National CPR and AED Awareness Week highlights training importance

Posted on June 5, 2019 by American Red Cross of Northern Ohio

By Eric Alves, Regional Communications Specialist, American Red Cross of Northeast Ohio

June 5, 2019- Today, people are used to seeing online news articles mentioning the tongue-and-cheek national holiday being celebrated that day, like National Cheese Pizza Day on September 7, National Old Stuff Day on March 2 or National Lipstick Day on July 29. Usually when we learn about these random celebrations, we often roll our eyes or chuckle and move on, but we often can miss when a day or week of true importance is upon us.

This week, the United States is celebrating National CPR and AED Awareness Week. In 2007, understanding the importance of proper CPR and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) training and usage to save the lives of Americans, Congress unanimously passed a resolution making June 1-7 a yearly week of awareness.

Lifeguarding Manual 2012

The American Red Cross offers many opportunities to gain training in these valuable lifesaving skills. Visit www.redcross.org/take-a-class to find in-person, online and simulated classes near you.

If you opt for in-person training, you will have the opportunity to practice your new skills on the BigRed™ LightSaving Manikin. The state of the art manikin will increase a student’s confidence that they can save a life in emergency situations, as it is equipped with three interrelated sets of lights that provide immediate feedback to students on how they are performing CPR. Only the proper technique will show the success of blood circulating from the heart to the brain which improves a sudden cardiac arrest victim’s chance of survival.

CPR Classroom Stock Video and Photography Shoot 2018

Sharon Nicastro of Independence, Ohio is an individual who is familiar with Red Cross training and the importance of every person being prepared to help save a life.

Sharon has been a Red Cross CPR and first aid instructor in Northeast Ohio for 28 years. In fact, her role as a Red Cross instructor and seeing firsthand the impact it has on saving lives, led her to becoming an EMT.

For those who want to be CPR and AED trained but are on the fence because they are concerned it will have no impact on saving a life, Sharon has a few words of encouragement.

“It is important for people to learn CPR because bystanders can recognize that someone is suffering a cardiac emergency, call 9-1-1, perform CPR, and use an AED in the minutes before EMS arrives,” stated Sharon. “The care provided in those few minutes is just as critical as the care provided by EMS and hospital personnel. Those few minutes can mean the difference between life and death.”

Sharon Nicastro

Jan and John Durkalski’s story highlights Sharon’s point.

Jan and John were on a run together when John suffered a sudden cardiac arrest and collapsed. Jan used her recent CPR training to help save her husband’s life.

Watch the below video to learn more about the Durkalski’s story and the importance of CPR/AED training:

You can download the free Red Cross First Aid App which puts instant access to information on handling the most common first aid emergencies, including sudden cardiac arrest, at your fingertips. Download by searching for ‘American Red Cross’ in your app store or at redcross.org/apps.

Join the Red Cross in celebrating National CPR and AED Awareness Week by signing up for a training class today!

Tips for a summer of water fun on International Water Safety Day

Posted on May 15, 2019 by American Red Cross of Northern Ohio

By Sue Wilson, American Red Cross volunteer and former nine- year board member

As warm weather arrives in our area after a long winter, many are anxious to get in and Swimming and Water Safety manual 2014 enjoy the many natural water resources Northeast Ohio is fortunate to have, from magnificent Lake Erie and its islands, to the beautiful Cuyahoga River. In the Akron area, thousands enjoy boating, swimming and water skiing on the Portage Lakes in additional to local ponds, lakes and pools. It is crucial that adults and children are committed to water safety and take precautions as they prepare for a summer of water fun.

May 15th is International Water Safety Day, and the American Red Cross encourages you to “do your part, be water smart.” The goal of Water Safety Day is to spread awareness Aquatic Centennial Campaign 2016 of the ongoing drowning pandemic in the United States and around the world, and educate people to be safe in and around water. Among preventable injuries, drowning is the leading cause of death for children one to four years old. But people of all ages can drown in all kinds of situations.

Here are some water smart safety tips to get ready for summer fun:

Talk to your family, and all adult caregivers, about the importance of water safety and commit to safety rules. Take the Pool Safely Pledge and share it on your social media. Use the hashtags #PledgeItOn and #IWSD. Challenge your friends and family to join you and take the pledge as well.
Download the Red Cross Swim App for a variety of kid-friendly games, videos and quizzes. Water safety information for parents for a variety of aquatic environments (waterpark, pool, beach, lake) is also included as well as a progress-checker for swim lessons.
Learn to swim. People can find age-appropriate water orientation and Learn-to-Swim programs for themselves and their family members by contacting their local aquatic facility and asking for American Red Cross Swimming and Water Safety programs, or by visiting redcross.org/watersafety.

Water safety goes beyond the outdoors. International Water Safety Day is a good time to think about water safety around the house, too:

Watch kids when they are in or around water, without being distracted.
Empty all tubs, buckets, containers and kiddie pools immediately after use.
Close toilet lids and use toilet seat locks to prevent drowning.
Install fences around home pools.
Know what to do in an emergency. Take a CPR or First Aid Class through your local Red Cross.

Find more water safety tips here.

Edited by Glenda Bogar, American Red Cross volunteer

A hero saves a life with CPR

Posted on March 29, 2019 by American Red Cross of Northern Ohio

Honored with National Certificate of Merit

By Jim McIntyre, American Red Cross

March 29, 2019 – Three weeks. That’s the amount of time that elapsed between Sheila Burke’s certification for American Red Cross Adult First Aid/CPR/AED, and the incident that required her intervention.

Three weeks after receiving her certificate for learning the lifesaving skill in 2018, Sheila found herself performing CPR on a woman who had overdosed on drugs. It happened at Monarch House, a sober living environment dedicated to women in recovery from addiction. Monarch House is part of Recovery Resources, where Sheila was an employee.

Sheila Burke

“I never thought I’d ever use CPR in my lifetime, and there I was, three weeks after taking the course,” she said prior to a recent meeting of the Board of Directors of the Red Cross Greater Cleveland Chapter. She was invited to attend the meeting and to receive the American Red Cross Certificate or Merit, the highest award given by the Red Cross to an individual or team of individuals who saves or sustains a life by using skills and knowledge learned in a Red Cross Training Services course.

The certificate bears the signature of the President of the United States, who is the honorary chairman of the Red Cross, and the signature of the chair of the American Red Cross.

The certificate was accompanied by a citation, which reads, in part, ” Ms. Burke was taking part in a meeting when she was witness to a woman starting to lose consciousness in her chair. Ms. Burke jumped into action and ran to the victim to check for signs of life. The woman has stopped breathing, did not have a pulse and was turning blue. After assessing the situation, Ms. Burke instructed a bystander to call 9-1-1. She started to perform CPR. Ms. Burke had suspected an overdose of drugs and asked a bystander to retrieve a dose of Naloxone, which was administered. The woman appeared to regain color and signs of life.”

Greater Cleveland Chapter Board Chair Chris Mapes, left, Sheila Burke, and Mike Parks

“We are honored to recognize Sheila for her quick-thinking and decisive action,” said Mike Parks, Regional CEO of the Red Cross of Northeast Ohio. “She is a testament to the value of every person learning First Aid and CPR, and how to use an AED.”

Red Cross courses are listed on our website. You may also call 1-800-RED CROSS for information on First Aid/CPR/AED, Lifeguard, Swimming, and Babysitting courses.

Photo credit: Doug Bardwell, American Red Cross volunteer

Three generations of heroes for CPR

Posted on March 15, 2019 by American Red Cross of Northern Ohio

By Sue Wilson, American Red Cross volunteer

March 15, 2019- Almost 20 years ago, the American Red Cross featured an article about a grandmother who saved the life of her granddaughter by performing CPR. That grandma, Kate Cherney, was not a doctor or a nurse, but a teacher of medical assisting and phlebotomy. She had been trained in CPR. Her daughter, Kelli Pavlas, then a young mom pregnant with her second baby at the time, said that the day of the incident was like any normal day. Her then 18-month-old daughter Alyssa had no signs or symptoms that something was about to happen. Kelli shares the story: “We were at my parents’ house watching a Cleveland Indians game. It was a perfectly normal day. My daughter was playing with my mom, sitting on her lap, when all of a sudden her eyes rolled in the back of her head and she went totally limp.”

Kelli said her mom, Grandma Kate, responded immediately, calling Alyssa’s name and checking for a response, then placing her flat on the floor to check for a pulse or breathing. There was nothing. Kate called for her husband to call 911 and immediately began CPR.

“I was 21 and pregnant with my second child,” said Kelli. “I was not a nurse and did not know CPR. I was frozen. I didn’t know how to help!”

After several rounds, Alyssa began to respond. EMS arrived and took the child to the hospital, where tests were run and she was observed for some time, but no cause was found. Kelli explained, “All we know is that she would not have made it if my mom didn’t intervene and perform CPR.”

Alyssa Baylog and her grandmother Kate Cherney

Kelli had many sleepless nights after that. She’d set an alarm hourly to check on her daughter. But she did more than that. She immediately enrolled in a CPR class, as did her sisters. And then? “I was very inspired by what happened and I decided to become a nurse to help others.”

All these years later, what became of that baby? Alyssa Balog is now saving lives herself as a cardiac nurse at the Cleveland Clinic. And she has a “pay it forward” story of her own.

While in nursing school, Alyssa would spend some nights at her grandparents’ house because it was a close distance to her clinicals. One evening, when her grandma Kate was out for a walk with a neighbor, her grandpa told Alyssa he wasn’t feeling well. After checking his pulse and noting other symptoms, she knew something was wrong. So she took him to the emergency room, where they discovered he was in atrial fibrillation. Kelli said, “In a way, Alyssa was able to repay the favor in a small way by assisting my dad who had assisted in saving her.”

Kelli feels certain that if her mom did not have CPR training, Alyssa would not be here today to help not only the many patients she cares for but also help her grandpa on that fateful evening. “I probably would not be a nurse myself,” added Kelli. “My mom’s actions inspired us to help others.”

In fact, when Kelli gave birth all those years ago, she had another beautiful baby girl. She named her Kate, after her mom, who she said is her hero.

Kelli, her daughter Alyssa and matriarch Kate are all living testaments to the importance of knowing CPR. They believe you never know when it could be your opportunity to make a difference.

Kelli and her family all received their CPR training through the American Red Cross. To get information on Red Cross CPR training near you, click here.

Edited by Glenda Bogar, American Red Cross Volunteer

CPR: Easy to learn and could save a life

Posted on February 6, 2019 by American Red Cross of Northern Ohio

By Doug Bardwell , American Red Cross volunteer

February 6, 2019- The American Red Cross is well-known for the lifesaving training it makes available across the country. Classes are available for adult, child and infant CPR, First Aid and use of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED). Special classes are also offered for health/rescue workers, child care, babysitters and lifeguards.

If you see a teen or adult suddenly collapse, Hands-Only CPR is the recommended form of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). It not only increases the likelihood of surviving breathing and cardiac emergencies that occur outside of medical settings, but it’s simple to learn and easy to remember.

Icon Preparedness To make learning easier, one year ago, the Red Cross introduced new CPR manikins affectionately called Big Red. The manikins help students get immediate feedback if they are performing the CPR technique correctly.

“Good CPR is a skill that almost anyone can do, but using the correct technique can be the difference between life and death for a person in cardiac arrest,” said Richard N. Bradley, M.D., FACEP, member of the American Red Cross Scientific Advisory Council, and chair of its Resuscitation Sub-Council. “The unique technology in the Big Red manikin enhances an amazing tool to improve students’ ability to learn the right way to provide lifesaving assistance.”

Anyone can master the technique

Before performing CPR, remember these few important steps:

Look around and make sure the scene is safe for yourself and the victim.
Tap the person on the shoulder and shout “Are you okay?” Look for signs of rhythmic, normal breathing.
If none, call or have someone call 911, and then begin CPR.

Performing Hands-Only CPR:

Kneel beside the person who needs help.
Place the heel of one hand on the center of the chest.
Place the heel of the other hand on top of the first hand, then lace your fingers together.
Position your body so that your shoulders are directly over your hand and keep your arms straight.
Push hard, push fast. Use your body weight to help you administer compressions that are at least 2 inches deep and delivered at a rate of at least 100 compressions per minute. (Just be sure to let the victim’s chest rise completely between compressions.)
Keep pushing. Continue Hands-Only CPR until you see obvious signs of life (like breathing), another trained responder or EMS professional can take over, you’re too exhausted to continue, an AED becomes available, or the scene becomes unsafe.

This short video will give you the proper technique:

Yes, anyone can do it.

cpr tweet

In a recent Washington Post article, the writer tells the story of Cross Scott, a mechanic, who encountered a woman who had stopped breathing. He decided to administer CPR while waiting for the rescue squad to arrive. Having never taken a CPR course, he did recall watching Michael Scott learning how to do CPR on an episode of “The Office.” Within a minute, the woman began to breathe again.

You can watch the humorous, but lifesaving TV clip here:

Find a class and sign up today

To be a genuine asset to family, friends and your neighbors, consider signing up for a Red Cross class. With multiple opportunities each week, it’s easy to find one near you at a convenient time.

Classes can be done online, in person or a blended class using both online and in-person sessions. By taking part of the instruction online, you’ll spend less time in class, but have the advantage of reviewing anything that may have been unclear in the online materials.

Red Cross volunteers can get a voucher to cover the cost of the course. Inquire at your local chapter office.

How to do Hands-Only CPR

https://www.redcross.org/take-a-class/cpr/performing-cpr/hands-only-cpr

http://www.redcross.org/prepare/hands-only-cpr video

http://www.redcross.org/take-a-class/cpr/cpr-training take a class: online, in person, blended

Hands-Only CPR page

https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/be-red-cross-ready/hands-only-cpr.html

Edited by Glenda Bogar, American Red Cross volunteer

Partnering with KeyBank to teach hands-only CPR

Posted on September 28, 2018 by American Red Cross of Northern Ohio

By: Eric Alves, Regional Communications Specialist, American Red Cross of Northeast Ohio

Earlier this week, the American Red Cross teamed up with KeyBank to train interested employees on how to administer hands-only CPR.

The training was held in Key Tower in downtown Cleveland. Patricia Buckhold, a former Red Cross regional volunteer services officer and current volunteer, conducted the training.

More than 30 KeyBank employees took part in the training. During two 30-minute sessions, participants watched a video and listened to Pat discuss the proper technique for hands-only CPR. Participants were also given the opportunity to put their training into action by using compression tools, in the shape of a Red Cross emergency response vehicle, to help reinforce their training in a hands-on approach.

“I think there’s a lot of interest in people knowing what to do in an emergency, and this is a good way to start their education,” said Katie Rothstein, KeyBank’s onsite health promotion specialist.

If you are interested in having the Red Cross conduct a hands-only CPR training for members of your organization, you may submit a request. The Red Cross also provides a wide array of training for individuals, such as CPR training, babysitting and child care training, and swimming lessons. To learn more about upcoming training courses, . To schedule a training, call 1-800-Red Cross (1-800-733-2767) or visit redcross.org/take-a-class.

To view more photos from the training, visit our Flickr page.

Wayne County Fair goers are in Good Hands Thanks to Red Cross Volunteers

Posted on September 7, 2018 by American Red Cross of Northern Ohio

Five-Day Event Begins Saturday, September 8

By Brad Galvan, American Red Cross Volunteer

Each year, dozens of nurses, medics and physicians donate their precious time (sometimes vacation hours!) to provide first aid services at the Red Cross First Aid Station at the Wayne County Fair. The fair runs September 8th – 13^th, and during the hours of operation, the first aid station is open and ready to care for anyone in need of unexpected medical care. The station, which is housed in a permanent, air-conditioned facility, will care for over 200 fair-goers dealing with injuries and illnesses ranging from blisters and bee stings to serious, complex medical conditions that tend to arise due to warm temperatures and extensive walking.

Lara Kiefer, the Executive Director of the Lake Erie/Heartland Chapter of the American Red Cross, shared that the volunteers have provided the first aid services at the fair for at least the last 40 years. This year, the first aid operation will be coordinated by Mike Priest, a retired Wooster firefighter. He and his team will be on duty for a total of about 1,000 total hours, to ensure the health and well-being of those who attend the five-day event.

The volunteers meet well in advance to ensure they have ample coverage. Their station is stocked with supplies and the three medical bays are ready for those who get sick or injured. The team is ready with band-aids and gauze for minor cuts and scrapes, but also are truly ready for anything that comes their way. In fact, in 2016 a fair-goer had a life-threatening heart attack. The team gave CPR, used an AED and prepared the victim for transport by Wooster EMS. Read more about their lifesaving action here.

Similar first-aid services are offered by the Red Cross at other events in Northeast Ohio, like the Pro Football Hall of Fame activities in Canton and the Canfield Fair in Mahoning County. The need for volunteers to help provide such valuable services never ends. Visit redcross.org/neo and click Volunteer at the top of the page to learn more about the volunteer opportunities available.

The need for blood donors is also constant. Those who are able to donate are encouraged to visit the Red Cross bloodmobile at the Wayne County Fair Sunday and Monday, September 9 and 10, from noon to 7:00 pm.

And if you are one of the 100,000+ attendees of this year’s Wayne County Fair, please make sure to thank the volunteers who are working at the Red Cross first aid booth. You will make their vacation!

Hands-Only CPR Can Help Save Lives

Posted on May 23, 2018 by American Red Cross of Northern Ohio

By Brad Galvan, American Red Cross Volunteer

When most people face a life-and-death situation, the fewer things they need to think about, the better! A few simple steps can save a life when an adult is found unresponsive from an apparent cardiac episode.

Ready? Here they are:

Call 9-1-1
Be sure you are safe in your surroundings
Check for a pulse. If none is found –
Push hard and fast on the victim

Hands-only CPR is now taught at many schools, churches and organizations by the American Red Cross. It’s an effective tool for laypeople to help save lives while waiting for emergency personnel to arrive.

Those who are taught hands-only CPR feel prepared if they were to be in the situation where they encounter an adult who has had a cardiac issue. Sherwin-Williams employees recently received hands-only CPR training.

Dennis Karnstein and other Sherwin-Williams employees learn hands-only CPR

“Many thanks to the American Red Cross for conducting CPR training at our headquarters this week,” said Dennis Karnstein, President and General Manager, Sherwin-Williams Industrial Wood Division. “Absolutely nothing in this world is more precious than human life, and it’s great to know that our employees are now equipped with the potentially life-saving skills they need to jump in should emergency strike.”

Dennis is also a member of the Greater Cleveland Chapter Board of Directors.

Red Cross volunteer instructor Sharon Nicastro thinks that people may be nervous about the complexity or contact involved with traditional mouth-to-mouth CPR that is available for those seeking certification. She believes that hands-only CPR is a great solution, and she is helping to spread the word, suggesting that all organizations reach out to the Red Cross to arrange a time for their members, employees and associates to get trained in the hands-only method.

Red Cross hands-only CPR Instructor, volunteer Sharon Nicastro. Photo credit: Jim McIntyre/American Red Cross

Please do your fellow humans a favor and follow this link to see a video to get familiar with the hands-only technique: http://www.redcross.org/get-help/prepare-for-emergencies/be-red-cross-ready/hands-only-cpr

Greater Cleveland Heroes Honored

Posted on March 13, 2018 by American Red Cross of Northern Ohio

It’s fitting, but not intentional, that National Good Samaritan Day fell the day before we honored Greater Cleveland Heroes.

The day is also known as Good Samaritan Involvement Day. It is a day for unselfish actions to help those in need and to celebrate kindness.

The term “Good Samaritan” comes from the Bible parable where a Samaritan helped a stranger who had been robbed and beaten and left to die by the side of the road. The Samaritan not only cleaned the man’s wounds and clothed him, but took him to an inn where he paid for the man’s care.

The term is used today to describe those who perform acts of kindness for those in need, especially those who are strangers. Like the seven individuals we honored on March 15.

About 500 people attended the 2018 Greater Cleveland Heroes Award ceremony at the Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland, where the Cleveland Indians received the Community Leader Award. See our photo album of the event here.

In a nutshell…

Patrolman Christopher Olup and Sergeant Robert Prochazka

Patrolman Christopher Olup and Sergeant Robert Prochazka of the Willowick Police Department risked their own lives to enter a burning house and pull a disabled man to safety.

Nurse Janine Smalley of the Cleveland VA Medical Center volunteered to treat thousands of veterans in Puerto Rico following the devastation of Hurricane Maria.

Gilbert DiSanto of Miceli Dairy used an AED and performed CPR to save the life of a man who had collapsed near the company’s headquarters in Cleveland.

Janine Smalley

Gilbert DiSanto

Jared Lee

Dana Walling

Dana Walling was a customer at Classic BMW in Willoughby Hills when he helped two wounded police officers subdue a gunman.

Jared Lee of the MetroHealth System improvised by using the drawstring from his scrubs as a tourniquet on a severely injured victim of a car crash.

John and Jan Durkalski

Jan Durkalski performed CPR and ran for help after her husband collapsed during a run in the Cleveland Metroparks, saving his life.

These seven individuals are the very definition of “Good Samaritans,” and we are proud to honor them for their selfless acts.

See our heroes tell their stories in their own words here.

We honored 12 Heroes earlier this month in Akron, at the 2018 Acts of Courage awards in the Summit, Portage and Medina Counties Chapter. And coming in June, the Acts of Courage awards in Youngstown will honor heroes from our Lake to River Chapter.

The Twelve Days of Christmas

Posted on December 20, 2017 by American Red Cross of Northern Ohio

Preparing Families for Emergencies

By John Gareis, Regional Preparedness Manager

Most people believe that on the First Day of Christmas the appropriate gift to give is a Partridge in a Pear Tree. Well the American Red Cross believes in building Disaster Resilient Neighborhoods during the Holiday Season as well throughout the year. pear
To help you select stocking stuffers and Christmas gifts designed to make individuals, families and the homes they live in as safe as possible, the American Red Cross has put together the following recommendations for gifts for the Twelve Days of Christmas.

On the First Day of Christmas

On the First Day of Christmas, the Red Cross recommends that you install a SMOKE ALARM. Smoke alarms should be installed on every level of a home; outside bedrooms on the ceiling or high on the wall, at the top of open stairways and at the bottom of enclosed stairs and near (but not in) the kitchen. It is important to check your Smoke Alarms every month and replace their batteries annually. The life expectancy of ALL smoke alarms is 10 years – the sensors wear out.

On the Second Day of Christmas

On the Second Day of Christmas the Red Cross recommends that you install a CARBON MONOXIDE ALARM. Carbon Monoxide Alarms should be placed in hallways throughout the home. They should also be placed in recreational vehicles and on boats.

On the Third Day of Christmas

On the Third Day of Christmas the Red Cross recommends that you install a FIRE EXTINGUISHER in your home. Install A-B-C type Fire Extinguishers in the home and teach all household members how to use them.

On the Fourth Day of Christmas

On the Fourth Day of Christmas the Red Cross recommends that you install a FIRE ESCAPE LADDER. Homes with more than one floor should have at least one Fire Escape Ladder stored on all floors, other than ground level. Store these ladders where they are easily accessible.

On the Fifth Day of Christmas

On the Fifth Day of Christmas the Red Cross recommends that you assemble a FAMILY DISASTER SUPPLIES KIT. A family will cope best by preparing for emergencies before they occur. One way to prepare is by assembling a Family Disaster Supplies Kit. Once disaster hits, you won’t have time to shop and search for supplies.

On the Sixth Day of Christmas

pet On the Sixth Day of Christmas the Red Cross recommends that you assemble a PET SUPPLIES KIT. Pets enrich the lives of individuals and families in more ways than you can count. In turn they depend on people for their safety and well-being. Having a Pet Disaster Supplies Kit is one of the best ways to care for pets when disaster strikes.

On the Seventh Day of Christmas

On the Seventh Day of Christmas the Red Cross recommends that you acquire a WEATHER RADIO. As the voice of the National Weather Service, a Weather Radio provides continuous broadcasts of the latest weather information directly from a National Weather Service Forecast Office. During severe weather routine broadcasting is interrupted and special watch and warning messages are issued.

On the Eighth Day of Christmas

On the Eighth Day of Christmas the Red Cross recommends that you get a FIRST AID KIT. Because the first five minutes of a medical emergency are critical, every individual and family should have a First Aid Kit in their home and vehicle and on your boat.

On the Ninth Day of Christmas

On the Ninth Day of Christmas the Red Cross recommends that you attend FIRST AID AND CPR TRAINING. For more than a century, the Red Cross has been saving lives with Health and Safety Services education programs. A unique idea for a Christmas Stocking would be a Gift Certificate for a First Aid and CPR Training course.

On the Tenth Day of Christmas

On the Tenth Day of Christmas the Red Cross recommends that you purchase HOUSE NUMBERS. Each home should have its number posted clearly on the front door, over the doorway, or elsewhere on the front so emergency responders can easily locate it. Lives and property can be saved simply by adequate house numbers where emergency workers can find them as quickly as possible.

On the Eleventh Day of Christmas

On the Eleventh Day of Christmas the Red Cross recommends that you purchase a FLASHLIGHT. As simple as a Flashlight is, it can become a very important tool during and after disaster strikes. Every Family Disaster Supplies Kit should contain a Flashlight and spare batteries.

On the Twelfth Day of Christmas

On the Twelfth Day of Christmas the Red Cross recommends that you create an EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION PLAN. Each home should have a list of Emergency Phone Numbers posted near the phone or in the front of a phone book.

For additional information on these and other safety tips visit:
http://www.redcross.org/news/article/7-fire-safety-tips-for-holiday-decorating-and-entertaining

NOHredcross

American Red Cross of Northern Ohio Region

Tag Archives: CPR