skill. The Red Cross has set a goal of having one person in every household able to perform CPR. Through programs like Save-a-Life Saturday (which is held annually) and our free Citizen CPR courses, we are well on our way!

Here is a quick video that demonstrates how to perform CPR:

To learn more about our Citizen CPR course, contact your local chapter. For a complete listing of First Aid and CPR certification courses near you, visit redcross.org/takeaclass.

Photos: Mary Williams/American Red Cross

Police Chief Honored During National Preparedness Month

Posted on September 23, 2016 by American Red Cross of Northern Ohio

Cleveland Chief Cited for Work During Recent Republican National Convention

He has been called a peacemaker, the host of the party, and the “RNC MVP” for the way protesters and visitors who were in Cleveland for the Republican National Convention in July were treated. But Chief Calvin Williams of the Cleveland Division of Police gives the credit to the members of his department for helping keep the peace during the four day event.

The Greater Cleveland Chapter Board of Directors recognized Chief Williams and the Cleveland Division of Police with a Certificate of Appreciation at their quarterly meeting on Thursday, September 22, 2016.

Chief Williams agreed to receive the certificate under one condition: that the entire Cleveland Police Department be recognized as well. And he acknowledged the work of many organizations, including the Red Cross, for helping make the RNC a success.

“The Red Cross has always been a great partner of ours whenever there was something that happens, not just in Cleveland but in Northeast Ohio. You don’t ask anything in return, so we definitely appreciate it,” Chief Williams said. “The RNC was a great, great example of partnership, again not only for Cleveland but Northeast Ohio, and it could not have been the success it was without partners like the Red Cross and others.”

The Certificate was presented to Chief Williams by Mike Parks, CEO of the Northeast Ohio Region and Laura Hauser, Secretary of the Greater Cleveland Board of Directors.

Mike Parks and Chief Calvin Williams

Mike Parks, Chief Williams and Laura Hauser

Mike Parks, CHief Williams and Laura Hauser

Linda L. Bluso received a pin to recognize her ten years of service on the Board of Directors

“It seemed appropriate during National Preparedness Month to recognize this great partner of ours,” Mike Parks said as he introduced the Chief, “Not only the chief, but the Division of Police because of the great work they did.”

Mike noted how the Red Cross was ready to open shelters during the convention, thanks to the preparations made by many Red Cross volunteers. The need for volunteers did not end with the conclusion of the convention. There is a constant need of volunteers to fill a variety of roles at the Red Cross. If you are interested in a volunteer position, log onto redcross.org/neo and click on the volunteer tab, or call 216-431-3328.

Red Cross Volunteers Credited with Saving Man’s Life

Posted on September 14, 2016 by American Red Cross of Northern Ohio

Performed CPR, Used AED to Save a Man at the Wayne County Fair

Farm animals. Funnel cakes. First Aid.

All are traditions of the Wayne County Fair.

The Red Cross has been providing first aid to fair goers for more than 60 years, as a service to the community. This year, that service helped save at least one life.

A man attending the fair on Monday, September 12, suffered cardiac arrest and collapsed. Red Cross first aid workers rushed to perform CPR. They also applied a newly-acquired AED (automated external defibrillator) while awaiting the arrival of Wayne County EMS personnel.

The man survived. “The ER staff said the Red Cross saved his life, as there was no way he would have made it if he had to wait for the squad to reach him inside the fairgrounds,” said Lara Kiefer, Executive Director of the Lake Erie/Heartland Chapter.

Captain Doug Hunter of the Wayne County Sheriff’s office also credited the Red Cross crew, in a video posted on Facebook. Capt. Hunter said, ” I want to recognize the life-saving efforts of the representatives of the Wayne County Red Cross.” He continued,
“They frantically started doing what they are trained to do and tried to revive this man.” He went on to describe the use of the AED. “It was not looking good folks. I had pretty much written this man off as not going to survive, but they kept going.”

Captain Hunter also credits a nurse from the Wooster Community Hospital for assisting.

“It was truly a remarkable moment,” Captain Hunter said, in describing the moment the man first showed signs of life. “The people from the Red Cross at the Wayne County Fairgrounds saved this man’s life.”

Most first aid requests involve far less serious ailments, but the service provided by the Red Cross was deemed so important, a facility was built on the fairgrounds for use as a first aid station during the run of the fair every year.

About 120,000 people attend the Wayne County Fair, and the Red Cross provides first aid service free of charge. Red Cross first aid workers respond to 200-300 incidents each year. Taxpayer money is saved, by reducing the number of calls made to 911.

Our first aid service at the fair has been valued at approximately $20,000.

But for the man who suffered cardiac arrest on Monday, no value can be placed on the life-saving skills of the Red Cross first aid responders.

You can learn the same life-saving skills employed by the Red Cross by taking a class, to learn First Aid, CPR and AED. Training for other skills, such as babysitting and swimming and water safety are also offered. Go to redcross.org/takeaclass.

Photo credit: Mary Williams/American Red Cross

Red Cross, Partners Help Euclid Residents Prepare for and Prevent Home Fires

Posted on August 9, 2016 by American Red Cross of Northern Ohio

Lincoln Electric Volunteers, Euclid Fire Department Personnel Participate in Fire Safety Walk

Nearly 100 homes in Euclid now have working smoke alarms, following one of the largest Fire Safety Walks ever held in Northeast Ohio. 283 smoke alarms were installed on Saturday, August 6, 2016, with the enthusiastic help of volunteers from Lincoln Electric and our partners at the Euclid Fire Department.

“We were able to get into 95 homes and install 283 alarms. That is approximately 3 per home,” said John Gareis, Regional Manager of Preparedness and Community Planning in Northeast Ohio.

Combined with a similar effort last summer involving Lincoln Electric volunteers and the Euclid Fire Department, almost 650 smoke alarms have been installed in that Euclid neighborhood as part of Operation Save-A-Life, the American Red Cross initiative in Northeast Ohio to reduce the number of casualties in home fires by 25%. John Gareis continued, “While the total number of alarms is less than last summer, our targeted area has far fewer homes in them – making this install more efficient overall!”

As was the case last summer, Lincoln Electric CEO Chris Mapes worked alongside employees to install the smoke alarms, and to provide residents with valuable fire safety information. And Mike Parks, Regional CEO of the Red Cross in Northeast Ohio contributed to the effort, along with Red Cross volunteers and staff.

Mike Parks, Chris Mapes and John Gareis

“The partnership between Lincoln Electric, Euclid Fire, and the American Red Cross is a winner to be sure and a model for others, not only in the Region but throughout the country,” Parks said. “I know the event had an extremely positive impact, and will help prevent the loss of life due to home fires.”

Last year, more than 100 lives across the country were saved after smoke alarms were installed by the Red Cross and our partners.

Home fires remain the biggest disaster threat to individuals and families in the United States. There are three home fires, on average, in Northeast Ohio every night. Operation Save-A-Life, part of the national Red Cross Home Fire Campaign is in direct response to that dire threat, with the Red Cross committing to install 2.5 million free smoke alarms in neighborhoods at high risk for fires, and to educate those residents about fire prevention and preparedness.

More than 12,500 smoke alarms were installed in homes in Northeast Ohio last year.

If you would like a free fire safety inspection of your home, and free installation of smoke alarms, log onto redcross.org/neoosal. You can also visit redcross.org/homefires to find out more about how to protect you and your family from fire. You can also become a Red Cross volunteer. And you can help by donating to Red Cross Disaster Relief by visiting redcross.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS or texting the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Donations to Disaster Relief will be used to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small.

Click on the photo to see a gallery of pictures taken during the Euclid Fire Safety Walk.

Photo credit: Cal Pusateri, American Red Cross Communications Volunteer

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