Red Cross Continues to Help Joplin Recover from 2011 Tornado

Monday, May 21, 2012 — Today marks the one-year anniversary of a tornado that stormed through Joplin, Missouri, changing thousands of lives and devastating their town.

“I will never forget the color of the sky that evening as my family and I stood outside our Springfield home and looked to the west. It was multi-colored reds and oranges, as if the sky were burning,” said Nigel Holderby, Red Cross chief communications officer for Southern Missouri.

The devastation left in the path of that storm would make it one of the deadliest EF-5 tornadoes in history.

In response to the tornado in Joplin, the Red Cross:

• Opened two shelters that provided 3,450 overnight stays.
• Served approximately 86,000 meals and 373,000 snacks.
• Distributed 1,456 comfort kits with hygiene supplies such as deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, wash cloth, shampoo, liquid soap, lotion, comb, razor and shaving cream.
• Distributed 205,000 relief items such as tarps, ice chests, rakes and cleaning supplies through six centers and through deliveries.
• Made 5,850 health service contacts and nearly 6,800 mental health contacts.

A year later, the Red Cross continues to help people in and around Joplin recover. The Red Cross is currently focused on helping families plan their recovery and access community resources, supporting those who are rebuilding homes, and preparing the community for any future disasters.

 

 

Click here to help the relief of the city of Joplin.

https://american.redcross.org/site/SPageServer?s_subsrc=RCO_BigRedButton&pagename=ntld_main&s_src=RSG000000000

Be prepared for House Fires!

American Red Cross responded to a fire near Glenmoor Golfcourse in South Jordan Tuesday night. A Disaster Action Team was prepared to provide food, clothing and shelter to anyone who might have been displaced by the fire. Ultimately, our services were not needed. This is reportedly the the third fire this month Red Cross volunteers have responded to. With fire season rapidly approaching, hear are a few simple precautions to protect your family during a fire emergency:

Make Your Home "Fire Safe"

• Smoke alarms save lives. Install a smoke alarm outside each sleeping area and on each additional level of your home.
• If people sleep with doors closed, install smoke alarms inside sleeping areas, too.
• Use the test button to check each smoke alarm once a month. When necessary, replace batteries immediately. Replace all batteries once a year.
• Vacuum away cobwebs and dust from your smoke alarms monthly.
• Smoke alarms become less sensitive over time. Replace your smoke alarms every ten years.
• Consider having one or more working fire extinguishers in your home. Get training from the fire department in how to use them.
• Consider installing an automatic fire sprinkler system in your home.

Plan Your Escape Routes

• Determine at least two ways to escape from every room of your home.
• Consider escape ladders for sleeping areas on the second or third floor. Learn how to use them and store them near the window.
• Select a location outside your home where everyone would meet after escaping.
• Practice your escape plan at least twice a year.

Escape Safely

• Once you are out, stay out! Call the fire department from a neighbor's home.
• If you see smoke or fire in your first escape route, use your second way out. If you must exit through smoke, crawl low under the smoke to your exit.
• If you are escaping through a closed door, feel the door before opening it. If it is warm, use your second way out.
• If smoke, heat, or flames block your exit routes, stay in the room with the door closed. Signal for help using a bright-colored cloth at the window. If there is a telephone in the room, call the fire department and tell them where you are.

Red Cross Celebrates Armed Forces Week

For more than a century, the American Red Cross has maintained relationships with the U.S. military. What began during the Civil War continues today, with Red Cross Service to the Arms (SAF) workers present at more than 50 military installations around the world, and together working 24 hours a day, 365 days a week.

Along with that, Red Cross staff provides support at military and veterans hospitals. Red Cross volunteer teams meet wounded troops as they arrive and are there to provide information, comfort items and food for patients and their families. These volunteers visit wounded, ill or injured patients throughout their stay to deliver items such as toiletries, quilts, phone cards, books and computer games.

In light of the increased pressure on military families due to repeat deployments, the Red Cross has also developed programs to better serve families’ needs. Free courses, including Coping with Deployments and Reconnection Workshops, were designed to address the challenges that troops and their loved ones face during and after deployment.

If you’d like to support the work of the Red Cross with our nation’s military, learn how you can help by following this link.

http://www.redcross.org/portal/site/en/menuitem.d8aaecf214c576bf971e4cfe43181aa0/?vgnextoid=db881b655eb3b110VgnVCM10000089f0870aRCRD&vgnextfmt=default

Are you prepared for an earthquake?

A lot of people forget that here in the Salt Lake Valley we live on a fault line in earthquake territory, we could experience a 7.0 magnitude earthquake at anytime. To help our community as a whole be more prepared for such an event, we are participating in the Great Salt Lake Shakeout Earthquake drill next Tuesday April 17th.

To participate in the earthquake drill the Red Cross is opening up shelters, visit a Red Cross shelter during the drill to teach your family all about emergencies and preparedness.

It's a great opportunity to show your kids what it would be like if

disaster struck and you had to evacuate your home with only the clothes on your back. Teach your kids the importance of being prepared and to be aware of possible disasters.

Click here to register

Stay in a Red Cross Shelter During the Shakeout

The Great Salt Lake Shakeout is an Earthquake Drill for the Wasatch Front that close to 1 million people state wide are participating in.

The Red Cross is participating and testing their ability to shelter and feed large numbers of people.

Help the Red Cross Practice, and teach your family preparedness skills.

Stay in a Red Cross Shelter! Bring only your 72 hour kit, or if you don't have one just the clothes on your back. Experience what it would be like to stay in a shelter, and teach your kids about emergencies and preparedness.

The Red Cross needs people to stay in their shelters anytime between April 17th-19th, stay as long or as little as you'd like.

Sign up at the link below!

2012 Shakeout Exercise

St. George Heroes

Thanks to everyone who has joined us for our Heroes Events this year, we have three down and one to go! If you haven't been to a Heroes event yet it's not too late!

Our last Heroes Event of the year is our St. George Heroes Event, which will be next thursday March 29th at 12:00PM at the Abby Inn in St. George.

Click here for ticket information

Here is a little about our St. George Lifetime Hero Award recipient.

Quentin Murdock is a World War II decorated veteran who served with courage and honor, earning a Silver Star, two Bronze Stars, three Presidential Unit Citations, European Theater with Five campaigns medal, Combat Infantry Badge, the D-Day Medal, and the Victory Medal. He was involved in some of the fiercest battles of World War II (including being in the early waves of soldiers to go ashore on Omaha Beach). He underwent many trials in the service of our country during his 700 days of active duty, including being under enemy fire repeatedly and contracting malaria. After the war he became a farmer and is one of the pioneers of the above-ground sprinkler system. He also devised an innovative way to use potato waste products to feed cattle. For his impressive contributions in the areas of both military service and agricultural innovation, he will receive the 2012 Lifetime Hero Award.

2012 Ogden Heroes Event

This Wednesday is the 3rd of 4 Heroes events we are having this year.

The Northern Utah Chapter (Ogden) Heroes Event will take place at 8:00 AM on Wednesday March 21st at the Ogden Union Station.

For tickets to the event click here!

Here is a little about Weber County Search and Rescue who are going to be honored at the event with the 2012 Lifetime Achievement Award.

Weber County Search and rescue is a volunteer extension of the Weber County Sherif'f''s Department made up of dedicated men and women that volunteer their time, training and abilities to provide search and rescue services for Weber County and the surrounding areas. Weber County Search and Rescue volunteers spend thousands of hours, annually preparing and training and for emergencies.

The organization consists of seven specialized teams: Mountain Rescue, Swift Water Rescue, Winter Rescue, Under Water Recovery, Canine Search, Mounted Posse, Off-highway Vehicles, Preventative Search and Rescue. In addition, there is an ATV team, a horse team, a white water team, and an airboat team.

Weber County is fortunate to have more than 100 volunteers, specializing in different degrees of qualifications. These volunteers invest a lots of time and energy into being a party of the team. They go out on an average of 20-40 rescue missions per year. Seach and Rescue volunteeres are on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

These professionals are dedicated to saving lives, while putting themselves at risk every day for citizens of Weber County. The community is lucky to have such brave and committed individuals who give of themselves to help others in need.

Provo Heroes

Tomorrow is our Mountain Valley Chapter (Provo) Heroes Event!!

Kim Olsen is our LIfetime Achievement Award Winner and she will be honored at the event tomorrow.

Here is a little about Kim and what she does to make a difference in the lives of families in the armed forces.

"I am dedicated to supporting the families of our fallen servicemen, and women," says Kim Olsen, recipient of the 2012 American Red Cross Lifetime Achievement Award.

After her son was killed in Afghanistan in 2012, Kim's life-focus shifted, and she set up a scholarship at Mountain View High School in his name. Wanting to do even more, she founded the gold Star Stars project which has created and distributed hundreds of personalized gold stars memorializing military members who have lost their lives.

In addition she has personally sent messages of consolation and comfort to hundreds of grieving families across the United States as part of the Solider's Angels project. She also sends care packages to Afghan interpreters who risk their lives daily to assist our military forces in Afghanistan.

Kim volunteers with the American Red Cross in the area of Service to the Armed Forces, connecting families through emergency messaging and educating military families about resources available to them.

Before she became involved in supporting military families, she dedicated years of service in other areas, such as founding her own hospice company and using her creativity to help low-income families afford funerals for loved ones.

Her lifetime of compassionate service is truly inspiring.

One Year Anniversery of the Japan Earthquake and Tsunami

Yesterday March 11th, 2012 marked the one year anniversary of the Japan Earthquake and Tsunami.

The American Red Cross has been working with the Japanese Red Cross, to help the hundreds of thousands of people injured and displaced by this terrible disaster.

Watch this video to learn what your American Red Cross has done and is continuing to do to help the Japanese people, made possible from all the generous donations made by you.

LIfetime Achievement Award 2012 Award winner

Yesterday was our 2012 Greater Salt Lake Area Heroes Event, it was a great success.

Thank you to everyone that came out and Supported us!

One of the Heroes Honored at the Event was Ken Kraudy, he received our Lifetime Achievement Award.

Here is a little about him and what he has done for our community over the years.

For more than twenty years, Ken Kraudy has served our community both professionally and as a volunteer. He works with local government, businesses and community groups to assess and enhance Sandy city's preparedness for emergencies and disasters. Ken is a leader in many volunteer organizations.

As the emergency Management Coordinator of Sandy City, Ken Kraudy established a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program that is benchmark for other cities to follow. He is the chairperson of the Sandy City Citizen Corps Council and the Sandy City Business continuity and Disaster Management Programs.

Over the past decade Ken has been a notable example of leadership in disaster preparedness. He served on the HOmeland Security Grants Council (HSGC), Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD), Citizen Corp, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) program. He is a past-president of the Utah Emergency management Association (UEMA) and has served on the board of directors of the Utah Association of COntingency PLanners (UACP).

During the hurricane season of 2004, Ken was deployed to two presidentially declared disasters in Florida where he was assisted with initial damage assessment and mass care efforts. Ken's commitment and hard work have made our communities safer, better prepared and ready to respond.

Utah Region Heroes Event 2012

It's that time again! Time for our American Red Cross Annual Heroes Event!

Our first Heroes event for the Greater Salt Lake Area is less than 2 weeks away!

What are the Heroes events?

The annual American Red Cross Heroes Luncheon is an occasion where influential community and business leaders throughout the Salt Lake area come together to celebrate and formally honor individuals within the community who reflect the mission of Red Cross. These “everyday heroes” responded in time of need with selfless acts of courage and compassion, or risked personal injury or significant personal sacrifices to help others in need. The American Red Cross sees these individuals as Heroes, whether they are police, firefighters, children, animals or everyday people.

For information head over to our website

Have a heart, give blood this Valentines Day!

Blood supplies are always lowest in the winter even though the need for blood is still high.

Give the gift of blood this Valentines day and help save a life!

Click this link to find a place to donate near you

Happy Valentines Day from your American Red Cross! ♥

Fire Safety and Prevention

In Utah the disasters your American Red Cross responds to the most are family house fires.

Fires kill more Americans each year than all natural disasters combined, and affect people from all backgrounds and geographic locations.

Here are some tips on how to protect yourself from fire hazards and be prepared if a fire were to ever start in your home.

Prevention Tips

• Smoke Alarms- make sure you have a working smoke alarm in every room. Once a month you should use the test button to check each smoke alarm. And at least once a year, all smoke alarm batteries should be replaced.
• Be Careful of Candles- If you do light candles or incense's in your home make sure they are on s stable surface away from things that are flammable. Never leave them burning if you leave the house, the room or go to bed.

Cooking Safety

• Stay in the kitchen when frying, grilling or broiling food. If you leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove.
• Stay in the home while simmering, baking, roasting or boiling food. Check it regularly and use a timer to remind you that food is cooking.
• Keep anything that can catch fire—like pot holders, towels, plastic and clothing— away from the stove.
• Keep pets off cooking surfaces and counter tops to prevent them from knocking things onto the burner.

Be Prepared! In addition to knowing and practicing fire prevention tips, you and your family should also have a fire escape plan that you practice twice a year.

For more information on fire safety and making an escape plan click here!

Keep your heart healthy and be prepared with the Red Cross!

February is National Heart-Healthy Month, keep your heart healthy and prepare yourself for a emergency that could harm your heart by taking an American Red Cross CPR class.

Click this link to sign up for a CPR class today!

Here are the five easy ways to help keep your Heart Healthy

1. Don't smoke or use tobacco

2. Exercise for 30 minutes most days of the week

3. Eat a good healthy diet

4. Maintain a healthy weight

5. Get Regular health screenings

Be Prepared! Don't let the flu bug get you this season!

Keep yourself and your family healthy this flu season.

Flu Prevention Tips:

1. Wash your Hands- wash your hands often and thoroughly, you should wash your hands with soap under warm water for at least 20 seconds.

2. Avoid touching your face- think about how many times a day you touch your face, and how many other things you touch with your hands, avoid doing this and you'll expose yourself to a lot less germs.

3. Get plenty of Sleep- Sleep is key to keeping your immune syestem up and running. Eight hours of sleep a night is ideal, and naps during the day are very healthy too.

4. Get a flu shot- it's not to late!

If you do Get the Flu:

1. Stay Home- limit your exposure to other people by staying home as soon as you start feeling sick.

2. Don't share things- like utensils, blankets, and towels.

For more information click here for our flu checklist.

Youth Volunteers, learn about humanitarian law at this years first annual "War Games"

In order to help youth understand what is and is not legal and appropriate during wartime situations, Camp Williams partnered with the American Red Cross Utah Region to help them learn by doing. The event took place on Monday, January 16th, from noon to 5:30 pm, the youth played an extended “war game” on the grounds of and in the buildings of Camp Williams.

Teams of youth from the American Red Cross Youth Services Program rotated through various stations simulating wartime situations, including trying to get humanitarian aid such as food across a field without being “sniped” and treating the wounded based solely on medical need, among other exercises. At each station, points were given for following International Humanitarian Law and subtracted for not following it. The exercise concluded with a “War Crimes Trial” where youth participants found out how well they fared in following International Humanitarian Law, which was based on the Geneva Conventions designed to protect combatants and non-combatants during war.

Click this link for an article about the event

Two years since Haiti, how the Red Cross is Helping

Today marks two years since the Devastating earthquake hit Haiti.

Watch this video below to learn what the American Red Cross has accomplished there in the past year and what they hope to accomplish there this year.

Haiti Two Years Later

Tomorrow Marks two years since the devastating 7.0 mangitude quake hit Haiti.

Click here to learn what the American Red Cross has done and is continuing to do to help the people of Haiti.

Blood Donor Appreciation Month

January is Blood Donor Appreciation Month!

The American Red Cross wants to thank everyone who has donated blood and as a result helped thousands of people in need.

Never donated blood before? Why not start now! January is the time when blood donations are needed the most, since supplies of blood tend to dip due to fewer donations, but the number of people in need of blood is still great.

Click here to Find out the benefits of donating blood and the donation Process

Make a New Year's Resolution to be a College Student who's Red Cross Ready

Getting prepared for a disaster is an important thing for everyone to do.

 As a college student venturing into the young adult world, being prepared for a disaster probably isn't on your mind. It's one of those things I'm sure you're used to your parents taking care of, but it's something you need to think about. Many students shy away from making a preparedness kit because they don't have the money or time to spend on it.

Here are some ways you can cheaply and easily start becoming prepared for a disaster. 

• Be informed about what emergencies are likely to happen in your area
• Get a kit, or make your own that includes at the least these basic items
• A Flashlight with back up batteries
• A basic First Aid Kit
• Copies of your Important Documents(birth certificate, social security card, etc)
• Extra Cash
• Make a Disaster Plan with your housemates
• Know where your emergency kit is
• Know where the shut off to the electricity and gas is 
• Choose a place to meet during in case you are separated

 For more information and details about how to be prepared click here