Meet Madeline

Meet Madeline
January is National Blood Donor Month
The American Red Cross needs to collect 22,000 units of blood each weekday and around 15,000 units each weekend to meet patient needs. Every two seconds, someone needs blood.
Will you help us?

Memories Linger

Pictures. There is nothing I have found to be more precious to people than documented memories of adventures, weddings, vacations, birthdays, and various special occasions. When a fire engulfs a home these little treasures can be lost forever. On a drizzling day in Chicago, the saying “a picture is worth a thousand words” rang true for me.

One Friday morning the disaster response team and I strapped on our American Red Cross vests and arrived at the home of Omar, a young soft spoken father of two. The fire, which had started and was contained to the attic, had been put out by the firemen. While the fire marshals secured the premises, the Red Cross provided comfort to the family and listened to their story.

“I saw the fire; I grabbed and carried my granddaughters out of the home. In just a couple of minutes the firemen came, I did not call them a man driving down the street stopped his car and called the firemen,” stated Omar’s mom.

Omar said, “I saw the firemen and I ran to the house to make sure that my mom and daughters where ok. Thankfully my mom had grabbed the girls and got out of the house as soon as she saw the fire.”

After speaking to Omar and his mom, the fire marshal let the family and the Red Cross know that it was safe to enter the home and asses the damage from the fire. This was my first time going into a home along with the family. When Omar and his family first saw the fire damage their expression turned from shock to that of sadness and loss, and left me breathless. The flames had scorched the entire content of the attic. The main floor was in disarray and flooding rapidly from the ventilation holes that the firemen created on the roof.

As I walked through the flooded home, I saw pictures lining the walls of the living room, dining room and bedrooms. I gazed upon Omar’s family photos as they silently told me the story of their life. I became a part of their birthday celebrations, graduations, family cook-outs, weddings and quinceañeras. I began to feel their sadness and their loss and I connected with the family on a deeper level. Now I view a fires aftermath with new eyes and this has strengthened my commitment to the Red Cross mission.

Pictures tell us so much about a person and a family. They showcase their essence and allow us to share in their memories and life. Omar and his family were happy to see that these treasures where not damaged by the fire and expressed their gratitude to the Red Cross for helping.

Today, with a single click, you can join a movement on Facebook to honor those who aren’t so lucky.

Visit every80seconds.com and get a glimpse of what it’s like to lose your most precious memories. At the end of your visit, all of your photos will be fully recovered. Make a donation for every photo you can’t imagine life without.

Chicago Red Cross Staff Serves in Flood Disaster

A week and a half of being on the clock 24-7, little sleep, helping distressed families, and observing what the widespread flood has damaged can sound stressful or even frightening to anyone. But Becky Streifler, a Chicago Red Cross staff member, looks forward to experiencing all of the above.

Becky feels compassionate about relieving families of stress through the mental health team in the Memphis, Tennessee flood.

“You never clock out and you are there to provide people with mental health support the whole time. As a mental health deployment team we have to be useful to ourselves or we can’t be useful to others,” said Becky.

When disaster-affected areas ask the Red Cross network for help, trained volunteers can be sent nationwide to aid those in need of help.

“When the American Red Cross is there, the community knows help has arrived,” said Becky.

She’s been deployed several times before to locations such as Greensburg, Kansas and Haiti as a mental health specialist. She is there to care for those who need comfort and reassurance that feelings of distress can be normal after a traumatic experience.

Of course Becky has her moments of being nervous like anyone else would, but what motivates to help is being there for the disaster victims. And that is rewarding enough for her.

Take a few minutes and check out Becky's video interview one day before she deployed.

If you would like to sign-up for volunteering at the American Red Cross, visit these links: volunteer and take a class . So the next time disaster strikes in your neighborhood or across the country, you will be ready to serve. One of the ways you can assist others down South is through taking a disaster service human resources class that the American Red Cross offers. Complete this class and you too can become a part of serving people who were affected by the flood.

Written by Rachel Moten

Photo from American Red Cross on Flickr

Swept Away with Royal Wedding Fever

Cancel that Friday morning appointment, because the wedding of the year is about to take place. That’s right, Prince William and his fiancée, Kate Middleton, will wed this Friday, April 29 at Westminster Abbey in London, England.

With royal weddings such a rare and special occasion, everyone seems to be going a little bananas about the Royal Wedding between the young couple, which is expected to draw thousands of onlookers in central London and television viewers around the globe. But can you blame us? Who doesn’t love a spectacular wedding full of extravagant hats and decor? With a guest list that includes huge names like Sir Elton John, Victoria & David Beckham, Guy Richie and various royal families from around continental Europe, it’s nearly impossible to escape the publicity of this stunning extravaganza.

Although I won’t be able to attend the special occasion due to… uh, scheduling conflicts… you can bet that I, along with thousands of others, will be sitting front row in our living rooms watching the extraordinary celebration take place. For many of the residents of London, they will have an opportunity to view the ceremony and procession at various landmarks, including Westminster Abbey and Parliament Square. This is where we, the Red Cross, come in.

In order to provide help and safety in case of any emergencies, large or small, during the ceremony, the British Red Cross emergency response teams are expected to scatter over 100 staff and volunteers throughout central London. Specifically, the British Red Cross will staff 80 first aid volunteers, 15 communications and equipment volunteers, 3 first aid posts in Parliament Square and 3 to 6 volunteers at the media village located in Green Park.

Adam Hiley, the British Red Cross emergency planning officer in London stated, “As this is a large scale public event, we have been planning and preparing for it for the past three weeks now. We are deploying equipment and teams for first aid cover to ensure that well-wishers and tourists gathering in central London can be attended to in the event of any emergencies.”

We hope that assistance from the British Red Cross won’t be needed during the ceremony this Friday. However, just as the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago, the British Red Cross is always ready to prevent, prepare and respond to emergencies, whether big or small. So go ahead and pour yourself that bowl of Frosted Mini Wheats and take a sigh of relief in front of your television Friday morning, knowing that our good friends from the British Red Cross will be around to help this historic and exciting celebration go forth with safety.


Make sure to check out some of the exciting local Royal Wedding events right here in Chicago.

David Roth is an intern at the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago. He is currently a junior at DePaul Univeristy and dreams of gracing the cover of US Weekly.

Photo from Flickr: Royal-News

Earthquake Ready?

Photo by: Carola Solís / Chilean Red Cross

On December 1998 for approximately 15 seconds it seemed that I was in the center of the world. I was 13 years old when I experienced my first earthquake while on vacation with family in Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo in Mexico. I had just finished swimming the beach and was ready to head to dinner at a local restaurant. I decided to walk-out of the house before the rest of my family watch the fireflies. As I started my descent down the stairs I felt a slight shaking. Standing alone at the center of the staircase the vibrations of the earthshaking escalated slowly from the soles of my feet to the top of my hair. All thoughts vanished as time stopped, all I could feel was the gentle shaking beneath and the warmth of the air filling my lungs.

Since I was born and raised in Chicago, I was never educated on earthquake preparedness in school or at home. There is a misconception among people that an earthquake will not strike the Midwestern part of United States. We get tornados, blizzards, thunderstorms, and flooding but not earthquakes. However, the probability that an earthquake will strike is higher than we expect.

Reality set in on April 18, 2008 when a 5.2 earthquake hit West Salem, Illinois. The shaking was felt in the Chicago land area. It was said to be one of the strongest earthquakes to hit this part of the country in 40 years. Those that felt the shaking in the early hours of the morning shared their experience through calls to radio stations and friends, but as the shock wore off, so did talk about earthquake preparedness.

On January 12, 2010 we watched as a 7.0 earthquake devastated the island nation of Haiti. A year later we once again bared witness as a magnitude 9.0 earthquake hit the western coast of Japan causing a Tsunami. People around the world were able to see the true impact that an earthquake can inflict on a country and its people. Seeing the images of the search for the missing and hearing the stories of those who had been rescued, awaken within us our survivor instincts. We started to ask ourselves whether we were prepared for an earthquake or any catastrophic natural disaster.

Can a devastating earthquake the size of Haiti or Japan, strike the Midwestern United States?

It can. The Midwest is on one of the largest fault lines in the United States, called the New Madrid fault. The New Madrid Fault extends through northeastern Arkansas, southeastern Missouri, western Tennessee and Kentucky, and southern Illinois. According to USGS the probability of an earthquake of magnitude 7 or higher is of 7-10% and of magnitude 6.0 or larger is of 25-40%. With the potentiality of an earthquake striking, the Heartland of America taking measures to increase preparedness is essential for damage control and to lessen the impact on people.

To prepare people for earthquakes, the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago has joined The Greater Central United States Shake-Out initiative. The Shake-Out which will take place April 28, 2011 at 10:15 CDT, it is a large earthquake drill where people will practice to DROP, COVER, AND HOLD ON! The purpose of The Greater Central United States Shake-Out is to inspire communities to get ready for earthquakes, and to prevent disasters from becoming catastrophes.

Here at the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago we will be practicing DROP, COVER, AND HOLD ON! These simple three steps can increase the probability of surviving and recovering from an earthquake.

Join us on April 28th 2011 at 10:15, register for free at www.shakeout.org/centralus and pledge your family, school, business, or organization’s participation in the drill. Registered participants will receive information on how to plan their drill and how to create a dialogue with others about earthquake preparedness.

During an earthquake remember:

• DROP to the ground (before the earthquake drops you!)
• Take COVER by getting under a sturdy desk or table
• HOLD ON to the table until the shaking stops.

For more information on Earthquake Preparedness visit chicagoredcross.org

The Red Cross is a Blessing to this Family

Photo by Daniel Cima

Tough times often get tougher before they can get better. To help the thousands of people affected by the severe storms in the South this past week, the Red Cross has set up several shelters to provide relief in the form of temporary housing. The American Red Cross of Greater Chicago deployed two of our own local volunteers to Raleigh, North Carolina to help provide assistance. Below is the story of how one family is enduring the disaster aftermath.

The following story was written by Allen Crabtree, American Red Cross disaster relief worker.

Gilda Brisbon and her family know what it’s like to be homeless, but when they moved into their home in the King Charles Road neighborhood in Raleigh, North Carolina three years ago they thought that those days were behind them. However, on Saturday, April 16, everything changed when their home was destroyed by a class EF1 tornado and they lost everything but the clothes on their backs.

“My daughter Brittany was home alone when it hit,” said Brisbon. “I had heard the warning sirens and was hurrying to get home. I looked at my watch and it was 3:31pm when I saw the black funnel cloud coming right at me.” She took refuge in a nearby friend’s house with her grandson Anthony, struggling to keep the door closed against the storm.

Daughter Brittany saw the lights flicker on and off, felt the house shake and heard the sounds of the storm and a large tree in their yard being uprooted. She took refuge in the laundry room, fortunately suffering only minor cuts and bruises as the tornado demolished all but the kitchen and the laundry room. “It rained very hard for about five or ten minutes, and then everything got quiet,” she said. “I ran from the house to find my mother, and had to climb under and over many trees that were knocked down.” She added “the houses on either side of ours were untouched, but ours was destroyed! That’s just not fair!”

The Brisbon’s stayed Saturday night and Sunday at the nearby house of their friend, Latesha Winston and her two children. The power was out in the entire neighborhood, however, so when they heard that there was an American Red Cross shelter open at the Garner United Methodist Church in Garner, NC, they all took refuge there.

Red Cross Shelter Manager Judy Cox said that many of the families staying at the shelter have similar stories. They have lost power, some have had their homes destroyed, and all are extremely grateful for the Red Cross help in their time of trial.

“This is the first time that we have ever stayed at a Red Cross shelter, but we know about homeless shelters from the 93 days we were without a place to call home,” Brisbon said. “Your shelter here is so much nicer than that other place where we stayed, and all of your people are so kind to us and treat us wonderfully. The Red Cross is really a blessing, and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”

Brisbon and her family are not sure what they will do next. Their home has been condemned and they must now find a new place to live, but they have been through tough times before and are positive that they will make it through this challenge that life has thrown at them.

Guest blogs from (Red Cross) dogs

By Sanford Carlos
About me
Likes-peanut butter treats, short walks (prefer to be inside sitting on a warm lap)
Dislikes-having my teeth brushed

So we love each other alot, right? Would you help me if I needed you? Do you know how?

April is Pet First Aid month and the perfect time to talk about my somewhat sorted past. I’ve had a torn ACL that required surgery, eaten a rubber ball that blocked my digestive system and more. All pretty common stuff in the life of a 5-year old dog but still scary for my owners/parents/humans, take your pick on what you’d like to call them but they take care of me. I’m just glad they knew what to do when I was sick because they took an American Red Cross pet CPR/first aid class and could recognize when I was hurting.

Here’s a recent video about the classes (it shows the really cute pet manikins used for the training). The classes teaches how to recognize when your pet is in distress, how a two-liter bottle can save your pet’s life (hint: it makes the whole mouth to snout thing easier), how to do a simple splint, help a dog who is choking and more.

Here’s the page www.chicagoredcross.org/petsafety on all things pet safety (including a pet safety disaster checklist)Oh and this study from the LA Times shows most pet owners would perform CPR on their pet.

So would you take the course? Have you ever been in a situation when you wished you had? Comments from people and pets accepted.

Sanford Carlos’ human companion works at the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago.

Space Heaters: Recalled for a Reason

“The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the recall of "Flow Pro," "Airtech," "Aloha Breeze" and "Comfort Essentials" heaters sold at Walmart stores nationwide from December 2001 to October 2009.” – KTLA News

Is it just me or does “Aloha Breeze” and “Comfort Essentials” sound enticing? A few hours before this recall, my roommate called me from Target with the intention of purchasing a space heater for our small apartment. The windows in our high-rise are hardly suitable for Chicago winters and continuously keep our rooms at a chilling temperature of around 45 degrees.

“Lauren, I’m buying this space heater for our apartment so we don’t have to wear our winter coats to bed. You can thank me later,” said my roommate under the impression that I would be grateful.

“If you bring a space heater into our place, I will make sure it ‘disappears’ in the middle of the night and that the keys are changed while you are in Cincinnati so you cannot enter our apartment. You do know that space heaters are involved in 74 percent of fire-related deaths, right?”

This was my reaction before the huge recall on space heaters. And yes, I knew that statistic on hand.

When 2.2 million heaters go on recall due to “reports of burn injuries and property damage from fire”, you know there is a major problem. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) found that “heating equipment - primarily space heaters and fireplaces - caused an estimated 66,100 home structure fires resulting in 480 civilian deaths, 1,660 injuries and $1.1 billion in direct property damage in 2008.”

As a Red Crosser, I know that space heaters pose a danger to my friends and community and these numbers reinforce my fears. Not only has my house burned down before, but last Thursday, the other Marketing and Communication intern, Zach, also lost his home in a fire. I bet you can’t guess what caused his fire.

A space heater.

And the scary part of his story is that his mother had absolutely no control over the fire. She watched the spark jump from the space heater. Within seconds, it was clear that there was nothing she could do to stop the flames from taking over and she hurried out of the house to call 911. She was just sitting there in her living room. And then it was gone.

Now, I would like to consider myself a reasonable person. I understand that for one reason or another, getting rid of your space heater might not be something you are willing to do. Here are some safety tips which I hope you follow so I can sleep without worrying about receiving another call in the middle of the night. Trust me, it’s not the kind of call you want to hear during the holidays.

• Keep all potential sources of fuel like paper, clothing, bedding, curtains or rugs at least three feet away from space heaters, stoves, or fireplaces.
• Portable heaters and fireplaces should never be left unattended. Turn off space heaters and make sure any embers in the fireplace are extinguished before going to bed or leaving home.
• If you must use a space heater, place it on a level, hard and nonflammable surface (such as ceramic tile floor), not on rugs or carpets or near bedding or drapes. Keep children and pets away from space heaters.
• When buying a space heater, look for models that shut off automatically if the heater falls over as another safety measure.
• Obviously, don’t buy any of the space heater brands that were put on recall.

Chicago, please be careful this winter season. Every day I come into work and receive an incident sheet from Disaster Services from the day before. Every day I see the numbers of fires increase as the weather gets colder. Every day I count the number of individuals who are displaced from their homes.

Be safe Chicago.

The Red Cross Movement -- It's Alive

Yesterday, a blog post by Sam Davidson put the smack down with the Red Cross.

I reacted the way I usually do. I gave myself permission to be upset for a minute, then I tried to truly hear what Sam had to say so we could talk.

Sam listened and approached the dialogue with an open mind and heart. Many of Sam’s other blog posts explored topics that are close to the heart of many Red Cross staff. He discussed the difference between making a living and making a life, finding happiness through a purposeful and present life, and a number of other topics that ignite the right kind of fires in people. As I read his other blogs, I couldn’t help but notice how much he resembled some of our best volunteers – the ones who hold the Red Cross accountable to become a better organization and challenge us.

I chose to work at the Red Cross mostly because I like people like this and want to be around them for more hours out of the day. I am inspired by front line volunteers, entrepreneurial board committee members and leadership volunteers who partner with us to turn a very, very big and heavy ship. I observe daily that the Red Cross agrees that the we all need to raise the ante in non-profit, and in order to do this we must organize solutions that keep us moving forward, in spite of the drag that can be created by 130 years of carbuncles. The magnificent, historic ship keeps moving in part because of volunteers who resemble Sam.

The Red Cross movement is behemoth. It takes entrepreneurs, bravehearts and big thinkers to fuel it. It also takes people who want to work within a large, complex, and decentralized ecosystem to make it continue to breath, live and evolve.

I often joke that the Red Cross has been crowdsourcing for 130 years, and I challenge people to consider the implications of that. Take a minute to really consider the implications of achieving more that 90 percent of your work through volunteers and preserving the breadth and reach of international organization that truly has to touch every corner of the world without government ties. Our staff is comprised of millions of people and our customers are everyone.

Sam and my conversation reminded me that the Red Cross system is alive and richly symbiotic. We do change, but it is much more like an evolution, because all of humanity is part of our system and our earth shakes and reeks havoc.

Sam, we'll make your ideas matter if you keep sharing them and continue to honor the size and scope of our movement. Change happens here… differently. Organically and open-heartedly. Like a weather system, it will build, then unleash furiously and extraordinarily. And when it does, new dawns break and new shoots surface. Sometimes it strikes awe when thousands of people help thousands of people in unimaginable situations that demand something new. Sam, I think you’d like it.

One of our volunteers, Hala, fled extreme dangers in Baghdad and volunteered with the Red Cross and Red Crescent movement in Syria when she was in her mid-teens. Now a Chicago Red Cross volunteer who is helping us extend the reach of our free humanitarian law class by offering it online, Hala describes her volunteer experience with the Red Cross and Red Crescent Society as "what allowed me to move from victim to volunteer."

Just last night, one of our volunteers was personally devastated by losing his family’s home in a fire that stuck at midnight. When I listened to him today, he shared with me that his work with the Red Cross has been healing for him during this first, most difficult day. He didn’t feel helpless.

I guess what I’m trying to say is, we invite you to challenge us and change us. Sam already crossed that line into volunteerism as soon as he talked with us, listened, then talked again. By the way, we liked Sam's second blog -- the one about how we listened. But we have to confess, we liked the first one, too. Sam and millions of other people are what makes the Red Cross better.

Let’s all keep talking and witness the evolution unfold.

It’s Just a Prick.

“An easy way to give back.”
“My dad did it regularly.”
“It saved my husbands life.”
“It saved my life.”

These are just a few of the reasons I heard at an American Red Cross blood drive on Northwestern’s medical school campus. These reasons were the motivation for several of the people I talked with about why they chose to donate blood. It was a bright, sunny afternoon with a slight brisk in the air. When walking up the building I wasn’t sure what to expect. I hadn’t really been to a blood drive before nor had I given blood myself. The nurses and staff were all very friendly and willing to talk to us.

Since the blood drive was taking place on Northwestern’s campus, it wasn’t a surprise that the majority of people were Northwestern med students taking an hour out of their busy school day to give back. When I started talking to another young man, who I assumed was a med student as well, he corrected me.

“It’s just this little thing I can do, you know? This little thing that can save someone’s life.” After talking further with him, I found out he had had two bad experiences with donating blood before this time. But for some reason, that didn’t stop him from doing it again today.

Another young woman who was a med student was volunteering to work the registration table. For her, donating blood was a family tradition. “I donate blood because my dad always did. So my sister and I have been doing it since we could. It just kind of seemed like the thing to do.”

But for some, it’s a little more personal. When talking to one of the nurses about how she got involved in the blood drive, she told us that a while back she was in an accident and needed 6 pints of blood. “If it wasn’t for blood donors, I wouldn’t be here today.” She is living proof of one little thing, can save someone’s life.

Donate blood. Save a life. It’s just a prick.

Bank of America Chicago Marathon

36,000 runners gathered on Sunday, October 10th, 2010 (10/10/10) for the 26 mile-long Bank of America Chicago Marathon. The sun was out and was not holding back its powerful rays. Runners were pushed to their physical and mental limits, and unfortunately many runners needed emergency medical attention. The Chicago Marathon hosted some of the world's most elite runners for one of the fastest marathons in the premier circuit that will visit cities like Boston, New York, and London.

This was the first marathon that I have ever attended, and I was eager to get to the Charity Village tent and talk with our Run Red Team members. While watching our computer for updates on our runners, I noticed a good friend of mine walking in the tent. DeAnna Durham, a student at Loyola University Chicago (where I go to school), immediately approached me in the tent. I soon found out that her fiancé, Bob Spoerl, was running for the Run Red Team for the second time. Bob, a Journalism grad student at Northwestern University, finished the marathon with a scorching time of 3 hours, 28 minutes, and 30 seconds. After Bob had recuperated, we began to have discussion about his involvement with the Red Cross. Upon asking him why he decided to run for us, he stated that,

“I respect the work that the Red Cross of Greater Chicago does. I really appreciate how the Red Cross is there to help no matter who you are, and where you are. I mean, you can’t argue with running for such a great cause like that.” Spoerl and I continued with our conversation, and he noted that on the 7^th mile of the race that his legs began to feel like “Jell-O”. I was curious about what kept him motivated during the race to keep running: “For me, a great source of inspiration was giving people high fives when I was running. I didn’t want to stop running. Also, I thought about my freshman football coach, and how he used to always inspire me to never give up and keep pushing forward.” I was baffled by how coherent and surprisingly energized Bob was after the race. I couldn’t imagine running 30-40 miles every single week, starting a year before the marathon, like Bob did in order to prepare for the Chicago Marathon. Bob’s training paid off, for he did not need to pay a visit to the emergency medical tent, where hundreds of other runners were seriously injured or severely dehydrated.

The American Red Cross of Greater Chicago played a crucial role during the Chicago Marathon. Our Patient Connection Program connected the families of injured, sick, or hospitalized runners with their families. My principal responsibility at the Chicago Marathon was to work at our tent in Charity Village, but as the heat climbed well into the 80s, the runners began to collapse as fast as the temperature went up. I was soon relocated to the Patient Connection Program command center by the Balbo Medical Tent to find and contact runners in the tent, and to deliver updates to the families and loved ones or the runners. As soon as 10 patients are sent to the Medical Tent or have been hospitalized, the Red Cross activates this program in order to maintain a constant stream of communication between the runner and their family. The American Red Cross of Greater Chicago connected nearly 100 runners with their families that day, and I will never forget the faces of those who were so happy to hear that their friend or family member was in good hands.

My name is Zach Zimmerman, and I am a Red Cross Communicator.

Donning the Red Vest

I stand in silence and internalize the scene around me. Wind runs through the metal wind-chime. Funny, considering minutes ago three fire trucks lined the street and ambulances made themselves audible with their recognizable whine and drone. I see eight board-up companies bidding for Mr. James’ business. A child runs on the street, unaware of what ensued in the salmon colored brick home in Garfield Park.

Today, I experienced what a classroom cannot teach, a business plan cannot dictate, and what a boondoggle meeting in Hawaii cannot accomplish. Today, I became aware of what it really means to be a part of the Red Cross. Today, I responded to my first fire with the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago

In the white Ford Explorer emblazoned with the Red Cross logo, I sat with anticipation. What am I going to see? Am I cut out for this? Where are we going? All of these questions ran through my mind with Usain Bolt-like agility. When we arrived on the scene we were surprised to see three fire trucks, an ambulance, and three police cars on the street. This has got to be more than just a single home fire, I thought. Jackie, Lauren, Cary, and I arrived at the scene and began to look for the damage. From the outside of the two-story house it was unclear as to how bad the damage was. We waited for the all-clear by the Chicago Fire Department before we stepped into the soot filled home.

During this time, we met Robert James and Loistene Smith, a married couple who live with two grandchildren, Latijia and Josh, and Loistene’s 22 year old daughter Precious Yarbrough in the home that caught fire earlier that morning. It was amazing to see how many people came by their house today to lend them support. Even a school bus driver maneuvered his way down the narrow street to stop and ask Loistene if she was alright. Luckily, everyone was able to escape from the home before the fire got out of control. Their basic necessities and valuables however, were not so lucky. After what felt like an eternity we were granted access to the home, and we soon realized the amazing extent of damage.


I stand in silence and internalize the scene around me. A soiled and soot covered teddy bear under a burned down bunk bed. A fedora hanging on the wall next to a family portrait of Martin Luther King Junior’s family. A gold necklace with a heart pendant motionless on a desk that is black and dusty. Metal screws, wood pieces, peeled-back wallpaper. The soot, dripping down from the one white wall left in the home, is everywhere. I can smell the smoke. I can taste the smoke, on the tip of my tongue and in the back of my throat.

I re-engage with what’s going on around me. We walked through the home and finally got an accurate assessment of the damage. As our Disaster Services coordinator talked with the family, Loistene's grandson became eager to play. He egged Lauren and I on to play with him, and soon after we were running after each other up and down the street and playing hide and seek.


In the United States, the Red Cross responds to more than 63,000 fires each year. That’s 170 fires a day, and to put that into perspective, the Red Cross responds to a fire every 8 minutes. Here in Chicagoland, the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago responds to 3-4 fires daily, and provides the victims of these disasters with not only logistical support, but emotional support.

Today, although I may not have stopped the fire or heroically rescued the children from the blaze, I walked away from that house knowing that I did something amazing. The opportunity to be a part of someone’s healing process is a privilege. Sporting the Red Cross emergency vest is a privilege. I am inspired by the events that unfolded today. I am happy that I was there to lend support to the family when they needed it, and I am even happier to be a interning for an organization that is dedicated to the welfare of those in its immediate community, and the world over.
I sit in silence and I internalize the scene around me. A desktop computer and a keyboard. Notes in a black portfolio. I am an intern and volunteer for the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago. My name is Zachary Zimmerman, and I am a Red Cross Communicator.

When the Ash Settles

Michelle has big, quiet eyes. When we pulled up to her home, it was the first thing I noticed. It was hard to imagine from her unassuming demeanor that she, in fact, had been the one who tried to put the fire out moments before it consumed her home. She ran out to escape the blaze.

"I thought I could put it out," she told me. "But I just couldn't, so I got out. I just got out."

As she told me what happened, she held up her pants, which were clearly too big for her. She wore what looked like her father's shoes, which she grabbed in haste as she ran out of the house. Soon, a friend, Letisha, came by to give her a change of clothes -- flip-flops and khaki shorts that fit better but still hung off of her small frame. Broken glass covered the steps, so friends cautioned her to be careful.

She whispered to Letisha about how sad she was that she lost most of her clothes. Her Senior prom dress was destroyed.

Letisha responded, "Your clothes might be OK once they're cleaned." It was clear in Michelle's eyes that she was thinking about the treasured pink and black dress she had recently worn to her Senior prom.

"And thank God for life. You lived," Letisha added with enough enthusiasm to make Michelle laugh.

They asked about what the Red Cross does. I explained that, in Chicago, most of the disasters we respond to are fires. I told them that they were the 3rd family we'd helped today and it wasn't yet noon. I explained how it is supported through donated funds and volunteers.

"I'd like to do that." Letisha said to me. "I'd like to volunteer." Michelle clung to her arm and smiled. She'd be a good volunteer.

I suggested that maybe they could volunteer together and gave them my contact information so we could talk more about it after the ash settled.

As I was about to leave, Michelle and Letisha unexpectedly... feverishly... hugged me.

On my office wall at the Chicago Red Cross headquarters, I have a quote posted that I read every day to remember my purpose here. "If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other," it says.

I think Michelle and Letisha would agree.

Hurricane Earl

As I walked into the office on my second day at the Red Cross, the last thing I was expecting to hear were the words “I’m getting deployed” come out of my supervisor’s mouth. I immediately thought the worst— Jackie was going to Afghanistan. Luckily for the both of us, my naïve instincts as a fresh intern were completely off track.

Jackie was actually getting deployed to Cape Cod to help with media control as Hurricane Earl approached. Not only was it Labor Day weekend but it was Jackie’s birthday on Friday. Of course, regardless of my cries about her birthday party getting cancelled, Jackie was overly excited to go on her first deployment at the Red Cross. When I asked her why she was so eager to finally receive a field position, Jackie told me "I love people and, sometimes, hardship brings out their best. They behave like neighbors. I always feel privileged when I get to see it."

Nancy Cygan is another Chicago Red Cross volunteer that was deployed for Hurricane Earl. She told me that she had her FSI handbook in hand and was ready to report the financial statistics on the hurricane relief.

As a newcomer to the Red Cross, I knew that the Chicago Chapter helped out with national and international disaster relief. But finding out that Jackie and Nancy were actually getting deployed to the East Coast was way beyond my expectations for a local chapter. It is incredible to watch all of the chapters across the United States bond together and provide support towards an event that is honestly still up in the air. Hurricanes are known for their unexpected nature. Earl could hit this weekend as a mild rain storm (hopefully) or it could end up displacing families. The point is, even in times of uncertainty, Red Cross chapters are always ready to lend a helping hand regardless of the location (or planned birthday parties).

Follow Jackie on twitter@your_mssunshine for updates.

For now, it looks like things are calm before the storm on the Cape. Hopefully Hurricane Earl will weaken by the time it reaches New England. Please keep Jackie, Nancy, Red Cross volunteers and all people who may be affected by this storm in your thoughts for the weekend!

Lauren Snyder is an intern at the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago

How the Red Cross Can Prepare You for Evil Robot Attacks

Photo of Transformers filming in Chicago by Ifmuth.

I must admit that, even though I realize consciously that it’s fake, I was jolted into disaster mode just by looking at the pictures of the Transformers' movie sets on Michigan Avenue today. Piles of destroyed cars and upturned asphalt—all that wreckage would certainly make for a big humanitarian disaster! If that were to happen, the Greater Chicago Red Cross would be on the scene. Whether it’s a natural disaster or an act of terrorism (by giant robots), the Red Cross is there to help. So, in case of an attack of killer robots, here’s how I think we might pitch in, and how you could help, too:

Learn First Aid: When you get hit by a laser or your car is crushed by a giant robot fist, injuries are going to happen. Be ready to help by learning first aid! Learning how to distinguish minor injuries from major ones can save a life. You’ll learn how to put a splint on a broken bone, treat cuts and burns and prevent further injury.

Become a Volunteer: The Transformers would certainly throw our city into chaos. But Red Cross volunteers are trained to deal with highly stressful situations and to help people cope with disasters. Your condo building is set on fire by evil robots? Our volunteers will be there to make sure you have food, clothing and shelter. We do the same for regular people in Chicagoland every day.

Make a Disaster Supply Kit: If you need to leave town because, well, the Transformers are wreaking havoc, it’s good to have a kit to grab and go. Put important items in there, and a little cash, since the Transformers have knocked out the power and the ATMs aren’t going to work. Check out more items you should put in your kit here.

So what do you think? How would you react if the Transformers REALLY came to town?

-Kristin Claes is a writer with the American Red Cross. Though she grew up in the 80s and watched Transformers, she was way more into She-Ra and He-Man. So forgive any gaps in her understanding about how the Transformers work or what they want. All she knows is that they’re big and scary.

Evanston Fire Displaces Dozens of Men

When the American Red Cross was told that dozens of men were displaced by a fire at the YMCA where they lived late in the evening on July 3rd; volunteers quickly opened a shelter. We made sure that these men had a cool place to sleep, special needs were met (those in wheelchairs needed certain accommodations to be comfortable overnight) and that they had the comforts they needed to make their time away from home bearable.

What level of importance would you assign to things like having a cool place to sleep on a hot summer day and being able to brush your teeth, see kind faces and eat nutritious meals-when you're forced to be away from home?

I’m not sure what I expected when I arrived at the shelter but I can tell you it wasn’t what I found. I’m often surprised by the people I meet on disasters and this group was no different.

They were all colors, shapes, sizes and ages-in all manner of dress from business suits to workout clothes. Some sat quietly reading books or working on laptops, others slept on Red Cross cots in the gym and many gathered in small groups, talking and waiting for news about their home.

Muhammed, an entrepreneur, told me he was launching a new business; although he was evacuated from his residence he grabbed his briefcase, coffee samples and brochures about his product on the way out; he shared these things with me when he found out I was a coffee lover. Then there was Joseph, he had worked in telecom in D.C. for several years; in fact he was there during 9-11 and we talked about the Red Cross and how we helped and how surreal that whole day was; he told me about having to walk 8 miles home that day because all public transportation had been closed. He relocated to Chicago, moved into a 3-bedroom home and worked for a large business development and consulting firm-until recently when the economy started to tumble. He lost his job and home and ultimately moved into the YMCA while searching for new employment. Joseph said, “this fire, it’s just a temporary setback. I’m glad it’s July 4th and not January 4th; the cold would be a whole different story. It’s a beautiful day, we had a place to sleep, friendly people to care for us and good food. We’re doing just fine.”

Martha Carlos is the Senior Manager of Marketing and Communications at the American
Red Cross of Greater Chicago, carlosm@usa.redcross.org

Tell Us How Your Pet Has Changed Your Life

In honor of April being Pet First Aid month, I would like to introduce you to my fish, Toxie. Yes, Toxie (the name is a long story…).

Toxie is over 7 years old and has lived a wonderful, long life because I take very good care of him. Just yesterday, I cleaned out his tank and bought him a new plastic plant. What have you done for your pet recently?

Pets are considered part of the family. They greet you when you walk in the door, can put a smile on your face when you’re having a rough day and are full of affection. Give back to your pets by learning about pet safety! If your dog started choking, would you know what to do? If there is a disaster, a fire or tornado, do you have a plan that includes helping your pet?

The American Red Cross of Greater Chicago offers great pet CPR/First Aid courses, as well as pet first aid kits that can help your pet in a flash if something were to happen. Be prepared and check out www.chicagoredcross.org/petsafety for information on signing up for a class or buying a kit!

For me, Toxie has been a constant in my ever changing life. He’s moved with me to four different apartments and traveled the long road from Madison, WI to right here in Chicago, IL. He’s also a very good listener and I don’t know what I’d do without his fishy company!

Leave a comment and tell us, how has your pet changed you life? We want to know! Submit a photo of your pet to chicagomc@usa.redcross.org and it could be turned in to an ad on our homepage! Try to model your photos on what you would include in a disaster kit. If for any reason you and your furry (or scaly or feathered) friend are separated, it is important that you have a picture that proves ownership. Make sure that you send in a picture that includes both you AND your pet!

By Cassandra Wilander, Marketing and Communications Intern

Heart Related Emergencies at Home

Do you have heart problems in your family? I do. It's scary. Especially with my parents getting older and my brother and I being away from home. Five of my family members have suffered or died from heart attacks or sudden cardiac arrest in my lifetime (and I'm not that old!).

Sorry for the doom and gloom on a Wednesday morning, but it's reality. The great news is that there's an extra precaution you can take against heart related emergencies when your mom and dad (or brother, cousin, grandpa, uncle and creepy step-aunt) refuse to eat better or get out and exercise.

I bet you think I'm going to say, "learn CPR," right? Close! But no. CPR requires your presence. If a family member you're concerned about has a significant other, caretaker or someone else with them on a regular basis, there's a better solution.

It's personal automatic external defibrillators, more popularly know as AEDs, I'm talking about. You know - those things you see on hospital shows where they yell "clear!" then shock the patient's heart? Those, but smaller (and less dramatic).

With a few hours of training and the purchase of an personal AED, one can have quick access to a tool that greatly increases the survivability of a heart related emergency. According to the Red Cross, 50,000 of the 250,000 sudden cardiac arrest related deaths occurring yearly in the US could be prevented if an AED were present.

Now, when we see AEDs used on those hospital shows I mentioned, the patient's heart has usually stopped - a depiction that's not completely accurate. AEDs are appropriate for irregular, sporadic or absent heart rhythms. That means heart attack, angina, AMI and sudden cardiac arrest are all candidates for AED use.

Sound complicated? The biggest worry is probably, "how will I know when to use it?". You'll learn more in class, but let me just put this one fear to rest: Modern AEDs measure heart rhythms and advise the user whether or not to administer a shock automatically. All you have to do is listen to instructions and push a button. Easy!

Having a personal AED in the home or office accompanied by someone with proper training is a great precaution to take against heart related emergencies.

For more information about AEDs, how you or a loved one can take an AED class, or to learn more about the Red Cross, visit these links:

AED Frequently Asked Questions

Red Cross AED Classes

A New Chicago Volunteer's Story

In 2008, I took my first class at the Grand Rapids, Michigan, chapter of the American Red Cross. Hurricane Katrina had come and gone, but the feeling of helplessness I had experienced was still fresh in my mind. "I'll be ready for the next one," I thought, as images of myself as a bedraggled aid worker saving lives at ground zero of the next big disaster flashed through my head.

I think that's how a lot of people find their way to the Red Cross: with hopes of participating in humanitarian campaigns in exotic locales. And while their intentions are noble, there's more to this organization than feeding children in third world countries or sheltering evacuees in disaster-affected regions.

Does the Red Cross do those things? Yes, but there's much more to it.

By adhering to the motto, "Think Globally, Act Locally," Red Cross chapters strive to take care of those in immediate need at a local level. Thousands of chapters across the country focusing on their own neighborhoods - that's how the American Red Cross truly fulfills its mission.

No, I never ended up traveling to a major disaster as part of a Red Cross team. That doesn't mean it won't happen some day, but until that time comes, I've had the opportunity to do so much more. Instead of focusing on disaster response, I became a first aid/CPR instructor. Why wait around for the next big one when there are people right here that need me (and you!) right now?

Teaching classes has its benefits. I get to practice speaking in front of a group and test my jokes, for example, but the best part is knowing that my contribution could help someone - even save a life. It's incredibly rewarding.

And through the inconveniences of relocating from Michigan to Chicago, starting a new job and getting myself acclimated to the city took my attentions away from volunteering for a few months, I've found my way back and look forward to working with such a large (and busy) chapter.

For now, I'm satisfied with first aid/CPR classes, but there are opportunities aplenty to try other things. A new volunteer can easily find their niche here, which is one of the greatest aspects of helping out at the Red Cross.

I urge anyone that's looking for a way to spend some time giving back to the community to consider the Red Cross. Once this organization gets in your blood, you'll want to keep giving back.

If you've somehow found your way to this blog without reviewing the Chicago Red Cross home page, check out our Chart of Opportunities to see what you can do to help out.

Don't see anything you like? Give us a call, tell us what you can do for the ARGC and I bet we can make it happen.

Quiz your home safety knowledge!

How well do you know carbon monoxide?

Carbon monoxide in the home…
a. is a dangerous, odorless, and invisible gas.
b. is a foggy gas.
c. smells like sulfur.
d. is harmless.

Carbon monoxide is produced when…
a. carbon is burned.
b. fuels (such as gasoline, wood, coal, natural gas, propane, oil, and methane) burn incompletely.
c. someone smokes cigarettes inside the home.
d. pets burn off some energy.

Each year, carbon monoxide claims approximately ____ lives?
a. 115
b. 230
c. 350
d. 480

Which of the following is NOT a symptom of carbon monoxide poisoning?
a. shortness of breathe
b. light headedness, dizziness, or headaches
c. excess energy
d. nausea

Answers: 1: a; 2: b; 3: d; 4: c

How can you protect your family from carbon monoxide?
Install a carbon monoxide (CO) detector in the hallway of your home near sleeping areas. Also, know the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning: headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, sleepiness, and confusion. If you suspect CO poisoning, get to fresh air immediately, and then call 9-1-1. Treat any alarm signal as a real emergency each time. If the alarm sounds and you are not experiencing any symptoms described above, press the reset button. If the alarm continues to sound, call the fire department.

Fire safety tips are brought to you by Team Firestopper! We’re working to stop fires before they start in your community! For more information or fire tips, visit www.chicagoredcross.org/tfs or www.redcross.org/homefires!

Sources: American Red Cross, U.S. Fire Administration, and the National Fire Protection Association