The Heroes Event

The Greater Salt Lake Area Chapter of the American Red Cross celebrates ordinary individuals in your community who have done something extraordinary, they have saved a life. Their inspiring stories are shared as we honor them at this special annual event.

Join us March 18, 2009 at 11:30 am at the Salt Lake Convention Center. Buy your tickets online, call Neva Baker at 801-323-7003 or email nbaker@utahredcross.org to buy a ticket or a table at this event. Visit www.utahredcross.org to learn more about your local heroes.

Lifeguard Saves Life Thanks to Red Cross Training

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH (February 11, 2009) — The Greater Salt Lake Area Chapter of the American Red congratulates 25 year old Cottonwood Heights Lifeguard Corey Fischer! Trained in Red Cross lifesaving skills, Corey was called to put his skills to work in a recent life threatening emergency. Two weeks ago, a man in his 50’s was working out at the fitness club and suddenly collapsed! Corey was over by the swimming pools and was called to the scene. Corey explains, “He was working out and had a massive heart attack. My training just kicked in. I didn’t really have to think, I just reacted. Afterward everyone told me it went really smoothly.” Corey worked to save the life of the stranger using CPR and several shocks with an AED until an ambulance arrived and took the man to the hospital. Those important first minutes can make the difference in a life or death for a victim of cardiac arrest. Corey’s patient is alive and recovering from the ordeal.

For information on American Red Cross CPR and AED training: Visit www.utahredcross.orghttp://www.utahredcross.org/> < or call 801-323-7000.

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH (February 11, 2009)— The Utah state legislature has passed a bill that could help you… to help others. Utah House Bill 31, the Utah Sudden Cardiac Arrest Survival Act, provides immunity from civil liability for people who try to save someone’s life by performing CPR or using an AED. The bill protects individuals even if they are not trained. The bill passed the House and Senate and is awaiting a signature at this hour.

Now, that there is civil immunity, the Red Cross wants to take this opportunity to remind Utahns to sign up for CPR/AED training. Greater Salt Lake Area Chapter CEO, Maxine Margaritis, highly encourages Utahns to be properly trained in lifesaving skills. Margaritis said, “The research shows us that those who have been trained are more likely to respond to help someone, and they also have a higher success rate to save a life.”

Margaritis encourages all Utahns to call their local Chapter of the American Red Cross to sign up for a class and get trained in lifesaving skills.

To sign up for a class contact your local chapters in Ogden, Provo and Salt Lake City, as listed below.

The Greater Salt Lake Area Chapter classes can be found by calling 801-323-7000 or online at www.utahredcross.org <http://www.utahredcross.org/> click on Take A Class or go directly to this link:

http://www.utahredcross.org/class_result.asp?SN=3009&OP=3013&IDCapitulo=I2OD6QV708

American Red Cross cameo on The Office!

I must admit that I only watch a few TV shows, but one of the ones I do watch faithfully is The Office. I was looking forward to an extra-long episode after the Super Bowl, and wasn’t disappointed. It was ridiculously funny, and the American Red Cross made a cameo!I don’t want to spoil it for anyone who hasn’t watched the episode and may want to be surprised, but the employees attend a CPR demonstration.

I recently became a First Aid/CPR/AED instructor, so it was very interesting for me to note the differences between what was shown on the show and the way courses are conducted by the Red Cross. First of all, there was only one dummy (often referred to as a “manikin,” intentionally spelled phonetically) for a class of about ten people. We use a DVD to teach CPR skills, instead of launching right into practice as the instructor on the show did. She also didn’t correct Michael (played by Steve Carell) even though his hand placement would do much more harm than good. Instead of acting as the heart muscle, he would choke the victim.So does Steve Carell just need to take a CPR class? Not necessarily. I wouldn’t put it past him to intentionally have Michael Scott not know a darn thing about CPR. Michael isn’t the brightest bulb. I don’t think the show needed to portray exactly what an American Red Cross class is like, either. If it did, this couldn’t happen:

I’m 99.9% sure that no one has pulled a knife on our mannequins in any of the classes at the chapter, which makes me feel safer! In case you saw the show and were wondering, yes, the heads underneath the faces do indeed look like this:

If you’re interested in learning more about CPR training, First Aid training, and/or AED training, feel free to call the bookstore at 801-323-7014. We’re happy to help.

Images taken from NBC.com.

Teaching Children To Be Prepared

Media invitation: Photo/Interview Opportunity

Local Chapter of the American Red Cross

Helps Teach Students Preparedness

For Immediate Release

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH (January 29, 2009)— The Greater Salt Lake Area Chapter of the American Red Cross will teach about 50 4^th and 5^th grade students how to be prepared on Thursday, February 5^th at 1:00 pm. at the Wasatch Peak Academy located at 414 North Cutler Drive (1 block west of Redwood Road). The school contacted the Red Cross after the recent refinery explosion and fire in Woods Cross caused an evacuation in the area. The school wants to build preparedness kits for their students in the event of an emergency. Teacher LaRae Terry said, “We want our students to have kits here at the school. The Red Cross sent us their checklists for preparedness kits and we are in the process of building them for our students. The advice from the Red Cross is easy to follow and this has turned out to be an excellent project for our kids. If you are prepared you don’t have to be afraid!” Terry said her students are also going to do a community outreach project, they are going to share what they learn about preparedness with others.