Have a Fire-Free Thanksgiving

We are thankful for being safe this holiday…

Imagine this scenario: You are in your home laughing with your loved ones on this day of thanks. You are so grateful to be in their company and love seeing the similes on their faces once dinner commences. There is an air of togetherness and happiness as the nostalgia begins to enter the room. Then everything changes. The next thing you smell is smoke. There is a black cloud pouring from the kitchen, yet you cannot find where it is coming from. The fire begins to gain momentum and spreads into your living room where the dinner table is set. The heat is so oppressive that you cannot breathe. You wonder where everyone is…‘We have to get out!’ you scream. Please let everyone be safe…

This is an all too common scenario for families on Thanksgiving Day. In fact, 69 percent of fires occur as a result of cooking on this day of thanks. In a Red Cross and National Fire Protection Association study, results showed that 37 percent of people admitted to disabling a smoke detector when it was activated unexpectedly.

The Chicago Red Cross hopes to help families prevent Thanksgiving Day fires by offering ten fire safety tips:

1. Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling or broiling food. If you leave the kitchen even for a short period of time, turn off the stove.

2. If you are simmering, baking, roasting, or boiling food, check it regularly, remain in the home while food is cooking and use a timer to remind you that you’re cooking.

3. Be alert. You won’t be alert if you are sleepy, have taken medicine or drugs, or consumed alcohol that makes you drowsy.

4. Keep anything that can catch fire—potholders, wooden utensils, food wrappers, towels or curtains—away from your stove top.

5. Make sure your sleeves are out of the way when cooking. Wear tighter fitting clothing with shorter sleeves.

6. Have a “kid-free zone” of at least 3 feet around the stove and areas where hot food or drink is prepared or carried.

7. Never hold a child while cooking, drinking or carrying hot foods or liquids.

8. Turn the handles of pots and pans on the stove inward to avoid accidents.

9. Keep pets off cooking surfaces and nearby countertops to prevent them from knocking things onto the burner.

10. Test your smoke alarms by pushing the test button. Replace batteries at least once a year.

Year-round Safety
In addition to preventing cooking fires, families can stay safe all year by following these additional tips:

• Keep items that can catch on fire at least three feet away from anything that gets hot, such as space heaters.
• Never smoke in bed.
• Talk to children regularly about the dangers of fire, matches and lighters and keep them out of reach.
• Turn portable heaters off when you leave the room or go to sleep.

Smoke Alarms
• Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, inside bedrooms and outside sleeping areas. Check monthly that smoke alarms are working properly by pushing the test button.
• At least once a year, replace the batteries in your smoke alarms; every 10 years, replace the entire smoke alarm.

Make a Fire Escape Plan
• Make sure all household members know two ways to escape from every room of your home.
• Decide where you will meet outside in case of fire.
• Practice escaping from your home at least twice a year and at different times of the day. Practice waking up to smoke alarms, low crawling and meeting outside. Make sure everyone knows how to call 9-1-1.
• Teach household members to STOP, DROP and ROLL if their clothes should catch on fire.

Please stay safe and have a fire-free Thanksgiving this year. Enjoy your family and friends.

Happy Thanksgiving from the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago!

As we open our hearts to our heroes...

I have lived my entire life proud to wave my nation’s flag. While none of my immediate family is serving in the army, my family does have direct ties to the U.S. military. Both of my grandfathers, my uncle and father served our country. My Papa Richard, for example, served our nation during WWII in the 8th air force, where he worked as a mechanic. For almost two decades I thought that he never fought in any campaigns; I was under the impression that he was never faced with the true horrors of war. However I recently found out that I was wrong. To me, my grandfathers, uncle and father are heroes. In a time of chaos and destruction they were willing to fight for something they believed in and that is truly overwhelming to me. I feel extremely blessed to be a part of them.

My family represents a small fraction of thousands of men and women who have served the United States of America. Yesterday I was fortunate enough to attend an event at Soldiers Field where Mayor Daley and Senator Dick Durbin honored all the veterans who served the U.S.

As the speakers talked on, I felt tears swell in my eyes. I was overwhelmed with happiness, pride and sadness. I couldn’t believe how humble and extraordinary these people are. They have more courage than I could ever acquire. And they have been through more than I will probably ever go through in my entire life. They represent so much and have given us more than many thought possible. One veteran said, “We never thought of ourselves as heroes.” That, to me, is remarkable. I wondered how he could not think of himself as a hero. That is exactly what all of the veterans and current soldiers are. To me they are more than heroes.

As the keynote speaker took the stage he said, “Freedom is not free.” Freedom is so delicate. It is something many take advantage of. Sometimes we don’t realize what we have. Above all else, it is freedom that the many men and women who serve our country fight to protect. Freedom isn’t free. Lives are risked every single day to ensure that it is protected.

Both Mayor Daley and Senator Dick Durbin mentioned that just within this week two young soldiers, one of whom is my age-20, lost their lives. I thought to myself, why? After an entire day of thinking I still don’t have an answer. Those two men were really boys. They were only 20 years old and showed had courage to witness war the tragedies of war. That speaks unbelievable volumes. The world has a funny way of showing you what you are thankful for. And I am thankful for them. Their strength encompasses me with pride and gratitude. Thank you to all of our veterans and those who serve our country today and every day. You are our true heroes.

Help the Chicago Red Cross say thank you to all those who serve us through our Holiday Mail for Heroes program. Between September 7 and December 10, the public is invited to send a “touch of home” through holiday cards that contain messages of cheer and appreciation. “Sending a greeting card is a small effort that makes a big impact for our American heroes during the holiday season,” said Erin Counihan, Disaster Services Respondent at the Chicago Red Cross. “The American Red Cross serves and supports members of the military, veterans, and their families by providing emergency communications, comfort and assistance each day. The Holiday Mail for Heroes program continues the Red Cross tradition of service to the armed forces.”

Holiday cards should be addressed and sent to:

Holiday Mail for Heroes
P.O. Box 5456
Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456

Please be sure to affix adequate postage. Cards must be received no later than December 10. Cards received after this date will be returned to senders. For reasons of processing and safety, participants are asked to refrain from sending “care packages,” monetary gifts, using glitter or including any inserts with the cards.

Visit redcross.org/holidaymail for a full list of recommended guidelines and best practices on the Holiday Mail for Heroes program.

Additional ways to become involved with the campaign include connecting with fellow card senders through Facebook at www.facebook.com/redcross and Twitter at www.twitter.com/redcross using the hashtag #holidaymail.

Visit www.chicagoredcross.org/SAF to learn more about the Chicago Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces.

The Red Cross Thanks and Recognizes Our Heroes

Don’t ask me why, but growing up I was always a history junkie. I blame it all on my 4th grade teacher because after reading Number the Stars I read every historical fiction book and watched every movie about World War II. To this day, when I think of the courageous, brave, and capable soldiers who stood in the face of danger and fought in the front lines of World War II, I envision Jude Law in Enemy at the Gates or Byron Henry from Winds of War. It wasn’t until Wednesday October 20, 2010, when I met Michael C. Bilder of General George Patton’s Third Army, author of “A Foot Soldier for Patton,” that I put a new face on these heroic soldiers I had grown up reading and learning about. It was as if all the characters I had read and watched popped out and introduced themselves to me.

Mr. Bilder served with the 5th infantry Division and fought in all five of the Third Army’s campaigns; fighting in France, Luxembourg, Germany, and Czechoslovakia. While stationed in England in 1943 Mr. Bilder received training from the American Red Cross as a “combat lifeguard” in preparation of D-Day. A combat lifeguard, while wearing 60 lbs. of equipment, must jump 25 ft. into a pool covered with burning oil. Once in the water, he had to shed his helmet, rifle, and rucksack and swim 75 yards underwater. Mr. Bilder used his newly acquired skills to dive after fallen GIs, unhook their equipment, and get them back to surface. It is for this that the American Red Cross decided to award him with the Lifesaving Award for the Professional Responder; for saving numerous GIs from drowning, including those who were previously wounded.

The American Red Cross’s Lifesaving Award is not the first award Mr. Bilder has won; in fact it is just one in a pile of impressive achievements and awards from numerous countries (one from Luxembourg, France, Czech Republic, and two from the USA). However, while all the other medals he has won (apart from his first Bronze Star Medal) have been given to him because of the number of lives he took during batter, The American Red Cross’s Lifesaver Award “is the most meaningful because it represents the lives I have saved, not taken.

Finally the day had come, all my reading was done and I was on my way to meet the heroic Mr. Bilder. As I walked into his house, saw him sitting on a big green padded lazy boy chair. When I introduced myself as an intern for the Red Cross a huge smile spread across his face and he said, “The Red Cross! The Red Cross gave me my stripes. I should be honoring them, not them me.”

As the day continued I came to realize that being a soldier isn’t about being a hero or getting awards, it is about serving your country, your people, and everything you believe in. Mr. Bilder went to Europe and fought a war far from our soil because he felt it was his duty, just as soldiers are doing today in Iraq. It is our duty as Americans to not only honor them and their courageousness, but never forget the battles and struggles they have fought to protect our liberty, democracy, and country. What they have done to protect us.

As Mr. Bilder said “I have always done amazing things I suppose, but I am really just a regular Joe.”

More pictures of our visit with Mr. Bilder

We have a lot to be thankful for this holiday season, and the soldiers in the armed forces is one of them. We are inviting the public, until December 10, to send a "touch of home" to the armed forces through hoilday cards; a small effort that goes a long way and impacts the hearts of our American Soldiers who can't be home with their families this holiday season. Please, get involved and send your holiday cards today:

Holiday Mail for Heroes
P.O. Box 5456
Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456

"I am alive"

The confusion and chaos of conflict and disaster separates families just when they need each other most, causing unbearable suffering. Often, the three simple words “I am alive” may be all that’s needed to ease the minds of loved ones. Known as Restoring Family Links, The American Red Cross works through the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Red Cross and Red Crescent societies worldwide to search for missing loved ones and reconnect families.

“I am so happy to know my family is well.”

Onesphore Ndaribitse was living with his wife and four young daughters in a refugee camp in Tanzania. When the camp closed in 1996, they were forced to separate camps and lost contact. For more than 12 years, Onesphore heard no news about his family’s well-being.

Now living on the North Side of Chicago, Onesphore opened a tracing inquiry with the Greater Chicago Red Cross. We were thrilled to inform him that his family was alive in Rwanda. We brought Onesphore handwritten messages and photos of his adolescent daughters – just babies last time he saw them. Thanks to the Red Cross Network, Onesphore and his family are in touch and communicate regularly through free Red Cross Messages.

This past week I visited Onesphore because we had another message from Rwanda. It was our first time meeting and his timid character and limited English proved to be an initial barrier. However, the minute I tried to communicate in French, his face lit up. He appreciated our visit and personal care in delivering the news directly to him. At the end of our visit, Onesphore walked us down to our car. We said good-bye in French and he waved back to us with a big smile.


Red Cross Message from Rwanda

The American Red Cross of Greater Chicago helps to reconnect families each year, with services including:
Locating missing loved ones separated by armed conflict or disaster;
Sending Red Cross Messages between separated family members - civilians, prisoners of war and political detainees;
Obtaining information about the fate of civilians, including those separated during the Holocaust and World War II;
Providing Certificates of Detention to former detainees visited by the ICRC;
Securing ICRC travel documents for people who have been offered permanent resettlement; and
Providing information and referral services.

For more information about the Restoring Family Links program, please contact Emma Crandell Ratajczak at ratajczake@usa.redcross.org or 312.729.6238.

Meredith Sanna, International Services Intern

Can you save a life?

Silence. Then panic comes like a hurricane consuming every nerve in your body. What can I do, you think. Can someone help? Please, someone help!

I can only imagine this was the reaction a mother experienced last week when her young and precious son began choking on a piece of candy at a local restaurant near Highland Park, Illinois. Thankfully Susan Sak was there to save the young child’s life. Susan is a hero. She is someone who, in a moment of truth, was fearless and I deeply applaud and respect her for that.

As I was interviewing Susan I pictured the chain of events unfolding. A mom overwhelmed with panic, shouting for help. The boy unmoving and unable to breath. The restaurant manager hastily reaching for the phone to call 911. People watch on. Nobody knows what to do. Susan is Red Cross certified in CPR and is trained on how to react in these types of life threatening situations. She gives a few blows to the boy’s back and the candy is out. First there is calm. Then gratitude. She has saved his life.

As Susan and I talked on she mentioned that restaurant personnel especially should be CPR certified. For example, the Illinois Restaurant Association states that every restaurant must have an Emergency Care for Choking poster, which “explains emergency care for conscious and unconscious choking victims. It has a place to list an emergency phone number. It must be posted in every foodservice facility.” But sometimes this is not enough. While some restaurants argue that they do not want their employees to be CPR certified because of liability, high turnover and cost to train employers I ask- can you put a price on saving someone’s life? Besides, the Red Cross has several low-cost alternatives.

For example the Chicago Red Cross website houses a free video and printable How To for CPR that could be found here. In response to the liability issue know that according to the Good Samaritan law anyone who gives cardiopulmonary resuscitation in “good faith” is “exempt from civil liability” (Illinois General Assembly).

When people are at their most vulnerable moments it is up to us to provide the help they deserve. Learning the basics of CPR can make all the difference in the world. How would you feel if you could save someone’s life?

If you think your child is choking, ask someone to call 911 immediately and take three simple steps to assist; check, call, care.

Check to see if there is an obstruction or loss of breathing, if either are present ask someone to Call 911 and administer Care. If you find something lodged in the victim’s throat, use the Five and Five Method. Lean the person forward and give FIVE sharp back blows between the shoulder blades with the heel of your hand. If the obstruction isn't dislodged, stand behind the person and give FIVE quick, upward thrusts into the abdomen. Repeat back blows and abdominal thrusts as necessary.

This is a general guidance and does not substitute for formal training. If you haven’t been trained please take a CPR-First Aid class so you can be prepared for these emergencies. Visit www.chicagoredcross.org or call 312-729-6100 to register for a class.

The letter for today is C.

Chiclone, Cholera, #Crisisdata & so on...


Today at the Chicago Red Cross we’re talking about all things that begin with the letter C.

Chiclone 2010, billed as the “worst storm in 70 years” and “Great Lakes Cyclone” We’re expecting hurricane-force winds over Lake Michigan, high winds everywhere and possible tornadoes. Get prepared by familiarizing yourself with our safety tips on all things storm from how to deal with food safety issues after the power goes out to whether or not you should take a shower or bath during a rainstorm (you shouldn’t, learn why…)

Cholera. Here’s how we’re helping stem the cholera outbreak in Haiti.

#CrisisData Very cool stuff the Red Cross is working on re: integrating crisis response with social media. If you tweeted for help, would anyone be listening?

Cycling celebs. Celebrities are cycling to raise $1million for the American Red Cross and the Canadian Red Cross.

Choking. Halloween is this weekend and there will be lots of hard candies, caramels and popcorn around-all serious choking hazards-be prepared, know what to do to keep your little goblins safe. Another serious danger at Halloween? Cars.

Citizen CPR. Sounds exciting and a little dangerous in a good way-right? It’s almost like CPR is getting dressed up for Halloween with a newspaper hat and megaphone. We recently announced a new initiative to train 5 million people in hands-only CPR by the end of 2011 here’s how we’re getting started (including a one page info sheet which will give you the basics)

Martha Carlos (ooh another C) is the Senior Manager of Marketing and Communications at the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago.

Make The Haunted Houses the Spookiest Part of Halloween

For many years you have walked the streets of your neighborhood, wearing ghastly get-ups and monstrous masks. Have you ever wondered where the creepiest and coolest holiday of the year originated? Was it the creation of a horror film that sparked this spooky night of candy and costumes?

It turns out that Halloween started as a cheery and bright fall festival where taffy fresh from the puller was served and hayrides were given to the children in townships across America. It wasn’t until the late 19th century when Irish immigrants began immigrating to the US that Halloween became creepier. Ghosts, goblins, ghouls, and monsters were brought into the celebration from these new Americans. The Irish brought another very important aspect of Halloween to American shores; the Jack-O-Lantern. In Ireland, rutabagas, turnips, and potatoes were hollowed out and faces of creepy creatures were carved into the now unearthed vegetables. These enlightened veggies were then used as lanterns for terrifying Halloween celebrations!

As mentioned earlier, candy is a necessity for a perfectly spooky Halloween eve. Candy, although delectable and inviting (My favorite candy is Dots, by the way), can be a serious choking hazard for those tiny tots and young children. The American Red Cross of Greater Chicago is dedicated to educating our community about some of the dangers about tasty little treats. Sometimes, sticky and small candies like taffies and mini chocolate bars cause young kids to choke. Here are some tips from our resident candy expert Joe Gray on how to help your child if they are choking on candy:

· If you think your child is choking, ask someone to call 911 immediately and take three simple steps to assist; check, call, care.


· Check to see if there is an obstruction or loss of breathing, if either are present ask someone to
· Call 911 and administer…
· Care If you find something lodged in the victim’s throat, use the Five and Five Method. Lean the person forward and give FIVE sharp back blows between the shoulder blades with the heel of your hand. If the obstruction isn't dislodged, stand behind the person and give FIVE quick, upward thrusts into the abdomen. Repeat back blows and abdominal thrusts as necessary.

Please heed the advice of Joe and make sure you know what to do in case of an emergency. More than 3,000 people die each year as a result of choking so make sure your little goblins and ghouls are snacking safely. We don’t want the spookiest part of your night to be seeing your little monster choking on chocolate. Also, take into consideration what your kids are eating. It’s ok to go through your kid’s candy bag! In fact, 90% of American adults admit to taking candy out of their kid’s Halloween collection. What you do with the candy is your choice, but if you’re going to eat it, make sure someone else knows what to do in case you run into some trouble with a chewy confection.

From all of us at the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago, have a safe and spooky Halloween!


*Joe Gray, Senior Director, Health & Safety Services for the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago (and a costumed Red Cross mascot) is available for interview about the dangers of Halloween candy as a choking hazard as well as to demonstrate how to assist someone who is choking. Please contact Martha at 312-729-6204 if you’re interested in learning more.

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.

A close call with death. Elizabeth's Story

Elizabeth Pearlman has always been a basketball player; she started when she was in 2nd grade and when she started college joined the team at Loyola University. While running wind sprints, she began to feel fatigued. She didn’t want to appear weak so she physically pushed herself past the point of pain to keep running. The next thing she remembers “is having the floor come to my face” because she had suddenly collapsed to the ground. Here's her story in today's Southtown Star.

Terry Smith, the head athletic trainer, rushed over he saw her eyes rolling in the back of her head and that she was having difficulty breathing. Immediately realizing the magnitude of the situation he called an ambulance and started performing CPR on her. Showing no signs of response, he grabbed an AED and began to administer shocks to Elizabeth as she lay unresponsive on the gym floor. A few minutes later Elizabeth awoke unaware of her surroundings; lying on a stretcher in a moving ambulance.

While the specific cause is unclear, she soon learned that she has a genetic disorder called Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia (ARVD), in addition to having suffered from a pulmonary embolism. While she’s now physically fine her life has been altered. She isn’t able to play basketball anymore; a sport that has defined her for years.

Still, Elizabeth remains positive, she appreciates being alive and seeks to enjoy everyday to its fullest. She looks at things from a new perspective and is now an assistant coach for the basketball team. She is coming up on the one-year anniversary of this incident and wants to be an advocate for not only for genetic testing but also the presence of AEDs in all settings. Her goal is to prevent future injuries and deaths by raising awareness. She has turned a tragedy into an inspiration.

Julie Kahn is an intern in the marketing and communications department at the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago

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.

Teddy Bears Make All the Difference

On Friday, September 24, a family of ten was displaced from their home on South Washington Street. With six sad faces shivering in the cold Chicago air, the Red Cross surprised the children with cuddly teddy bears. Tiffany, the mother of the family, said that holding onto the stuffed animals made her children feel less afraid of the situation and she was grateful for the quick response from the Red Cross.





Our Red Cross volunteers provided shelter, clothing, comfort kits and food for the large family and were able to help Tiffany with referrals for long term assistance with housing options. To find out how you can help and how your donations will be spent, check out Chicagoredcross.org/donate.

In the Midst of Chaos there is Hope

As I entered the scene of my first fire I couldn’t help but be apprehensive; adrenaline rushing through my veins, my mind prepared to face whatever was to come. When people compare their life’s experiences to a scene in a movie you never truly understand what they mean until it happens to you. The experiences I lived through that day are as surreal today as they were when they occurred in real time.

Early in the morning on September 20th a fire erupted on the back porch of an apartment building in Chicago. Flames licked the vulnerable wooden stairs leading up to the top floor, destroying everything in its path. The fire alarms did not sound. Everyone slept on. Upon this realization, one person ran to the first floor entrance and push the buzzers yelling to those inside that they need to evacuate the building. He saved everyone’s life that day and is a true hero in my eyes.

There was no trace of flames on the exterior of the building as I walked past the policemen with my camera. I thought, this couldn’t have been a fire disaster- nothing is damaged.

While standing by the main entrance waiting to enter the building a gentleman approached one of the Red Cross responders to say thank you for being there to help and for providing assistance to fire victims. Only then did I realize, as I watched the man walk away, how influential the Red Cross fire response team is in Chicago and how many people we actually help throughout the year.

As I walked up the interior stairs of the building the damage became more severe; wall plaster laden the floors and water pooled on the landings. I looked around to take everything in: the half broken down door laying on it’s side mocked the residence, shouting ‘security no longer resides here, comfort is no longer welcome’; the bright white clouds from outside reflected themselves in the shards of glass that layered the carpet; the smell of burning wood and smoke hovered in the air like an oppressive cloud, never ceasing to evaporate.

In the last apartment the only things standing were the skeleton-like walls. I took another step deeper into the black hole that someone once called home. Nothing. Everything was completely destroyed. Black soot settled on every surface leaving no trace of life. In a child’s room the juxtaposition of an innocent toy lying next to scraps of wood and ash almost made me laugh because it should never belong there amongst that kind of destruction. I could try to describe what I saw but could never do it justice. In that moment I was filled with anger and a sadness, which consumed my heart. How could this happen, I thought? Why does this happen?

No one should ever have to experience that kind of loss. But fires do happen. And no matter how much pain it leaves in its wake I now know that being a part of an organization that allowed me to help is one of the greatest gifts I could receive.

These incidences occur every day and affect hundreds of people Chicago. What these people went through is irrevocable and only now, after seeing what I saw, do I truly understand why it is part of my job as a Red Cross Volunteer to spread hope to those who have lost everything.

My name is Kendall E. Knysch and I am a volunteer at the Red Cross Chicago chapter.

Nothing But an Emblem to Protect You

"Red Cross workers don't need guns to protect them in hostile environments. They only use an emblem. And it works. So gangster. #rulesofwar"

For the first time, the Red Cross invited people to participate in our free International Humanitarian Law class from their home computers, and a virtual participant posted this tweet shortly after our Wednesday night class. She was alluding to a conversation from the class that basically went like this:

In-class participant: "So you're telling me that the Red Cross delegate goes into an enemy prison, tells them all of the ways that they're violating International Humanitarian Law and they have no army or court or means to enforce the law?"

Instructor: "Basically, yes. Humanitarian Law as laid out in the Geneva Conventions is largely enforced through the notion that we are neutral and enforce it for everyone, including 'their own.' The 'enemy,' is receiving the same benefit for their prisoners of war in another prison. Reciprocity, confidentiality and neutrality motivate detaining authorities to comply."

In-class participant: "Who protects the Red Cross delegate? The UN? Police? Security? Do they carry a gun?"

Instructor: "It is only the Red Cross or Red Crescent emblem that protects them."

Now, what you need to know about me is that I'm a marketer, by trade. The Red Cross emblem is my logo to protect. To hear a conversation like this imparts a tremendous sense of responsibility and pride for me as the Director of Marketing and Communications at the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago. My logo keeps Red Cross delegates safe, here and abroad. The red cross logo communicates to people, regardless of the language they speak, that "relief is offered to everyone here" with the same level of recognition as men or women's bathroom sign. It evokes a deep emotional response in the people who've been touched by it. Occasionally, I get seated in exit rows on planes, perhaps because airline workers assume I'm comfortable in a disaster when they see my Red Cross lapel pin. There's a strange and mysterious power in our emblem.

I was a speaker at a Social Media Club of Chicago event last night. I discussed, "How has the Red Cross logo come to bear so much power and influence?" My opinion is that it is largely through a long history of action in place of words and shared values in place of rhetoric. But I don't know for sure. I told the social media experts in the room that I suspect people who encounter our emblem "feel heard and held when they need it most." I insinuated that our credibility may be helped by admitting to and learning from failures to better address the next disaster.

Prior to my speaking engagement at the Social Media Club, I attended a remarkable 2-day Cusp Conference that explores "the design of everything." I heard about innovative programs that are using design principles to make the world a better place. Projects like Design for America at Northwestern University are revolutionizing how we solve the world's most complex and gnarly problems.

So, in less than 48 hours, 1) I witnessed stellar examples of how better design can change our world at the Cusp Conference. 2) I discussed at the Social Media Club of Chicago how loyalty to an emblem or logo can play a part in preserving the dignity of humanity. And 3) I was reminded by our class Tweeter that in the hotbed of American violence -- communities governed by gang warfare -- Red Cross delegates might be understood by the people with whom they must negotiate for peace should the need ever arise.

And all of this got me thinking... What if the brilliant designers at Cusp applied their expertise to this goal: design a way to mobilize everyone who wants to help during a disaster in a way that makes the best possible use of their skills.

Here in Chicago, alone, the Red Cross respond to 3-4 home fires every day that require not only volunteers, but also greater awareness of fire risks. Before disasters like fires and floods occur, we need to motivate people to prepare for the unthinkable. People separated by war -- soldiers and refugees -- need to be connected through the Chicago Red Cross with their loved ones. We also need ambassadors who will help us explain that this response effort requires funding since we are not a govenment-funded entity.

Among the materials at your disposal in the design process:

• loyalty to a relief mission
• social media as an activation tool
• your design expertise
• an organization that might be willing to beta test your idea because we're used to dealing with the unexpected and disaster.

You'd also have something else at your disposal. Energy -- the remarkable energy that exists in the hearts and minds of people with an appetite for a better world.

Would you be willing to help with that? If so, let's talk.

@chicagoredcross

@your_mssunshine

Moonshine

We’re expecting a full moon tonight.
I’m a little scared.

The Roman goddess of the moon was named Luna, prefix of the word “lunatic” and I don’t care about fancy scientific evidence to the contrary, I’ve seen people get a little crazy when the moon is more “Cow Jumped Over the Moon” than “Mac Tonight”. Yes I’m likely aging myself with this reference to Mr. Tonight and I apologize for the digression (if you missed the 1980s McDonald’s advertising campaign featuring a crescent moon man wearing sunglasses and playing piano, here it is on YouTube.. )Just that fact that I’ve included this last reference is perhaps, in itself, evidence that the full moon makes people a little loco.

The lunar effect has been blamed for everything from increased visits to the emergency room and violence to voting patterns and of course vampire transformations. Full moons make me nervous not just from a personal perspective but also because I work for a disaster relief organization and I’m hoping there’s no correlation between disasters and the cycle of the moon. Is there? Does anyone know?

I’m crossing my fingers that Thursday will be peaceful but just in case I’m going to have my emergency radio, flashlight, rain boots, granola bars, cell phone charger and the phone number for an extra babysitter at the ready because you just never know.

For me, a tiny bit of fear is a good motivator and shamefully, sometimes what it takes, in this world of competing priorities, to takes steps to get prepared for the unexpected. I’m already well on my way with my grab and go disaster supplies kit, stashed in the closet next to my back door, but there are a few items in there that need some TLC. If a few self-imposed scare tactics are what it’s going to take for me to finally replace the batteries in my flashlight so be it.

Martha Carlos is a communicator at the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago. She is not superstitious but does avoid black cats, opening umbrellas indoors and walking under ladders because that’s just tempting fate.

Wikipedia on the lunar effect

Flashbacks Through a Camera Lens: Why It's Hard to Forget But Easy to Help

Shards of glass from the windows were embedded into the thick ivy that covered the full side of the house. The window frames were reduced to splinters on the ground. Construction workers looked on from the road while drilling into the earth and reworking the dirt in front of the house with bulldozers. While all of these details caught my eye, the worst part was the front door. It had been ripped off the front of the house and the sentiment mimicked the torn heart of the woman sitting on the porch.

The fire might have been small but the damage was evident. The inside of the house looked as though a tornado had consumed all of the belongings and then whipped them out in random directions. The smell of smoke and burning plastic seemed to hang in the air as I walked through what seemed like a reoccurring dream. Everything about the scene reminded me of my past, especially the woman standing by my side showing me the damage. I started to get flashbacks as I inspected the damage through the lens of my camera.

Click.

On December 23, 2007, I awoke to my three story farm house engulfed in flames. As the fire alarm went off, I could have sworn it was just my morning alarm buzzing to remind me that I had to catch the bus in thirty minutes. But it was 3 AM. Then the door swung open and smoke poured into my room along with my brother screaming that we had to get outside. Adrenaline pushed me out of bed, into my rubber ducky bathrobe, and down the stairs. Red and yellow consumed my eyes.

Flash.

As I continued to walk around and observe, family members and friends were moving things in and out of the house before the landlord came to board it up. Daunting reptile cages with tarantulas inside were being passed back and forth. Confused, I headed upstairs to the second floor to uncover the origin of these pets. When I reached the top of the stairs, I was met with more torn doors and holes in the ceiling from where the fire department attempted to unblock the ventilation.

Click.

I pushed my mom away from the phone as she was repeatedly stating the wrong address to the 9-1-1 operator. We were standing on the porch which was already halfway consumed in fire and could not leave for safer grounds since our house phone was not cordless. When we confirmed the address my mom and I ran towards the grass and away from our home of eight years. Where was my brother? Where was my dad? All I could do was watch in absolute horror at the blazing building that I used to call home. I heard screaming but couldn’t force myself to turn around. I didn’t realize how closely I was standing to the flames until my dad suddenly emerged from the basement. He was covered head to toe in black ash and looked like he was about to collapse. I thought he was going to die and I couldn’t even move.

Flash.

I saw snake skin out of the corner of the camera lens and got weak in the knees. I was told that one of the resident’s family members rescued abandoned or hurt reptiles and took care of them. This news deepened my sorrow as I knew that the residents clearly had good intentions and had a deep love for animals. While not all of the reptiles and spiders survived, a very lucky puppy made it through the disaster. Cajan, an adorable brown and black freckled canine with an undeniable will to live, was alive and well after the fire. Rescued from Hurricane Katrina, Cajan had already escaped a much larger catastrophe and showed off his cool demeanor by lying in his cage with a silly grin on his face.

Click.

Fire fighters, police, neighbors. Everyone was in my face and trying to comfort me. But I wasn’t there. I didn’t know where I was or even who I was. Someone had moved me off of the patio and away from the house as fiery siding curled off the exterior walls and fell like comets into my mom’s daylily garden. I was barefoot. My eyes were watering but I made sure everyone understood that it was because of the smoke and not because I was crying. And that was the truth. The last thing I remember happening that night was staring back at the ball of light in the middle of my valley as we drove away. And then it was over.

Flash.

When a disaster hits, we all want to help the victims. As human beings, it’s in our blood. As I looked at the victims of this Chicago fire, I knew I had to be there to comfort them. I could see the pain in their eyes and it resonated within me.

I can think of a million reasons why my house burning down was a positive experience but that is something that comes with time. All I could do was comfort the family and reassure them that everything would be okay in the end. Even though I played a small role on the road to recovery, I will never forget the family, the scene and the atmosphere of my first field reporting assignment.

My name is Lauren Snyder and I am a Red Cross communicator.

Never Forget 9/11/2001

Trepidation. Anxiety. Horror. Panic. All of these emotions flooded the minds, hearts, and bodies of American citizens at 8:45 a.m., Eastern Standard Time, nine years ago today. 2,983 lives were lost that day, and the fear from that day still resonates strongly within the depths of our hearts. Soon after the terrorist attacks of September 11^th, the United States declared war, The War on Terror.

The International Committee of the Red Cross, and Red Cross chapters across America have worked closely with our military to connect our troops with their families since the 1800s. Just like every other war that US has been involved in, the American Red Cross has been there to support the families of soldiers who have been deployed overseas since the beginning of The War on Terror. From financial assistance to coping with deployment classes, the Red Cross offers comprehensive and effective methods for soldiers to be connected with their loved ones back home.

Today I was assigned to attend an orientation for soldiers returning from the Middle East at the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center in the heart of the Illinois Medical District. The Red Cross of Greater Chicago sponsored today’s orientation by providing coffee and donuts for the more than 130 soldiers in attendance.

I had the great pleasure of meeting two individuals who served with the US Military in Afghanistan. First Lieutenant James Merritt and First Lieutenant Amy Azeez have witnessed how the Red Cross serves our military forces. Lieutenant Azeez, who grew up in Chicago, told me the story of a soldier from her troop that got into an awful motorcycle accident. The soldier riding the motorcycle was in critical condition, and needed additional blood to survive. Lt. Azeez informed me that the blood used in the soldier’s transfusion came directly from a Red Cross blood drive. That blood ended up saving his life.

Blood drives, a well-known service that the Red Cross coordinates and provides, is just one program from our multi-faceted commitment to our troops overseas. The Red Cross also provides an emergency communication outlet for soldiers that relays messages between the soldier and their family. When a family member has fallen ill or has passed away, a soldier's family can send a message to him or her, and the Red Cross will relay it to wherever the soldier is stationed. “The Red Cross acts as a gatekeeper between us and our families back home,” First Lieutenant James Merritt tells me. Lt. Merritt, also from Chicago and attending graduate school at Purdue, described for me that a soldier in his troop in Afghanistan received a Red Cross message that his grandfather had fallen ill. Within hours, that soldier was cleared by his commanding officer to head home and visit his grandfather before he passed. Lt. Merritt explained that if a soldier receives a Red Cross message they immediately get priority placement on flights back the US, and that the soldier is given ample time to be at home and cope with their family. For Lieutenant Merritt, the emergency communication service from the Red Cross is something that has directly impacted him and his family.

“I was training as a combat medic at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio when I was told that the Red Cross had a message for me,” Lt. Merritt recalls. The message contained news that his grandmother had passed away. Within a few hours, Lt. Merritt was on his way home to be with his family during that time of mourning.

Lt. Azeez and Lt. Merritt both explained to me that without the Red Cross, the process a soldier would have to endure to make his or her way home would be long and arduous. Both Lieutenants had looks of astonishment when recounting how fast and effective the Red Cross services to the armed forces were.

As an intern with the Red Cross of Greater Chicago, I am learning everyday new ways that the Red Cross is dedicated to helping people around the world. These stories from Lieutenant Azeez and Liteutenant Merritt make me even more grateful to be a part of such an amazing organization.

Zachary Zimmerman is a Marketing and Communications Intern for the Red Cross of Greater Chicago

Get Certified. Save a Life. It's that Easy.

As I began my second day here at the Red Cross of Greater Chicago, I was immediately presented with an opportunity to report on a CPR Instructor training class taking place here at our headquarters. I dropped my bag, grabbed the camera, and made my way down to the seminar room.
I opened the door and found 11 eager individuals assembling plastic mannequins used for practicing CPR techniques. Before the class began the instructor asked each of the 11 students to introduce themselves, and explain why they decided to take this course. The stories from each person were diverse and multi-faceted, but everyone agreed that a principal reason why they enrolled is because they wanted to be a part of something bigger than themselves. As the stories made their way across the room, one in particular grabbed my immediate attention; the story from a girl by the name of Jahan Nurhussein.

“I have two jobs, but I still make sure to find time to volunteer,” Jahan tells me. Jahan decided to work with the Red Cross of Greater Chicago because she wanted to find something to do that would give back to her immediate community. She described to me that it’s in her personality to actively seek out volunteer opportunities, and when she heard about this program from AmeriCorps, she couldn’t resist signing up.

Jahan’s story, one of true heroism, exemplifies just how important it is to be CPR certified. Jahan and her friend were running an errand at her local church when suddenly she saw a crowd of people standing in a circle in the church lobby. Jahan, curious as to what was going on, hurried over to the scene. She saw a man laying on the ground unconscious, and a woman trying to resuscitate him. Jahan had been certified to perform CPR, and when she noticed the woman performing CPR on the man was doing so incorrectly, she knew she had to step in. “I saw that she wasn’t supporting the man’s neck and was blocking the airway,” Jahan recalls. Jahan asked the woman to step away politely and told her that she knew the proper way to administer CPR. The woman agreed, and Jahan went to work. Jahan started giving CPR to the man, and after what seemed like an eternity an ambulance arrived. An EMT approached Jahan and told her that if she had not delivered CPR to this man that he certainly would have died before the ambulance arrived at the scene.



The Red Cross of Greater Chicago offers a wide array of free preparedness classes to Chicagoans who are interested in being able to aid in an emergency, whether that means performing CPR or knowing how to effectively evacuate people from a burning building. Jahan’s story serves as an excellent testament to how important it is to get certified to perform basic live saving procedures like CPR. Get certified. Save a life. It’s that easy.


Zachary Zimmerman is a Marketing and Communications intern at the Red Cross of Greater Chicago

For My Birthday, I Got a Hurricane

Early last week, I was looking forward to a Friday night party with friends, family and Red Cross donors and volunteers. Friday was my birthday and almost-one-year-anniversary as the Director of Marketing and Communications with the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago. I was making plans for a menu and music for the people who’ve made my 32nd year such a good one.

Meanwhile, Hurricane Earl was spinning like a sawmill blade toward the Outer Banks, and D.C.’s national headquarters (HQ) were making plans of their own.

Mid-week, I got the deployment call to go “somewhere on the eastern seaboard, probably Cape Cod” and help work with national and local media. Together, we would inform people how to prepare for the worst and help in the areas that would be hit. I would fly out first thing Thursday morning, and expect Earl to strike the Cape the evening of my birthday. Within minutes of national HQ’s call, Chicago Red Cross co-workers and volunteers began helping me prepare to deploy.

One tweeted, “Happy Birthday. I got you a Hurricane.”

I cancelled the party, triaged the coming week's work, and packed within hours of recieving the call. Earl was to become my first deployment and my first hurricane.

We were lucky in Cape Cod. By the time, Earl approached New England, he was tired, distant and forgiving. Besides the flurry of media and an evening of wind and rain, we came out unscathed Saturday morning. The work volunteers had done to prepare to shelter more than 10,000 people in Cape Cod, was patiently and cheerfully unwound. Cots were collapsed and stored. Shelters were closed and host partners thanked. New friends exchanged email addresses in time to grab lunch and enjoy a sunny Labor Day weekend.

On Saturday, several local Cape Codders and vacationers asked me throughout the day whether or not all of that preparation – the largest shelter operation Cape Cod had ever planned – had felt like a waste.

Not at all. Not to any one of us. While somewhat obvious, people take for granted that as a Red Cross volunteer you witness disasters. Whether it's a home fire in Chicago or a hurricane in New England, once someone who has lost everything desperately hugs you -- a stranger -- when they come into a shelter, you feel nothing but relief when a near-miss occurs.

The preparation wasn’t for nothing. It was practice for the next disaster. It was the proverbial "better than what could have been." It was an opportunity to develop friendships with other volunteers who have fat, juicy hearts, like the remarkable people from the Cape Cod Red Cross and the many others who were deployed along the seaboard.

Near-miss disasters are a great excuse to talk to strangers, like Joan Cook, about how we can work together to prepare. Joan has watched that Cape coastline erode and seen what hurricanes can do to the homes of her neighbors, so she’s found a good balance between being serious about taking precautions, while maintaining serenity as the storm approaches. Watch her story here.

For my birthday, instead of a hurricane, I got to experience a collective sigh of relief with other volunteers. I got to witness Joan's serenity – the kind that only comes preparation and life experience. I got a pretty great life experience of my own doing what I do best as a deployed Advanced Public Affairs Team volunteer.

For all of us, the sun shone brighter than usual on Saturday because nothing really happened Friday night. Do you want to know what that feels like? Learn about how to put your talents, gifts and experience to use as a volunteer for the Red Cross, and be sure to look me up and tell me about your first deployment.