Fifth Graders Learn About Preparing and Coping With Potential Emergencies
Students at Wilcox Elementary school in North Ridgeville are now better prepared for potential disasters, thanks to American Red Cross volunteer Alice Martinez and The Pillowcase Project.
Alice teaches students in grades 3, 4 and 5 about hazards they may encounter in Northeast Ohio, and how to prepare for and cope with emergencies. As part of the class, students are given sturdy pillowcases, provided by Disney, which they decorate and take home. The students are instructed to fill those pillowcases with supplies they may need to take with them should they be forced to leave their homes in a hurry.
The Pillowcase Project was inspired by college students in New Orleans in 2005. As hurricane Katrina approached, many students were seen leaving their dorms with pillowcases slung over their shoulders. They were carrying whatever they could fit into those pillowcases.
The instructions are tailored for the region where they are taught. With winter weather approaching, the children at Wilcox elementary were reminded of the potential dangers posed by extreme winter weather conditions, as well as tornadoes, flooding and home fires.
On Monday, October 19, a news crew from WKYC Channel 3 recorded The Pillowcase Project Presentation in the fifth grade classroom of Mrs. Pam Ventimiglia. Senior Health Correspondent Monica Robins interviewed some of the student about what they learned, and a videographer recorded them decorating their pillowcases. You can see Monica’s report here.
Students surround WKYC Senior Health Correspondent Monica Robins
Fifth grade teacher Pam Ventimiglia and Red Cross volunteer Alice Martinez
Students take the pledge to be prepared
Mrs. Martinez teaches students about the dangers of frostbite
Students review information in booklets they are given to keep
Students engage with Mrs. Martinez
Red Cross volunteer Alice Martinez
Preparing for The Pillowcase Project
Monica Robins sharing the story on social media
Mrs. Ventimiglia prepares her students for The Pillowcase Project
Monica Robins signs autographs
Photo credit: Jim McIntyre/American Red Cross
The program is part of the Red Cross Home Fire Preparedness Campaign. It began in Cleveland as Operation Save-A-Life in 1992, following a spate of deadly home fires. The goal of the national campaign is to reduce the number of deaths caused by home fires by 25% over a five-year period.
The Red Cross has also designed youth app, called Monster Guard: Prepare for Emergencies, based on The Pillowcase Project and was also sponsored by Disney as part of this program.
More than 100 Homes Now Outfitted with New Smoke Alarms
The American Red Cross effort to reduce the number of deaths from home fires continues in Northeast Ohio and across the country.
Locally, 316 smoke alarms were installed in a total of 102 homes on Saturday, October 17, as the result of Fire Safety Walks in Lorain and Sandusky. Dedicated Red Cross staff members and volunteers were assisted by several partners, walking door-to-door installing the free alarms and offering residents vital fire safety information.
“We are trying to prevent home fires and provide fire safety tips,” said lead Red Cross volunteer Lora Taylor. “Our goal is to install 200 smoke alarms today, with the help of the Ohio Army National Guard.”
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
Photo credit: Jim McIntyre/American Red Cross
That goal was surpassed, thanks largely to the efforts of a dozen volunteers from the 837th Combat Engineers at the Lorain Readiness Center. They were teamed with Red Cross staff and volunteers, and installed a total of 227 smoke alarms in 76 homes. They replaced several old alarms, and in some cases, installed alarms in homes for the first time.
“They installed alarms in one home where there were none before we arrived. Four children lived in that home,” according to Katie-Myers Griffith, Executive Director of the American Red Cross Lake Erie/Heartland Chapter. “In another home, they installed alarms where a non-English speaking family tried their best to communicate their thankfulness. It was an experience to watch the volunteers realize that this program saves lives, and to hear them talk about it.”
Red Cross volunteer Angel Paul, working her first Fire Safety Walk, said “We put smoke alarms in the home of a 93-year old woman who had tears in her eyes as she thanked the soldiers. She was touched by their selflessness.”
Angel said another home was still being repaired due to a previous fire, and the homeowner still hadn’t gotten around to installing new smoke alarms.
At the same time, Red Cross volunteers in Sandusky installed 88 alarms in 26 homes, with the help of volunteers from the Sandusky Police and Fire Departments and the Home Depot.
Operation Save-A-Life is part of the American Red Cross Home Fire Prevention Campaign. The goal is to reduce the number of deaths due to home fires by 25% over a five year period.
Installing smoke alarms is just the first step toward protecting your home from fire. Learn more about preparing your family and preventing home fires here.
American Red Cross Chapter Will Receive $2,000 if the Browns Quarterback Wins
The NFL has nominated Cleveland Browns quarterback Josh McCown to win Player of the Week honors, following his record-setting performance against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, October 11.
If Josh is voted in, the American Red Cross in Northeast Ohio wins as well.
FedEx is donating $2,000 each week to the Red Cross chapter in the communities where the winners play. The NFL nominates three players each week. This week, in addition to McCown, New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning and Sam Bradford of the Philadelphia Eagles have also been nominated.
But neither could top Josh’s level of performance.
Not only did the Browns quarterback throw for a franchise-record 457 yards in Baltimore to help beat the Ravens 33-30 in overtime, he has become the first quarterback for the Browns to throw for more than 300 yards in three consecutive games, setting another record by throwing for 1,157 yards over that three game stretch.
“He’s playing better than any quarterback in the league right now,” according to CBS Sports analyst Pat Kirwan.
You can vote for Josh McCown to win Player of the Week honors here. Voting closes Thursday afternoon at 3:00 PM. The FedEx program supports the costs of providing immediate and long-term assistance to families affected by a disaster, like a home fire. The promotion also provides families with lifesaving fire prevention and preparedness tools and help in the aftermath of other types of disasters.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for Browns fans to not only recognize the outstanding performance of Josh McCown, but also to support the work of the American Red Cross in Northeast Ohio,” said Mike Parks, Regional CEO. “A $2,000 donation from FedEx will help a number of people recover from a disaster or prepare for an emergency by supporting the work of the dedicated volunteers and staff of the American Red Cross in Northeast Ohio.”
Fans will also be able to vote for Josh McCown to win Player of the Year honors at the end of the season. FedEx will donate $25,000 to the Red Cross chapter in the winning player’s community.
The NFL is also nominating three running backs each week. Through the FedEx Air and Ground campaign, FedEx will also donate $2,000 dollars to the Red Cross chapters in the communities where those winners play. Let’s hope Browns running backs Isaiah Crowell and Duke Johnson break through for a big week against the Broncos this Sunday.
Will Lead Response To All Disasters in Northeast Ohio
Tim O’Toole, who recently retired as Assistant Chief of Operations for the Cleveland Division of Fire, is the new Disaster Program Officer for the American Red Cross Northeast Ohio Region.
O’Toole served the city of Cleveland for almost 35 years in various positions of responsibility, including Chief of Staff and Acting Division Chief for the Cleveland Fire Department, and was named the first Manager of the Mayor’s Office of Emergency Preparedness, under then-mayor Michael R. White, in response to the events of September 11, 2001.
“We are extremely fortunate to have a disaster program manager with such vast experience,” said Mike Parks, CEO of the Northeast Ohio Region. “Chief O’Toole’s extensive background in disaster preparedness and emergency management will benefit the 4.5 million people who live in the 22 counties we serve. His leadership and experience fit perfectly with the mission of the American Red Cross: to prevent and alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies.”
Among the major emergencies Tim responded to and managed were the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy in 2012, preparation for Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and the massive blackout of 2003. He has also been involved with training for most of the disaster drills that have been staged in Cleveland over the past several years.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
One such drill was held at Cleveland Hopkins Airport on September 19. Volunteers and staff from the American Red Cross provided support at the Emergency Operations Center, and staffed the Family Assistance Center, where participants role-played as loved ones concerned about the fate of the “victims” of the mock air disaster.
As Regional Disaster Officer, O’Toole will lead all American Red Cross responses to disasters of any scale in Northeast Ohio, by mobilizing the community to prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies. He will also continue to develop and support volunteers, who serve as the primary disaster-response workforce.
If you are interested in volunteering to respond to disasters in your community and beyond, please visit our website: www.redcross.org/neo and click on “Volunteer” on the left side of the screen. You will be dropped directly into the application process. You may also call 216-431-3328 or email, NEOvolunteer@redcross.org.
Assists Searchers Looking for Missing Child; Helps Victims of Epic Flooding
A major, historic flood event is ongoing in South Carolina and parts of North Carolina. And the search for a missing child ended successfully in Trumbull County. Volunteers from the American Red Cross assisted there, and with several other disasters over the weekend.
The child, two-year old Rainn Peterson was reported missing Friday night from the family home in North Bloomfield. Some 60 searchers spent almost 48 hours looking for the little girl, and the Red Cross provided canteen services, including food, water and warmth inside an emergency response vehicle.
In addition, cots were provided to police and FBI agents who stayed at the Emergency Operations Center Saturday night.
On Sunday, just as the sun was setting, a volunteer found the the little girl about a quarter mile from the home. The Trumbull County sheriff said she was doing “as fine as can be expected” after spending nearly two days outdoors, with temperatures that dipped into the lower 40’s and a steady rain on Saturday.
“We all wanted to see heartbreak turn into hope, and that’s exactly what happened,” said Karen Conklin, Executive Director of the Lake to River Chapter of the Red Cross. “That little girl was in our hearts the whole time. It could have happened to any of us.”
While THAT story ended happily, the flooding on the East Coast is far from over.
This is now the wettest October on record in downtown Charleston, South Carolina, surpassing the previous record of 11.59 inches in 1959 – and it’s only the beginning of the month.
Flash flooding is ongoing and has become serious in many locations, including in Charleston, where numerous swift-water rescues were reported. Roads were closed all over the state, including portions of Interstates 77 and 20. A 75-mile stretch of Interstate 95 between Interstates 20 and 26 was closed. The heavily traveled highway through the eastern portion of the state was not closed during 1989’s Hurricane Hugo.
Widespread rainfall totals since Thursday are between 5 to 10 inches, with locally heavier amounts reported. Some coastal areas from Charleston to Myrtle Beach have recorded 10 to 16 inches. Additional heavy rainfall of between 5 and 10 inches is possible. These extreme rainfall amounts will continue to lead to widespread and catastrophic flooding and flash flooding. It will take several days for water to recede in the region once the rain ends. A Federal Emergency Declaration has been declared for South Carolina.
“We are helping families across South Carolina that are in need of shelter, disaster relief and comfort,” said Louise Welch Williams, regional chief executive officer of the American Red Cross in South Carolina. “We are also welcoming members of the community who want to help to join us as Red Cross disaster volunteers.”
The American Red Cross has opened 35 emergency shelters, helping people stay safe and dry and providing meals and emotional support. More than 200 people spent the night Sunday in a Red Cross shelter. Nearly 400 Red Cross workers, 22 emergency response vehicles and supplies for 5,000 people have been mobilized.
Additional shelters are on standby and the Red Cross is working closely with government partners to ensure immediate needs of residents are being met.
Volunteers from every Red Cross region in the Midwest, including Northeast Ohio, responded to a variety of disasters over the weekend. We respond to nearly 70,000 disasters every year, from home fires to wildfires, flooding and more.
In addition to flooding, we are still helping people impacted by the wildfires in California, a blizzard in Alaska, and the school shooting in Oregon, where volunteers are providing mental health support and assistance at community events. And in Florida, more than a dozen Red Cross volunteers are providing emotional support and other assistance for the families of the seamen aboard the cargo ship El Faro, which sank during Hurricane Joaquin last week.
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.
With a crowd of one million people or more expected in Philadelphia in late September for the visit of Pope Francis, the American Red Cross deployed a number of volunteers to support humanitarian needs.
Three of those volunteers are from the Northeast Ohio Region.
Kelly Weisenburger, Trish Wilson and Vincetta Tsouris are veterans of out-of town assignments. Kelly, a nurse at Fisher-Titus Medical Center in Norwalk, has experience responding to hurricanes on the east coast and wildfires in California. Trish, a nurse at the Ohio Veteran’s Home in Sandusky, has been deployed to Texas and Florida to provide hurricane relief, and helped residents of nearby Findlay when the Blanchard River flooded. And Vincetta’s first assignment was in response to Hurricane Sandy in 2012. The Steubenville resident served in the Air Force Reserve for 37 years, and is currently a nurse at Weirton Medical Center in West Virginia.
They arrived in Philadelphia on Friday, September 25, and were immediately dispatched to Pennsylvania Health Department Facilities that were set up as Medical Readiness Centers. While the Red Cross volunteers were prepared to treat a large number of people in the event of a disaster, they say there was just a handful of people who needed only minor medical attention. A few people were reunified with loved ones after being separated in the massive crowd, thanks to the efforts of Red Cross volunteers. And many homeless people who were displaced by the crowds were given food and water.
“Nothing really happened,” according to Kelly. “And that was the perfect part of it.” As a long-time Red Cross volunteer, Kelly is aware of the burden her travels have placed on her family over the years. But she says she is willing to serve, and her service has apparently rubbed off on her daughter, an optometry student at The Ohio State University, who has become a medical missionary.
Kelly, Trish and Vincetta never got closer than a couple of blocks from the Pope, but they were able to see coverage of the Pope’s movements in Philadelphia on one of the giant screens that were set up throughout the city. As Vincetta put it, “If it wasn’t for my volunteering with the Red Cross, I never would have gotten anywhere near the Pope.”
The volunteers returned to Northeast Ohio on Monday, September 28th, tired but happy to be of service, and awaiting word on their next assignments.
If you are interested in volunteering, visit www.redcross.org/neo and click on “Volunteer” on the left side of the screen. You will then be prompted to begin the application process.
There’s no guarantee of being assigned to another Papal visit anytime soon. But you WILL have the chance to help others.
Volunteers are the backbone of the American Red Cross. More than 340,000 people volunteered their time and talent to the Red Cross nationwide last year. Of that number, 350 volunteers are from the Lake Erie/Heartland Chapter, which covers seven counties, from Erie to the north to Holmes in the south. Many of them were honored during a celebration for “Everyday Heroes” on September 24.
Volunteers participate in a range of activities. They may provide assistance to people displaced by a disaster – like a home fire or flood – providing access to shelter, meals and other immediate needs. They provide disaster victim with mental health support, and help reunite family members separated by disasters. At large scale disasters, volunteers provide food and water to firefighters and other first responders. They help hold blood drives to make sure our hospitals have adequate supplies. Volunteers teach CPR and first aid, and provide services to military members and their families. And they travel, anywhere Red Cross services are needed.
Among the volunteers honored at Chapter headquarters in Wooster are Brenda Greegor, who logged more hours volunteering than any other board member. Pat Shaw was honored for being the most active blood services volunteer. Mike Priest was the volunteer who spent the most time at First Aid Stations. Ron Armentrout had most Chapter Services volunteer hours. And William “Bill” Chapman donated more hours working disasters than any other volunteer.
Bill also got top volunteer honors for most overall hours logged.
“Some of our volunteers have been with us for more than 40 years,” said Chapter Executive Director, Katie Myers-Griffith. “They provide invaluable services to the residents of the seven counties in our chapter. I can’t thank them enough.”
Those who attended the celebration for “Everyday Heroes” were treated to a picnic dinner, and several received raffle gifts provided by businesses in the community.
But the real gift is in knowing how dedicated Red Cross volunteers are always ready to help.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
If you are interested in volunteering in your community, please visit our website: http://www.redcross.org/neo and click on Volunteer on the left side of the screen. You may also call 216-431-3328 or email, NEOvolunteer@redcross.org.
On Thursday, September 24, the Summit, Portage, and Medina Counties Chapter held its annual POWER OF THE PURSE event, sponsored by Signet Jewelers, at the elegant Weymouth Country Club in Medina.
This sold-out event is seen as a great philanthropic Girls Night Out! With an emcee – Sarah Kay from the WQMX Morning Show, a DJ, the opportunity to Walk the Red Carpet for the Red Cross (for pictures from the Red Carpet, check out ourFacebook page), and delicious horsd’oeuvres the night was a stunning success! More than 375 women turned out for this year’s fundraiser.
At the beginning of the evening over 80 purses stood ready to be auctioned off. The designer handbags were filled with fabulous swag from local merchants, local artists, and community members. The Bling Bazaar room offered beautiful statement pieces and jewelry options plus the chance to win a stunning diamond necklace from Signet Jewelers.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
By the end of the night, not a single purse was left. Every single purse sold, including the amazing Coach clutch, donated by members of the Summit, Portage, and Medina Counties Chapter Board, which contained vouchers for four Goodyear tires and club seats to see the Cleveland Cavaliers take on the Miami Heat. (In case you’re interested, the final bid for the the Board donated purse was $2,000!)
The final count has not been tallied, but early estimates for the evening have the total raised more than $50,000. Proceeds from the event will benefit the services offered by the Red Cross in Summit, Portage, and Medina Counties.
First, a fire drill on live TV. Then, Citizen CPR courses taught in the same studio used by the cast and crew of “Live on Lakeside” and Fox Sports Ohio. It was all part of Safety Week activities initiated by Channel 3 and the American Red Cross.
During three separate sessions, trained Red Cross volunteers gave dozens of station employees the skills to help save lives by putting more cardiac arrest victims within a few steps of lifesaving assistance.
Volunteers Jerry and Diana Goodman, Beth Ann Barto, Pam Hendrix and Walter Reddick led the lessons on the hands-only technique, teaching TV 3 staffers to first check victims for consciousness, next to call 9-1-1, and then to give continuous chest compressions to patients experiencing cardiac arrest.
“Citizen CPR courses give untrained bystanders the ability to buy time for victims of cardiac arrest,” said Pat Buckhold, Director of Volunteer Services in Northeast Ohio. “Chest compressions can help keep a patient alive until trained medical help arrives.”
Pat led one of the sessions, explaining that the target is 100 chest compressions per minute. “There are a few songs you can hum in your head to help you keep the proper pace,” she said. “My favorite for this exercise is ‘Stayin’ Alive’ by the Bee Gees.”
The fire drill and the Citizen CPR courses at Channel 3 took part during National Preparedness Month. See our previous posts on being prepared for disasters.
The Red Cross has an unwavering commitment to members of the U.S. military, its veterans and their families. Always has, ever since founder Clara Barton began to recruit nurses to support Army soldiers. And now, more than 130 years later, a new digital tool has been developed to give military families the ability to get an emergency message to loved ones immediately from a computer, tablet or smartphone.
The Hero Care Network provides a new online option for emergency communication among military families, as well as the toll free Red Cross Emergency number at 877-272-7337.
“Close to 1,200 military families from Northeast Ohio reached out to the Red Cross for emergency assistance last year, and more than 900 needed to make an emergency contact with a loved one in uniform,” according to Jessica Tischler, Director of Service to Armed Forces for Northeast Ohio. “Our military families are among the 110,000 families nationwide, some 300 every day, who rely on the Red Cross during their time of need.” Any member of any branch of the military on active duty is eligible to receive an emergency communication message from family members through the Red Cross Hero Care Network. This includes activated members of the Guard and Reserve of all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces, along with civilians employed by or under contract to the Department of Defense and stationed outside of the continental United States, and any family member residing with them. A Cadet or midshipman at a service academy, an ROTC cadet on orders for training and Merchant Marines aboard U.S. Naval ships are also eligible for emergency communications assistance through the Red Cross.
The new online tool, available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year at redcross.org/HeroCareNetwork is a secure way for family members of the men and women who serve our country to notify their loved ones about the birth of a child or grandchild, a serious illness, or the death of an immediate family member. The Red Cross has taken multiple steps to ensure the safety and security of all personal information.
While many military families are in constant contact through email and text messaging, information verified by the Red Cross assists service men and women and their commanding officers when it comes to making a decision regarding emergency leave. And with the new online tool, users who initiate an emergency message can monitor the status of their message as it goes through the verification and delivery process.
“It’s important to remember that people can always speak to a Red Cross worker at any time during the process,” according to Koby J. Langley, Senior Vice President of Service to Armed Forces for the American Red Cross. “regardless of how families initiate an emergency message, military members can depend on the Red Cross to relay urgent messages to service members serving anywhere in the world.”
For more information about Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces, contact Jessica Tischler at Jessica.tischler@redcross.org, or visit redcross.org/military.
NOHredcross 