It's Never Too Late to Learn CPR

When I first learned CPR, it wasn’t for anything special. It was for a job. I wanted to spend my summer outside, wear sunglasses, get the occasional glimpse of a girl my age in a swimsuit. I wanted my summer to be more like an 80s movie than work. I applied to be a lifeguard.

The CPR hardly seemed important. It was just a hoop I had to jump through to make my summer vacation ideal. Of course, I got lucky—I never had to perform CPR on a real person. That’s what I dreaded every morning when I woke up. That, and the more likely issue of having to get in the frigid water before the pool even opened for business.

I like to think I was ready if an accident did happen, but I never thought about the possibility that someone close to me would need emergency treatment.

Nancy, however, learned CPR for that very reason. I met her at a Red Cross First Aid and CPR class a few weeks ago. Even in her sixties, she’s beaming with more life than anyone in the class. I can imagine her reading a children’s book aloud to a captivated audience of little kids, or crossing the street with them, hand-in-hand—so it’s no surprise when she tells me she runs a day care. It’s no stretch of the imagination to think that she shows the same compassion for her husband, Ernest, or anyone else for that matter. Through large gold-rimmed glasses, she tells me about herself, and when she laughs, her whole body laughs with her.

After Ernest’s third heart attack, Nancy thought it was time she learned to respond in case tragedy struck again. She’s grateful that Ernest has made it this far, and she’s not leaving it up to chance anymore. She’s already lost too many people close to her.

When Nancy was 16, she fell in love with a young man named Robert, who she soon married. When he was 40, Robert was diagnosed with diabetes, and few years later, he suffered a heart attack. He made it to the hospital in time for the medical professionals to save him, but a few days later, complications from the diabetes took his life.

Nancy later remarried, to Willie. He had an enlarged heart, and at 44 he suffered a cardiac arrest that happened so quickly the ambulance didn’t even make it to the house in time to save him.

Several years later, Nancy met Ernest, and married him soon after. He’s 72 now, and he’s had three heart attacks and three heart surgeries. The most recent attack started with some chest pain. Ernest knew after the first two that this was a bad sign, and he headed straight for Metro South Medical Center. While sitting in the patient room, speaking to a nurse, Ernest collapsed—flat-lined. The staff responded immediately, and brought his heartbeat back. But that was too close for Nancy. She vowed to learn CPR in case an emergency like this happens again.

I spoke to Nancy again a few days after the class. When I called, I could hear the bustle of children at “Nancy’s Day Care” in the background. I imagined her there on the phone, still beaming—kids frolicking around her Chicago home, maybe one on her lap. She said that every morning now she wakes up and practices the CPR and First Aid she learned. She wants to be prepared in case one of these kids needs emergency care, too.

To find a CPR and First Aid class in your area, visit http://www.redcross.org/en/takeaclass.


Written by: Jonathan Bressler

Frayed Wires Cause Fires

Yamina and Amira stayed home from school last Wednesday with a shared case of pink-eye. Chiquita, their guardian, was at work when the two girls smelled smoke coming up through the vents, and heard the alarms blaring. They ran downstairs and started pounding on the door.
Chiquita rents the second-floor apartment from an elderly woman who lives downstairs with her son and caretaker Jerry. He was taking a midday nap, but the smoke alarms, and perhaps the girls pounding on the door, jolted him awake.

With the overwhelming stench, Jerry knew this wasn’t a false alarm. He swung open the basement door, and smoke poured out as if from a chimney. He couldn’t see a thing, and in the split second before dialing 9-1-1, Jerry mourned the probable death of the three pet turtles he kept in an aquarium downstairs.

The fire department appeared in seconds, and after putting the fire out, they showed Jerry where it all started: the downstairs refrigerator was plugged in to an extension cord, and when it sparked, the surrounding woodwork shot up in flames.

“It was plugged in like that for 50 years,” Jerry said. “I had no idea it was a problem.” The firefighters explained to Jerry that large appliances like refrigerators must be grounded—plugged into a three-prong outlet or power strip—and that electrical cords should be checked routinely, and replaced if frayed. Electrical fires are one of the leading causes of home fires. The U.S. Fire Administration provides tips for preventing these fires.

Jerry was down about the destruction caused by the fire, though he was glad that most of his and his mothers’ possessions were only tainted with the smell of smoke. “We’ve got 50 years’ worth of stuff down there,” he said. He still wore a smile, though: all three turtles survived.

Volunteers from the Red Cross were able to provide food and shelter to the people affected by this fire. Home fires are so commonplace that they often go unnoticed by the media, but they happen 2 to 3 times a day, every day in Chicagoland.

Make sure to inspect your home for fire hazards, and be active in preventing them. See the USFA page on home fire prevention, and our page on fire safety. The Red Cross offers a fire prevention program, Team Firestopper, which provides education and fire prevention activities in communities that are disproportionately affected by home fires. Team Firestopper volunteers conduct home hazard hunts to identify issues like this one before they cause destruction. For information about volunteering with Team Firestopper or to sign up for a visit to your home, go to http://bit.ly/al25l7.


Written by: Jonathan Bressler

Windy Welcome

The first impression Chicago made on this native Californian was on the flight here five years ago. Sitting next to me was one of those sweet, gentle-mannered ladies that reminded everyone of their favorite aunt or grandmother so you soon find yourself helplessly babbling on about your plans for the big city under the warm, fuzzy embrace of that empathetic glow. Just as we were about to part ways before the gate, said lady put a firm hand on my arm and looked into my eyes with all apparent seriousness as she warned: “just remember to put some rocks in your pocket before you go out in the winter. You’re so tiny!”

Well…that was bizarre…so I had filed the remark away as a strand of kookiness buried under all those layers of Midwestern charm—until one day that first winter I was trotting down the street and suddenly knew I had to come to a full stop and rebalance my weight, just so, you know, the gust wouldn’t sweep me away.

While I still couldn’t quite bring myself to pad up on the rocks, there are a couple of other things I learned to do to stay on my feet to adjust to the real possibility of hurricanes or almost hurricanes—as the storms we experienced over the last two days apparently were. The Red Cross has step-by-step Before, During, After, and Recovery action guidelines to help you make sure you and your loved ones stay safe and up to date. Know the difference between a Hurricane Watch and a Hurricane Warning. Download this handy checklist to post on the fridge.

Prolonged power outages are another effect of violent weather conditions that can be buffered with some simple preparation. Check out the Red Cross’s page on what to stock up when you’re in the dark and how to check in on how friends and family are doing in the aftermath of a disaster.

Written by: Christine Li

Starting Over: Former Red Cross Intern Shares his Recovery Story

Last Christmas, Zach Zimmerman, a former Red Cross intern, found himself in a similar position as the families he helped during his time here. His family was victim to a home fire sparked by a space heater. Now, 10 months later, Zach reflects on the process of recovery and how his experience at the Red Cross helped him get through the hard times.

It has been a long road for Zach’s family from the day the fire occurred to when his house was finally rebuilt. The weeks following the fire and Zach’s first encounter with his childhood home were particularly difficult, “Walking through the house, I'd see things from my childhood that were extremely sentimental and the remains of what my mom had worked so hard to create for us: a home.”

Eventually, his family regained hope that they could successfully pick up the pieces and rebuild their lives. “As new hardwood floors went in, debris and glass was taken out of the yard and a fresh coat of paint was applied, I found myself excited to move back in,” Zach said. “This fire helped me put a myriad of things into perspective. Things are really just things, and nothing comes to being more important than your family.”

Zach stressed the importance of a strong support system when going through a traumatic experience. Family and friends can be the rock you need for long term recovery. “Whether it’s helping you sort through the rubble, or simply taking you out for a much needed day of fun, your family and friends are the best healing doctors in the world.”

As Red Cross interns, we are able to accompany teams when they respond to actual home fires that occur in the greater Chicago region to help communicate with the families and see them through the disaster. Zach and I have both been on the scene while families cope with disaster. When I asked how his time at the Red Cross helped him recover he said, “With the experience seeing others deal with the devastation of a fire under my belt, talking to my family about the fire was easier for me. I knew what they needed to hear, and I also knew how to help them realize the positives in the situation.”

It is crucial to get a kit, make a plan, and be informed. Through this disaster, Zach and his family learned the importance of being prepared first hand. “We have created an emergency evacuation plan to be prepared if something like this ever happens again. It's critical that everyone knows what to do in a situation like that. Being prepared can only benefit you, so take the time to make sure you're ready to act when a disaster happens.”

The American Red Cross offers immediate support after a disaster, but long term recovery is equally important. For more on Zach’s experience, read his blog post.

Written by: Katie Donabedian

What’s your number?

"Have you ever been asked 'What's your number?' or, better yet, 'What's your friend's number?'
In this tech-dependent culture, you may not know even your best friend's digits off the top of your head these days. I know I don't. Here we are in the midst of a Blackberry outage and have I saved my phone numbers somewhere on hard copy in case I can’t access them on my phone? Nope.
To admit this may render me a public disgrace to my employer (the Red Cross), but shamefully it’s true. I have a preparedness kit in my home, office and car and I’m trained in CPR and first aid but haven't backed up all the contact information on my phone. I haven’t taken this one simple step that could really make a difference if something unexpected happens. I talk to my sister in Michigan at least once a day but could I tell you her phone number if I needed to? Umm, sadly no I could not. She has an Indiana area code for some reason and that's about all I know...
Today I pledge to do one thing and that’s to print off my contacts in case I need them. I may even go a few steps further and save them to a zip drive and email them to myself so they live online too…
Read about more easy things you can do to save yourself a headache in a disaster or something as simple as a smart phone outage.

Martha Carlos is the Communications Director at the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago. She's hoping this shameful public confession will spur her on to(finally) do the right thing.

Patient Connection: Connecting Families to their Runners at the Chicago Marathon

Red Cross volunteers are buzzing around the medical tents at the Chicago Marathon. In the biggest tent, like a scene from M.A.S.H., rows of injured and exhausted runners recover in temporary cots from the previous twenty-six mile test. Spectators converge on Red Cross booths, desperately seeking their loved ones, fearing they’ve been injured or rushed to a hospital. The volunteers work with the Patient Connection program of Red Cross—set up to respond to mass disasters when they occur.

45,000 runners participated in the Chicago Marathon this year. With this many people pushing their bodies as far as they can go, you can imagine that quite a few drop out from exhaustion or injury. Even those who finish may not be capable of making it further than one of the cots in a medical tent. In cases like these, mothers and sons easily lose each other in the confusion. A woman might hear that her sister was injured, but has no idea where in this massive city she could be. That’s why Red Cross is here.

A man with his son approaches a volunteer at one of the tents. He's heard that his wife, a runner, was being held in a medical tent, but can’t find her. “They said she might be sent to the emergency room!” he says. The volunteer takes down the runner’s name and checks the runner’s location in a computer system, which shows the exact tent and cot number where the woman is. She tells the man his wife has been found, and she's being treated by the marathon’s team of trained medics. In 45 minutes, she’s on her feet and reunited with her family.

Volunteers on site enter the names of runners being sought by families into a computer system. Back at the Chicago Red Cross headquarters, Carol Mosley is on a computer in her office, with the “sought” list up on her screen, busily switching between websites, cross-checking the list with hospital admittances, tracking participants as they run, speaking to families on the phone. If a runner is admitted to the hospital, Carol contacts the person seeking them, and lets them know where to find their runner. Without this system in place, family members would be separated—they may find out that their runner has been hospitalized, but have no idea to which of the Chicago area hospitals they’ve been admitted.

The Chicago Marathon is a great opportunity for the Red Cross team to test out their ability to respond to large disasters where many people are hurt. Granted, we won’t get prior warning of a stadium collapse, or a train derailment, but the marathon gives volunteers an opportunity to implement their disaster response skills, and it’s reassuring to know that the systems in place have been put to the test. In the event of disaster, the primary concern is making sure loved ones are safe—Red Cross is here to help.

For more information on the Patient Connection program, visit:

http://www.chicagoredcross.org/general_calltoaction.asp?SN=247&OP=327&IDCapitulo=vf223fbdfd

Written by: Jonathan Bressler

We’ll miss you, Steve Jobs

The topic of today’s elevator conversation is certainly, in most offices, the passing of Steve Jobs. We’re likely to see an article from every major news organization on the man’s life and vision, on his passion to change the world. There’s no denying his importance. In the late 1970s, when the energetic entrepreneur was first getting started, only a select few people understood the capacity of computers to change everything about our daily lives.

In his life of work, Jobs worked relentlessly to bridge the gap between human and machine—to make machines make our lives not just easier, but more interactive and more accessible. Thanks to one of his many infamous creations, the iPhone, we can look up restaurants or directions from just about anywhere. We can skype friends and family across the globe, far from a computer. We can get instant, up-to-date facts to resolve any bar dispute—from how many coins you can have and still not change a dollar, to who had the lowest E.R.A. in 1988, or the status of your neighbor’s relationship with that guy from the gym.

Of course, there are plenty of legitimately helpful uses for the iPhone as well. Let’s say, for example, disaster strikes. Who knows in what form—a flood, an earthquake, a tornado. You might lose your home, and need desperately to find a shelter. Well, there’s an app for that, too.

Or, if for some reason you don’t like the iPhone (we’re “don’t ask, don’t tell” on smart phone preference), there are some great apps for Android phones as well. Get an emergency first-aid & treatment guide to manage almost any medical emergency—useful to medical professionals from anywhere, even offline—or let Dr. Oz guide you through an emergency situation.

None of this would have been possible without Steve Jobs’ unique vision for changing the world. His work in developing the personal computer from a pipe dream to a device we carry in our pocket has allowed medical and emergency workers to perform their jobs quicker and more effectively. Computer systems now allow health care professionals to communicate patient information electronically, and every day we see new developments, things that will become essential to treatment and to emergency care. Jobs may have passed away, but his robust vision of change will not soon fade. Just see our blog post from two weeks ago: technology has become an integral part of health and emergency care, an integral part of nearly every facet of our lives, and we have few people to thank more than Steve Jobs.

Written by: Jonathan Bressler

Did you see Contagion and did it freak you out?

Doctors say that spread of a pandemic type virus in the movie Contagion has a kernel of truth. We aren’t trying to freak you out or scare you into bathing in vats of germ sanitizer but it’s something we should probably think about-especially when we all know flu season is coming to schools, daycares and offices near us. Below is an excerpt from story from USA Today on the subject and some of our thoughts on it.

Contagion has already has brought in more than $44 million at the box office in its two-week run. USA Today chatted with doctors and pharmacists who spend their days thinking, and sometimes experiencing, real-life worst-case scenarios when it comes to deadly epidemics. Contagion shows a world where the people who keep civilization together — police, firefighters, sanitation workers, supermarket clerks — are either sick, dead or at home with their families while garbage piles up, buildings burn unchecked, and gun-toting thieves ransack the suburbs for food.

The story goes onto say that it happened to a much lesser extent in Toronto during the 2003 Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) epidemic, which killed 44 people in Canada. "Support staff didn't figure their jobs were important," says Tom Kirsch, a doctor of emergency medicine and co-director of Johns Hopkins' University's Center for Refugee and Disaster Response, Baltimore. His center has been thinking hard about what he calls the "willingness to respond."

Tom Kirsch is also a member of the American Red Cross Scientific Advisory Council. The American Red Cross recommends taking simple precautions like hand washing to avoid the spread of any type of flu. Here are some tips that we recommend on this matter including prevention, symptoms and how to care for others with the flu and if you have little ones, we have a super cute free anti-germ program for kids 4 to 7 called Scrubby Bear.

Related link
Spike Lee (a different one, not that one)talks how hand washing cleanses your mind

Reporting a Robbery via Facebook. Strange News?

The Associated Press reported today that a woman used Facebook to ask friends to report a robbery.

I love reading the news, not just the regular stuff but the water-cooler-conversation inducing fodder too. I was looking for a mindless diversion, something like this, “Pumpkin Found Hanging in Pear Tree” when I clocked on the “strange news” link in my e-mail this morning.

Today’s story hit a little closer to home, it was about a woman who used Facebook to ask for help after a robbery. Maybe it’s because I work where I do and stories about “tweeting for help” have become commonplace for us at the Red Cross but I think this is actually pretty common. We even did a recent study “Social Media in Disasters” that backs this up. It showed that about half of the respondents said they would consider asking for help during a disaster or to report a crime via social media channels; 3 out of 4 of those would expect help to arrive within an hour.
Would you turn to social media for help in a disaster or emergency? Have you already done so? Tell me your story.

Martha Carlos is the Communications Director at the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago

AmeriCorps Volunteers Help Carry Out Lifesaving Mission of the Red Cross

AmeriCorps has been a long time partner of the American Red Cross that helps the Red Cross achieve it’s mission by paying special attention to the neighborhoods and communities that are in need of life saving services, but are least likely to be able to afford them. This federal initiative is carried out locally by full and part-time participants that focus on a mission that is quite similar to that of the Red Cross. AmeriCorps embraces:

•Getting Things Done by helping a community meets its education, public safety, environmental and other human needs through direct service
•Strengthening Communities by fighting illiteracy, building affordable housing and helping communities respond to disaster
•Encouraging Responsibility by fostering civic engagement through service and volunteering
•Expanding Opportunity by providing members with job skills, invaluable experience, and scholarship or loan repayment for school or job training

Members go through an extensive training process to provide service to society through community organizations. This week, I had the opportunity to meet new members of the AmeriCorps program that were in CPR training at the Rauner Center, the offices of the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago. Talking with Chris Schifeling and Anne Bowlby gave me a better understanding of their role within the Red Cross.

Chris spent two years working with Teach for America and wanted to continue to have “direct contact with communities in need.” The values of the American Red Cross and the politically neutral aspect of our mission statement stood out to him. He is looking forward to helping communities in Chicago that do not receive assistance and has truly enjoyed getting to know the other AmeriCorps members during his training.

Anne is very aligned with the service aspect of AmeriCorps and the Red Cross. Prior to her training at the Chicago Red Cross, her only experience with the Red Cross was through blood donations. She believes in the “trickle down effect” that important training programs from the Red Cross can have on communities, and encourages those who are looking to do service to “lend a hand wherever you can.” She knows that the practical implication of skills learned from AmeriCorps and the Red Cross will help her “give back to [her] community.”

AmeriCorps members are invaluable in our attempt to enact the mission of the Red Cross. The AmeriCorps program is dedicated to bringing Red Cross safety and health programs to underserved neighborhoods, schools and communities throughout the State of Illinois. AmeriCorps members help us with health and safety programs that include CPR, first aid, HIV/AIDS awareness, community disaster education, youth programs and more. Through our partnership with AmeriCorps, the Red Cross is able to reach youth, minorities, low-income communities and senior citizens.

Get involved in the life saving mission of the Red Cross and AmeriCorps and make a positive impact in the community you live in. Visit www.chicagoredcross.org to sign up for classes, view safety tips or to make a donation.

Children’s Playroom Reduced to Ash: Early Detection of Smoke Could Save Your Home and Lives

The first thing Michael Green heard wasn’t a smoke alarm; it was his daughter Jasmine rushing downstairs to tell him her room was full of smoke. Faulty wiring started the fire, which slowly filled the walls with smoke while Jasmine and her friend played with toys.

“I’m still in shock, but I knew I had to keep my cool and do what was best for my family,” said Michael as he wiped away sweat from his forehead with a paper towel.

As soon as Michael realized there was a fire upstairs, he rushed both children outside, where he could now see flames climbing up the walls of his house. Michael called 9-1-1 and cut off the power, but it was too late to save the second floor of his recently-remodeled home.

By the time the American Red Cross arrived, the entire upstairs was in ruins. Toys, videogames and DVDs were covered with ash, and the family’s new puppy wandered around sniffing at the charred remains. Jasmine’s bedroom had holes ripped out of the walls and ceiling; even her Mickey Mouse pillows were smeared with soot.

Michael’s wife Adrianne sat with Jasmine in silence, both of them dripping in sweat from the boiling heat. Adrianne’s face was like stone as she sat in shock, holding her daughter by her side. Adrianne received a call at work and rushed home to find half her home had been scorched by fire. Her hands shook as she accepted a bottle of water from Michelle, a Red Cross disaster relief worker. Michelle explained to Adrianne how the American Red Cross could help her family through this difficult time. Due to the severity of the fire the Red Cross would be able to provide the Green family with financial assistance, shelter, toiletries, clothing, food and water.

Sixty-five percent of fire related deaths happen in homes without working fire alarms. Smoke alarms provide a few minutes of advance warning in the event of a home fire, and that extra time can save lives. It is important for all homeowners to follow these safety tips:

•Install smoke alarms in every level of your home, inside bedrooms and outside sleeping areas.
•Test fire alarms once a month and replace the batteries at least once a year.
•Talk to all family members, especially children, about a fire escape plan.
•Practice the escape plan twice a year, if not more.

Michael and Adrianne were grateful that their family made it out safely, realizing how fortunate they were to only lose possessions. The American Red Cross of the Greater Chicago Region encourages every family to be prepared for fire disasters. More information about how to be prepared, including safety tips, are available on the Chicago Red Cross website http://www.blogger.com/www.chicagoredcross.org.


Written by: Joshua Enright Gleason

With Great Tailgating Comes Great Responsibility

The NFL season is officially underway and Chicago fans are hopeful to get another shot at the NFC Championship. There’s hope for the Bears to finally reach the Super Bowl again for the first time since 1985, but most importantly, this new season means that tailgating has officially begun!

Anytime there’s a home game in Chicago, fans arrive at Soldier Field long before to take advantage of some of the best tailgating in the country. Tailgaters love to grill out and have some hot food to go along with their cold beverages on game day. It’s great to get out and support our team, but while celebrating it’s important to prepare and handle food properly to prevent food borne illness. The CDC estimates that food borne diseases cause approximately 76 million illnesses, 325,000 hospitalizations, and 5,000 deaths in the United States each year. The American Red Cross of Greater Chicago wants to make sure everyone enjoys the fun and excitement of NFL football safely by providing some food safety tips:

•Do not prepare food more than one day before tailgating unless it is to be frozen.
•Don’t cook food partially ahead of time. Partial cooking of food allows bacteria to survive and multiply.
•When packing your cooler, be sure raw meat and poultry are wrapped securely to prevent juices from contaminating ready-to-eat food.
•Transport cold foods in a cooler to minimize bacteria growth.
•Keep foods covered to prevent contamination by insects.
•If you can’t keep hot food hot during the drive to your tailgate, chill the food in the refrigerator before packing it in a cooler.
•Cook only the amount of food that will be eaten to avoid the challenge of keeping the leftovers at a safe temperature. (Also they won’t let you bring it in the stadium!)
•When you take food off the grill use a clean plate, and be sure not to put cooked food onto the same plate that once held raw meat.
•Include lots of clean utensils for preparing and serving.
•Bring water for cleaning if none will be available at the site. Pack wet disposable clothes, moist towelettes and paper towels for cleaning hands and surfaces.

When gearing up for Sunday’s game, remember to be Red Cross Ready and prevent food borne illness. You want to feel your best when watching Chicago play! For more safety tips on grilling, first aid or commuter safety when traveling to the stadium, visit chicagoredcross.org.

Remember to be prepared and… Go Bears!

Written by Joshua Enright Gleason

Photo Courtesy of Chicago Tribune

Staying Safe During Back to School Season

As summer comes to an end and parents prepare their children for another school year, there are important topics to address aside from which school supplies and clothes to purchase. Discussing safe practices for back to school should be high on the list, and can make all the difference in determining your child’s well being. While the “when I was your age, I had to walk 4 miles, uphill, both ways, in the snow to get to school” joke may be out dated, many children still walk, bus, bike ride or car pool to and from school every day. It is a parent’s worst nightmare to imagine anything ever happening to their child, so it is wise to take precautions so accidents can be avoided.

The International Walk to School Month is an initiative to celebrate the benefits of walking and it’s only a month away. This means more children walking, rather than taking the bus, biking, or catching rides to and from school. No matter how your child commutes to school, the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago offers safety tips and steps parents and children can take to make this back to school season safer.

Tips for Pedestrians
• Never walk alone – always travel with a buddy.
• Pay attention to all traffic signals and crossing guards along the way.
• Never cross the street against a stop light.
• Be cautious of who is around you – never talk to strangers.

Tips for Bike Riders
• Avoid ill-fitting clothing that could get caught in spokes, pedals or restrict movement.
• Wear reflective colors and material to be more visible to street traffic.
• Always wear a helmet when riding a bicycle.
• Walk your bicycle across all intersections.

Tips for School Bus Riders
• Line up facing the bus, not along side it.
• Never reach under the school bus to get anything that has rolled or fallen beneath it. The bus driver may be sitting too high up to see you.
• After getting off the bus, move immediately onto the sidewalk and out of traffic. If there is no sidewalk, try to stay as far to the side of the road as possible.
• Wait for a signal from the bus driver before crossing the street. Walk at least 10 steps away from the front of the bus so the driver can see you.

It is vital to sit down with your child to discuss safety tips for a stress-free commute to school. Knowing how to prevent unexpected emergencies is the first step in ensuring a great and successful school year. Check out the American Red Cross commuter safety tips for more information. Happy back to school!


Written by: Hannah Segall, Marketing and Communications Intern

Photo courtesy of Visual Photos

A New Generation of Philanthropists

When eight year old Eden Juliette Macknin saw the devastation caused by the tornado that ravaged Joplin, Missouri on television, she wanted to do something to help. Eden’s father, David, described his daughter as a “very empathetic, sensitive kid, who has been captivated by the tornado damage and wildfires” and says that whenever she sees news of disasters like tornados and fires she asks “are the animals safe? Are the firefighters safe?”

After Eden learned about the destructive tornados in Joplin, she told her father that she wanted to raise money to help the people that had lost their homes and belongings. She brainstormed with her dad and came up with the idea of a lemonade stand. Eden had seen other children in the neighborhood with lemonade stands and thought she could give that a try, but she wanted to have a good location so people would see her stand. They drove around their Highland Park neighborhood looking for the ideal spot and decided on the bike and jogging path along Green Bay Road. David, eager to encourage his daughter’s philanthropic effort, suggested that they walk along the path and watch the people to get ideas for her lemonade stand. Eden quickly realized that most runners and bikers don’t carry money while they exercise so they would not be able to donate. Eden and her dad crafted a note asking for donations for the Red Cross and placed them in pre-addressed envelopes to distribute at their stand. She made a big sign that said that the lemonade was free if a donation was made to the Red Cross for tornado relief.

When the big day arrived, Eden had her stand ready with lemonade, water and a stack of the donation envelopes. She was encouraged by all the people who stopped and commented at what a good thing she was doing to help others. A few days later, envelopes started arriving in the mail. Eden was able to raise more than $100 dollars for the Spring Storms relief effort with her lemonade stand, but more importantly, she learned that one person can make a difference in the lives of others.

This is not the first time that Eden has displayed a passion for helping others, and certainly won’t be the last. Her father says that she always gives her own money in the collection box at their Synagogue and that she aspires to be a teacher when she grows up. No matter what career she chooses, we hope that she will continue to support the mission and values of the American Red Cross.

Written by Heidi Schwartz and Blair Janis

Stand Down 2011

Coming into my summer internship with the Services to the Armed Forces (SAF) program, I had an idea of the type of work I’d be doing, but I didn’t realize the impact it would have on others. Three months later, I am very aware of how much the American Red Cross helps our servicemen, women, veterans, and their families. From assisting them before, during, and after deployments to delivering coffee, toiletries, and clothing to the Jesse Brown and Hines VA Hospitals. We also attend various military and community events informing families of the Red Cross services that are available to them, such as our emergency communication service that helps connect families in the U.S. to their loved ones servicing overseas. The Red Cross is always there.

Having the opportunity to work with, and learn from, the members and families of the armed forces, the staff at the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago, the volunteers and employees of the local VA Hospitals, and other service organizations is such a blessing. They are kind, selfless, passionate, fun group of individuals who inspire me with their work everyday.

All of the events and projects I worked on have been interesting and worthwhile, the most memorable was Stand Down 2011. This event for homeless and low-income veterans was an extremely satisfying, eye-opening, and fun three days. It began with setting up in General Jones Armory, which required sweeping, mopping, setting up tables, and sorting through the clothing, food, and donated items. On day one over 700 veterans came to register, that is when I understood the importance of our pre-event preparations. Day two included free eye and medical exams, haircuts, legal, housing, and job assistance. The Red Cross also provided attendees with two hot meals, live music, and most of all a sense of camaraderie. On day three, after breakfast had been served, we handed out huge bags of supplies, which included brand new boots, shirts, socks, underwear, toiletries, bagged lunches etc. The level of appreciation and smiles on their faces was so gratifying, and I will look forward to volunteering at this event again.

While interacting with veterans and families at Stand Down and other deployment events is exciting and rewarding, there is also a lot of behind the scenes work that the Manager of Operations Support, Erin Counihan, does to be able to provide the support of the Red Cross. Many tasks have to be performed before the event, but the most challenging for me was SAF casework. Calling families that had suffered a loss or had emergencies was difficult, but when they genuinely thanked me for being a part of a network that was able to get their father, mother, son, daughter, brother, or sister home from war in a time of need, I realized the importance of the SAF program. Our current and passed service men and women and their families have made so many sacrifices for our freedom, and being able to help them in their time of need and show them our appreciation is truly a gift.

Written by: Jodie Lieffring

Building Hope in Haiti

In the midst of great tragedy and suffering caused by the 7.0 earthquake last year, which killed an estimated 230,000 men, women and children in Haiti, it seems impossible that one year later progress has been made. The American Red Cross employees, volunteers and generous donors are meeting the needs of communities and lifting spirits of the Haitian people. Gail McGovern, American Red Cross CEO, has traveled to Haiti many times since the devastating earthquake. On her most recent visit to Port-au-Prince, she describes seeing “people who are hopeful, optimistic and resilient.”

Typically, the Red Cross focuses solely on providing immediate relief when disasters like the earthquake in Haiti occur. Immediate relief comes in the form of Disaster Services workers distributing food, clothing, medication and supplies to victims and coordinating shelter for people affected by the tragedy. In this circumstance, the Red Cross has established a long term relationship with communities and organizations in Haiti for the benefit of the people.

The American Red Cross has worked in Haiti since 2004 responding to disasters ranging from major hurricanes to small floods, and following the earthquake worked to build on the foundation of programs that existed. In the past year, an incredible amount of work has been done to improve the disaster management strategies in place and the health of Haitians.

The Red Cross mission statement discusses the importance of relieving the suffering of individuals, focuses on guiding response actions by the needs of the people and specifies giving priority to the most urgent cases of distress. Gail McGovern saw firsthand the plethora of opportunities for the American Red Cross to truly embody the mission statement of the national organization. She insists that “building permanent communities will be harder, and it will take longer. It will involve not just the homes themselves, but a whole series of interconnected services, from water and sanitation to roads. We’re talking about a massive urban renewal program that’s going to take years to complete.” The process will be lengthy, but focusing on five key facets of rebuilding will empower the people of Haiti (emergency & long term housing, health, water & sanitation, disaster preparation, disaster risk reduction & livelihood).

Many Haitians found themselves either displaced or hosting displaced relatives or friends, which put enormous stress on already scarce resources. To maximize the impact of donations, the American Red Cross partnered with Fonkoze, Haiti’s largest microfinance institute, to expand their existing programs to support over 220,000 people mostly women heads of households like Odette Mednard. She is a dressmaker and the owner of a small food shop attached to her home. Odette’s house was damaged and she lost much of her store’s inventory in the quake, but this partnership allowed Odette and others to restart their small businesses. Thanks to the American Red Cross, Odette and thousands of other Fonkoze clients have received financial assistance. Odette’s house was damaged and she lost much of her store’s inventory in the quake, but today her business is growing.

Be a part of our efforts to rebuild Haiti by by making a donation. Learn more about our work in Haiti by viewing the Haiti Earthquake Response Progress Report.

Written by Blair Janis

Want to Save Lives? Give Blood.

Blood is everywhere. Blood is the central theme for our favorite shows, war video games and horror movies. We are not a squeamish nation. The sight of blood doesn’t have us searching for our fainting salts or produces nightmares. Five movies of SAW is proof of our sturdy constitution. The American Red Cross like the rest of the nation is partial to the sight of large supplies of blood. We like to have our blood bank overflowing with healthy and viable blood that is ready to save lives. Currently, the American Red Cross is experiencing a shortage of blood donations, which poses a challenge when demand for blood remains steady.

One pint of blood can save up to 3 lives. Only 3% of Americans donate blood. The following reasons may help inspire you to give blood:

• Every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood.
• More than 38,000 blood donations are needed every day.
• More than 1 million new people are diagnosed with cancer each year. Many of
them will need blood, sometimes daily, during their chemotherapy treatment.
• A total of 30 million blood components are transfused each year in the U.S.
(2006).
• A single car accident victim can require as many as 100 pints of blood.
• The blood used in an emergency is already on the shelves before the event
occurs.
• Sickle cell disease affects more than 80,000 people in the U.S., 98 percent of
whom are African American. Sickle cell patients can require frequent blood
transfusions throughout their lives.

Join the 3% of the population and help save lives. Give Blood.

To find a local blood drive, visit http://www.redcrossblood.org/
Visit http://www.youtube.com/user/AmRedCross for more videos like Brian's Story

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.

Prepare Your Kids to Stay Afloat

“When that summer sun starts beatin' down
And you don't know what to do
Grab your swimming trunks
Ice up that old igloo
Drive until the map turns blue”

-Brad Paisley

As an avid fan of live music, I always strive to learn the words to new songs before I see my favorite artists perform. Brad Paisley stops by Chicago in August and I will be especially proud to sing every line of his new single, “Water.”

While listening to my favorite country artist croon about fun times near the water, I think about the great memories I have of spending hours at the local pool with childhood friends. Even though I have grown out of my floaties, I still enjoy swimming now. Just like Brad’s song, “Water,” when the “summer sun starts beatin’ down” I have been “driv[ing] until the map turns blue” to get to the pool or beach during warm summer days. At the beach this summer I have seen a lot of close calls where lifeguards stepped in at just the right moment to prevent accidents, so I reached out to a good friend to learn about how to stay safe in and around water.

Barbara Nichols became Red Cross Certified in lifeguarding in 2005 because, as a child, she admired her cousins for working hard to protect patrons at the aquatic center in her hometown. She is currently head lifeguard at her local pool, a position that she has held for 5 years. In her years of service, she has seen firsthand that children who are introduced to swimming by their parents are more open to taking swimming lessons and are less afraid of the water.

Barbara says that the most important thing parents can do is be proactive about their children’s safety. She recommends that parents “take safety precautions and follow facility rules” to set a good example for their kids.

Barbara stresses that “it’s important to just enter the water safely and stay in areas where you are comfortable swimming.”

Make your own memories this summer by enjoying warm weather swimming and aquatic activities with just a few helpful hints in mind from an experienced lifeguard.

Barbara and the Red Cross offer a few extra tips to make the most out of your time in the water:

• Use and reapply sunscreen liberally.
• Stay hydrated by drinking lots of water.
• Cover all cuts and scrapes properly before entering the water.
• Avoid alcohol consumption as it impairs judgment, balance and coordination, and affects swimming and diving skills.
• If you go boating, wear a life jacket! Most boating fatalities occur from drowning.
• Always swim with a buddy; do not allow anyone to swim alone. Even at a public pool or a lifeguarded beach, use the buddy system!
• Never leave a young child unattended near water and do not trust a child’s life to another child; teach children to always ask permission to go near water.

The best way to prevent disaster in the water is to learn how to swim. Enroll in age-appropriate Red Cross Learn-to-Swim courses. Young children or inexperienced swimmers should wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket around water. Lifejackets are one type of Personal Floatation Devices (PFD) and can vary depending on weight and size. Further instructions about the proper use of PFD’s can be found here.

If you are interested in learning more about water safety and lifesaving like Barbara, Lifeguarding courses and Red Cross Certification programs are offered at local aquatic facilities.
To find courses contact your local Red Cross Chapter.

Be Red Cross Ready.

Written by Blair Janis

Red Cross Presents Kid Safety Zone

Check out the video below:




"What are some road safety rules?” asked Katie, an AmeriCorps Safe Family Member. “Wear a helmet, make sure you have a night light on your bike, and stay on the right side of the road,” yelled a student. Wow these students really know a lot about road safety. From hearing that first kid’s response at the Kids Safety Zone showed me I would be shocked more about what other students already knew.

I knew the load of information Red Cross AmeriCorps Safe Family members were going to share that day would never be forgotten.

As we pulled up to the elementary school with the AmeriCorps team and I walked through the halls, we entered into a room that the team set up for kindergarteners through sixth graders. The team was setting up five different stations for the AmeriCorps service project: Kids Safety Zone.

Having the group of kids rotate to each station, I knew it would be interesting to watch. AmeriCorps set up stations so all the kids could get a hands-on interactive experience and learn helpful information all at once. From 9a.m. to 2:15p.m. the students’ excitement and thrill to learn more never faded away.
Students waved their hands frantically to answer a question or to volunteer in acting out a scenario. They bounced from table to table and interacted the entire seven minutes they had at each station. I tried to figure out how learning could be so fun and then a light bulb clicked in my head: interact and engage the students and you cannot go wrong with teaching.

The five stations the students rotated to throughout the day were healthy living, stranger danger, first aid for you, road safety, and home safety. At the “health living” station one of the members discussed having a proper diet, knowing the proper techniques for chocking, and what it means to wash your hands thoroughly. The members at the “stranger danger” station taught how you should communicate with strangers (what to say and what not to say). At the “first aid for you” station how to control bleeding, what’s an emergency, calling 911, and an emergency action plan was taught. At the “road safety” station the AmeriCorps team member talked about how one stays safe when riding a bike or walking. The last station was about how to stay safe in your own home based on having fire alarms and avoiding dangerous fires in the house with electrical appliances and outlets.

Overall the students enjoyed themselves with the interactive stations. They were able to interact and learn about safety and healthy tips. AmeriCorps members also took a lot from teaching a wide age range of students because the members had to change how they presented the information every time groups rotated. Before each class left the room the teachers were given FACT (First Aid for Children Today) booklets to pass out to their students.

This event also showed me that elementary students will take away a lot from what they learn if you make it engaging and relate the activities to them so they can make connections of what they’re learning.

To learn more about the Red Cross AmeriCorps program or to join the team visit this link: http://bit.ly/nG0ydw.

Story and Video Written By: Rachel Moten