Win an Emergency Radio!

Were you ready for the storm last night? One of these radios could have helped you out:

It’s a Red Cross emergency radio, powered by batteries or a crank. It’s water-resistant, has a flashlight and will charge some cell phones with an adapter. We’re giving this one away!

It’s about a $60 value. Just leave a comment here on this post with your storm stories, and you’ll be entered for a chance to win. Include a question about storm safety or story about taking cover during a storm. Did you hear sirens? Did you go to the basement? Did you know where the flashlight was?

If you're impatient or unlucky and want to buy one of these radios right now, click here. For more storm safety tips, click here. The comments will close on Thursday Aug. 7 at 5 p.m. We’ll choose one winner at random by 5 p.m., Friday Aug. 8. Make sure you’re either signing in or leaving your email in the comment so we can contact you.

-Kristin Claes is a senior writer for the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago. Maria Corral is Director of Marketing Communications and a classy radio model.

The lights went out in Chicago and I was ready...

My power went out yesterday afternoon.
Almost immediately I went to my closet and grabbed my new American Red Cross Eton radio. This thing is awesome it only weighs 1 pound and can charge your cell phone, provide light and of course music and information via radio stations.
Within seconds I was happily listening to my favorite radio station, hunkering down for a long night sans power and playing with the flashlight portion of the radio-on- off-on-off (sort of annoying sure but I had very little else to do with no power). Besides, even though it was only 3 in the afternoon I wanted to be ready for nightfall.
Should I eat the ice cream cake in my freezer for dinner (after all it would melt and go to waste if I didn’t and that would be wasteful)? What should I do next?
A few minutes later I heard the power buzz back on. I was secretly a little disappointed that I didn’t get to use all the functions on my new toy but also glad that I had remembered where I put it and could easily access it when I needed it.
If you don’t have a battery operated or hand-crank radio, now is the time to get one. Put it somewhere you can find it easily. You never know when you might need it.

Enjoy a Game and Save A Life

Support the Red Cross and donate blood all while enjoying the family fun, inspiring role models and thrilling basketball of Chicago’s own ground breaking team, the Chicago Sky. When you purchase tickets for the Sunday, August 31 game, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago. In addition, a blood drive will take place in the Sky Deck starting at 2 p.m. and will run until halftime of the game. All proceeds will go to benefit the American Red Cross. For more information, please visit www.givebloodgivelife.org.

During the summer months, blood donations are down because our dedicated donors are on vacation. So come out and give blood for the first time! By donating your blood you may be giving another person a second chance at life. In fact, chances are you or one of your family members will need blood in their lifetime.

Look for the Red Cross on the CTA buses and Trains!

The next time you board a bus or hop on a train in Chicago, look for the Red Cross new ad campaign! It is entitled, “This is Not a Disaster,” with images of a dog eating a kid’s homework, a broken high heel, and a nerdy guy waiting for his date. The ads also contain calls to action which encourage riders to take a CPR training course to prepare for real disasters or to volunteer their time to assist those in the community already affected by tragedies such as floods and home fires. Check them out on our website!

Fires this past weekend

This past weekend was a busy one for the Red Cross and their Disaster Action Team (DAT) here in Chicago. There were a total of 53 individuals, including adults and children affected by home fires in the Cook County area. Since they just lost their homes, we made sure they had a place to stay and food to eat. On a normal day, the Chicago Red Cross responds to three or four home fires. The Red Cross is always looking for new people to help them respond to fires. Visit the Chicago Red Cross website to find out how you can be there to lend a hand to families whose lives have been forever changed because of a fire in their home.

Misuse of Red Cross emblem

Back on July 2, 2008 the Red Cross symbol was misused during the Colombian rescue mission in which 15 hostages were taken to safety. A member of the Colombian military intelligence-led team wore a Red Cross bib, falsely identifying himself as being a volunteer for the organization. It turns out, the rescue team had no official ties to the Red Cross, and they had just used the Red Cross emblem for the operation.

This constitutes a war crime under the Geneva Conventions and International Humanitarian Law. This particular incident puts aid workers at a greater risk because now they might be mistrusted. Yves Heller, a spokesman for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Bogota said, “The only protection we have is the Red Cross emblem. That’s why it needs to be respected in all circumstances and at all times.” The Red Cross is a neutral organization and is allowed to have access to hostages, detainees, and POW’s. If the emblem is misrepresented, the lives of those being held might be compromised. This event has not stopped the Red Cross from carrying out their humanitarian mission in Colombia.

When did the Red Cross begin in Chicago?!

I have always wondered when people in Chicago started to count on the Red Cross for help and guidance. I found out that it was on July 24, 1915 when the Eastland Disaster happened on the Chicago River. A boat outing with more than 2,500 Western Electric employees on board, was supposed to be a fun and exciting event for all. But then the adventure took a turn for the worse and the steamer tipped over and immediately sank. Sadly, 844 people lost their lives that day.

The Chicago chapter was founded only six weeks before, the incident, so the steamer’s sinking was a big undertaking for the relatively new organization. But the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago was ready on the scene within one hour of the tragedy! They were there to provide disaster relief, medical aid, and counseling for those whose lives had been forever changed because of that day’s catastrophe out on the river.

From that day on, the Red Cross has become a symbol of prestigious and professional on-scene relief and a stronghold in Chicago.

Making Preparedness Attractive and Important

A few weeks ago, The New York Times ran a fascinating article about disaster preparedness. Here are a couple things that stood out to me, from author Eric Klinenberg:

For the poor, scrambling to make it through the small crises of everyday life is far more urgent than planning for a possible emergency, and investing time in preparedness efforts seems relatively unimportant.

I think this is something our volunteers see a lot in the community. The people with the fewest resources are the ones who need the most help. And of course, this:

Participants complained about having to prepare for too many specific disaster possibilities and in turn feeling overwhelmed, if not helpless.

Part of the Red Cross’s job is to make people feel empowered and prepared. How can we do a better job of communicating this message?

(Check out www.chicagoredcross.org/ready to see what we’re doing now.)

Kristin Claes is a writer for the Greater Chicago Chapter. Email her: claesk at usa.redcross.org

Tony Gonzalez saves a Life!

Since Tony Gonzalez, tight end football player for the Kansas City Chiefs knew how to do the Heimlich manuever, a California man is alive today. Last Thursday while having dinner aty restauarant, Tony heard a man choking on his meal from across the room. Tony got up from his chair and went behind the man in order to perform the Heimlich maneuver on him. This is an example of one more reason why it is extremely important to know lifesaving skills. Sign up for a Red Cross class and help save a life like Tony did.

Help the Red Cross by Simply Using the Internet

To help the American Red Cross, all I have to do is talk to my friends and coworkers online using Windows Live™ Messenger or Windows Live Hotmail®, or the webmail service. How cool is that?! This is how it works: Microsoft will share a portion of the program’s advertising revenue to an organization of my choice, like the American Red Cross. So I can help out victims of disasters from the recent floods, and help prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies simply by talking and emailing my dad.

You can start chatting it up right now with a guy named Parker who started a 30-day Talkathon blog by using the i’m initiative. Go to start Parker's blog and start talking to him! Help him find out how much Microsoft will give. Remember: the more you talk the more Microsoft donates! He even talked to Jeff Towers, Chief Development Officer of the American Red Cross. Check it out here!

Or you could just start your own blog and help the Red Cross at the same time!

Bid Online for Cool Items!

Click here to view the auction items!

Grillin With Style. And Safety.

Are you a grillmaster? Do your hotdogs bring the neighborhood out for more? Make sure all that's sizzling this weekend is your food, not your fingers.

Check out our grilling safety tips here.

Have you ever had a mishap with a grill? Tell us about it in the comments!

-Kristin Claes

Independence Day Safety Tips

Summer is in full swing and the Fourth of July is just around the corner. It's a time for us to kick back and enjoy ourselves with some friends and family around the grill. While the holiday is a great time to relax, safety should always be the first priority. The Red Cross has a few tips to make sure that your Independence day is as safe and enjoyable as it can be. Visit americanredcross.org find out how to stay safe this Fourth!


REMEMBER: Personal Fireworks are illegal in the state of Illinois. Leave it to the professionals!

Lightning Strikes

You are more likely to see lightning strike during the summer months, which is why the Red Cross is giving you the facts on how to protect yourself. Check out the website and see why going under a tree when you see lightning is the second leading cause of lightning casualties, the National Weather Service reports.

If at all possible, take cover under a large, enclosed building. Even though it may not be raining, and clouds aren’t directly overhead, you are not safe from lightning. In the worst case, if you are stuck outside, you do not want to lay your body on the ground and touch the ground as little as possible. Keeping your feet together, squat low, tuck your head and cover your ears.

Although lightning may be neat to look at, stay far away from it.

Summer Holiday Safety Tips

Summer is and full swing and The Fourth of July is right around the corner. It's a time for us to kick back, and enjoy some time with our friends and family around the grill. While the holiday is a great time to relax, safety should still be the first priority.

The Red Cross has a few tips to make sure your Independence day is as fun, and more importantly as safe as it can be.

Safe Grilling:Nothing says summer quite like the smell of barbecue. Make sure safety is a key ingredient in your Fourth of July by reading the following tips for safer grilling:

Use gas and charcoal barbecue grills outside only.
Position grills far from siding, deck railings, overhanging branches and house eaves.
Keep children and pets at least three feet away from the grill area.
Never add charcoal starter fluid when coals have already been ignited.
Always follow the manufacturer's instructions when using grills.
Always supervise a barbecue grill when in use

Water Safety at the Pool and Beach:The best thing anyone can do to stay safe in and around the water is to learn to swim. The Red Cross has swimming courses for people of any age and swimming ability. To find out where lessons are offered or to enroll in a CPR/AED or first aid course, contact your local Red Cross chapter.

Swim in a supervised, marked area with a lifeguard present, and swim with others. Never swim alone.
Enter the water feet first. Enter the water headfirst only when the area is clearly marked for diving and has no obstructions.
Adults should never leave a child unobserved around water. Practice "reach supervision" by staying within an arm's length of young children and weak swimmers while they are in and around the pool, lake or ocean.
Take frequent breaks (about once an hour) where everyone gets out of the water, drinks water, reapplies sunscreen (SPF 15 or higher) and rests.
If you are caught in a rip current, swim parallel to the shore until you are out of the current. Once you are free, turn and swim toward shore. If you can't swim to the shore, float or tread water until you are free of the rip current and then head toward shore.
Watch out for the "dangerous too's" – too tired, too cold, too far from safety, too much sun, too much strenuous activity.
Post CPR instructions and directions to call 9-1-1 or your local emergency number in the pool area.
Keep toys away from the pool when it is not in use. Toys can attract young children into the pool.
If a child is missing, check the pool first. Go to the edge of the pool and scan the entire pool, bottom, and surface, as well as the surrounding pool area.

It's Easy to Help Victims Affected by Recent Flooding

It is great to hear that many of the local Red Cross chapters across the country are helping their fellow Americans by traveling to volunteer in the areas affected by the recent floods. Due to the current disasters, The Red Cross expects to be spending $15 million in damage. This will be the biggest flooding operation the Red Cross has aided with in 15 years. While not all of us can pick up and go to help the victims in the Midwest, there are many other ways you can provide much needed assistance to those devastated by the floods.

The Disaster Relief Fund is a great way to help those whose lives have been forever altered. Donating to this fund will enable the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling, and other assistance to victims of disaster. You can have your donation go to a certain disaster, you just have to specify at the time of your donation where you want it to go.

The devastating impact may spread to more than 500,000 people in Wisconsin and Iowa down the river. I cannot believe that we are still only two weeks into hurricane season and this much damage has already been done. The Red Cross is continuing to help the victims whose lives have been forever changed because of the floods. Please take the necessary precautions to protect your families and loved ones before a disaster strikes. You can check out the RedCross.org for more tips on how to get yourself ready!

Tim Russert: Thoughts about CPR

Many people were saddened by Tim Russert’s death this weekend from an apparent heart attack. My first thoughts were as a writer—He was a young man, only 58, and I always enjoyed watching him on Meet the Press. He was respectful, but also critical when other journalists were throwing softballs.

And, of course, my second thoughts were as a writer for the Red Cross. We think a lot about heart attacks here—how common they are, and how to be ready to respond to them with CPR and AEDs. Though I’ve worked here for several months now, this is the first time it’s occurred to me that my mom and dad, both in their 50s, probably don’t know CPR.

Reports say that an intern in Russert’s office began applying CPR almost immediately, but that an AED wasn’t used. I’m so glad that someone nearby was ready to help him. I can’t imagine how it would feel to be there when someone is suffering and not know what to do.
There’s been a lot of buzz about this on the internet. Dr. Douglas Zipes, of the Krannert Institute of Cardiology at Indiana University, emphasized that that "AEDs should be as common as fire extinguishers."

I hope some more people are inspired to get trained in CPR and AEDs because of Russert’s death, and to do so out of respect and care for others. You never know when the health of other amazingly talented people might be in your care.

Visit our website to sign up for classes, or view an online tutorial demonstrating CPR and AED techniques and see video accounts of real stories of lives saved.

-Kristin Claes is a senior writer for the Greater Chicago Red Cross. She writes for the website www.chicagoredcross.org.

Were you affected by storms in the Central U.S.? Let us know you are OK!

Storm Ravaged Residents Urged to Register with Safe and Well!

People in storm ravaged communities across the Central United States are urged to register themselves and their loved ones on the Safe and Well website, to allow family and friends around the country know of their status. Safe and Well is an easy way to assist people seeking to locate those who’ve registered their status during this emergency.

The Red Cross has developed this online tool to help families and individuals notify loved ones that they are safe during an emergency. Letting your family know that you are safe during an emergency can bring great peace of mind.

The Safe and Well website is easy to use:

1. Visit RedCross.org, and click on the Safe and Well link.
2. If you are currently being affected by these disasters, click: “List Myself as Safe and Well”, enter your pre-disaster address and phone number, and select any of the standard message options.
3. If you are concerned about a loved one, click “Search” and enter the person’s name and pre-disaster phone number OR address. If they have registered, you will be able to view the messages that they posted.
4. If you don’t have internet access, you can call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to register yourself and your family. Follow the prompts for disaster information. The Red Cross is currently providing disaster relief throughout several states dealing with the onslaught of rain, tornadoes, flooding and other disasters, offering sheltering, feeding, emergency assistance and other support.

Off to Capetown!

One of our volunteers is leaving for Capetown, South Africa this evening. He's going to spend a month there helping the South African Red Cross raise funds to aid 30,000 people in refugee camps in their country-what a cool opportunity! He is going to check in with updates from the field-we'll keep you updated. Here's a link to the South African Red Cross Society web site if you are interested in what they do http://www.redcross.org.za/

This is the Week! CPR and AED Awareness

Learning CPR makes people happy. Seriously. Look at these smiling faces. (Scroll over the notes to see their stories)



We’re right at the beginning of National CPR/AED Awareness week, and you can get to the happy that these women found spot by taking a class with the Red Cross. It really does feel good to know that you’re preparing to help people when they need it most.

To celebrate, if you take a CPR class with the Greater Chicago chapter this week, you’ll receive a free AED training with your class. You can call 1 800 SAFETY or visit our website to register.

When I attended our huge CPR Training Days event this winter (which is what these photos are from), people told me they were motivated to learn CPR for lots of different reasons, but what I heard most often was the phrase: “You never know when you’re going to need it.” Your friends, neighbors and family are your life, and in many ways, CPR and AED is life insurance. It’s assuring yourself and your family that you’ll do your best to take care of them.

That must be why these Red Cross students are so happy.