Category Archives: American Red Cross

AMERICAN RED CROSS OPENS EVACUATION CENTER IN MAYER

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PHOENIX — In response to the evacuation order in Yavapai County due to the Tussock Fire spreading southwest of Crown King, the American Red Cross has opened an Evacuation Center at Mayer High School, 1700 E. Mule Deer Dr, Mayer AZ, 86333. The evacuation center is a rest site for residents to gather and assess their needs. Individuals needing immediate assistance are asked to call Yavapai County Sherriff’s Office at (928) 771-3260 or 911.

GO Order for Evacuation has been issued for: Minnehaha, Fort Misery, and Horse Thief Basin. Crown King is now at SET and should begin preparing in the event an evacuation order is issued.

More information on READY-SET-GO: https://ein.az.gov/ready-set-go

Join Us for a Virtual Creating Calmness Workshop

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PHOENIX — The American Red Cross, Service to the Armed Forces (SAF), offers virtual stress-management and relaxation workshops to help guide military members, veteran communities, and their families through stress related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Join us for a chance to discuss your biggest concerns and learn and practice healthy coping strategies.

Sign up for a Virtual Workshop!

Each small group session is organized by a Service to the Armed Forces staff member in your community. Our next session will be March 10, 2021, from 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm AZ time (Mountain Time).

Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/red-cross-service-to-armed-forces-stress-management-workshop-tickets-141486579167

10 Ways to Help Keep Trick or Treaters Safe this Halloween

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PHOENIX – Halloween is just days away. Fast becoming one of the most popular holidays in this country, masses of little superheroes, cartoon and television characters will soon be out in their neighborhoods for trick or treat fun. The American Red Cross has ten tips parents can follow to help keep the kids safe while enjoying the festivities.

Trick-or-treaters need to see and be seen.
– Use face makeup instead of masks which make seeing difficult.
– Give trick-or-treaters a flashlight to light their way.
– Add reflective tape to costumes and trick-or-treat bags.
– Have everyone wear light-colored clothing.

Use flame-resistant costumes.

Make sure adults know where the kids are going. A parent or responsible adult should accompany young children door-to-door.

Be cautious around animals, especially dogs.

Walk, don’t run.

Only visit homes that have a porch light on. Accept treats at the door – never go inside.

Walk only on the sidewalks, not in the street.
– If no sidewalk is available, walk at the edge of the roadway, facing traffic.
– Look both ways before crossing the street, and cross only at the corner.
– Don’t cut across yards or use alleys.
– Don’t cross between parked cars.
– Drivers – use extra caution. The youngsters may forget to look both ways before crossing.

A grown-up should check the goodies before eating.
– Make sure to remove loose candy, open packages and choking hazards.
– Discard any items with brand names that you are not familiar with.

If you are planning to welcome trick-or-treaters to your home, follow these safety steps:
Light the area well so young visitors can see.
Sweep leaves from your sidewalks and steps. Clear your porch or front yard of obstacles someone could trip over.

Red Cross Encourages Everyone to Get Ready for the Next Emergency

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PHOENIX — September is National Preparedness Month, the perfect time for people to get their household ready in case an emergency should occur. The American Red Cross prepares all year for disasters and urges everyone to Be Red Cross Ready too.

EMERGENCIES CAN OCCUR WITHOUT WARNING, BE PREPARED

Emergencies are more common than people may think, and disasters can happen anywhere, anytime — they can even begin in someone’s own home. Every 8 minutes, the Red Cross responds to a disaster, and the vast majority of these are home fires. By having an emergency plan and kit, families can react quickly when a disaster strikes. The Red Cross encourages everyone to take three important action steps to get prepared:

  • Build a kit – Build an easy-to-carry emergency preparedness kit that you can use at home or take with you if you must evacuate. Include items such as water, non-perishable food, a flashlight and extra batteries, a battery-powered radio, first aid kit, and medications.
  • Make a plan – Talk with members of your household about what to do during emergencies. Plan what to do in case you are separated and choose two places to meet—one right outside your home in case of a sudden emergency such as a fire, and another outside your neighborhood, in case you cannot return home.
  • Be informed – Know what kinds of emergency situations may occur where you live, where you work, and where you go to school. Get trained in First Aid and CPR/AED so you’ll know what to do in an emergency if help is delayed. Don’t forget your pets, plan for them too.

DOWNLOAD RED CROSS APPS. The Red Cross Emergency App has more than 35 customizable severe weather and emergency alerts. Content on what to do before, during and after emergencies from power outages to home fires, to hurricanes and tornadoes, can be viewed in English or Spanish. Parents can download the Monster Guard: Prepare for Emergencies App so 7- to 11-year-olds will have a fun, gaming environment to learn how to prevent emergencies and what to do if one occurs. Apps can be downloaded for free by searching for ‘American Red Cross’ in app stores or visiting redcross.org/apps. People can also enable Red Cross skills for Alexa to receive notifications about an approaching hurricane, get valuable first aid information and schedule a blood donation.

PLEASE GIVE BLOOD. Severe weather events can have a significant impact on the ability of the Red Cross to collect life-saving blood products due to canceled blood drives and decreased donor turnout in impacted areas. It is the blood already on hand that helps those in need. Each day, the Red Cross must collect about 13,000 blood donations and more than 2,500 platelet donations to meet the needs of accident victims, cancer patients and children with blood disorders. Volunteer blood and platelet donors are needed to help save lives. Eligible donors are encouraged to schedule a donation appointment by using the Blood Donor Skill for Amazon Alexa, the Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Lifesaving Award Presentation to Professional Responders

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TUSCON — On July 13, 2019, an elderly male seated near the swimming pool appeared to be sleeping when a lifeguard approached him, however the man was unresponsive. The lifeguard activated the emergency action plan to immediately respond and assist the individual. Through the coordination of six staff members, three-person CPR and AED interventions were administered to save the individual’s life.

“Based on the professional actions of our Town of Marana lifeguard staff, the patient is alive, has no neurological deficits, and is at home with his family recovering from this life-threating experience,” said Parks and Recreation Director Jim Conroy.

“The Town of Marana commends the Red Cross for the training and setting the standard that our staff followed to save a life,” Town Manager Jamsheed Mehta added.

For their heroic and lifesaving actions, six staff members of Marana Arizona Parks and Recreation Department: Kevin Goodrich, Noah McConnell, Joshua Larsen, Clayton Hall, Brinley Miller and Spencer Murphy will receive the Red Cross Lifesaving Award for Professional Responders at the Marana Community Center at 1:00 pm. The Lifesaving Award for Professional Responders is one of the highest awards given by the American Red Cross to an individual or team of individuals who saves or sustains a life by using skills and knowledge learned in a Red Cross Training Services course.

“We’re extremely honored to present the Lifesaving Award for Professional Responders to six staff members of Marana Arizona Parks and Recreation” said Courtney Slanaker, Executive Director. “Their actions exemplify our mission to help people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies.”

Red Cross Offers Safety Tips as Students Are Back in School

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PHOENIX — The school bells are calling students back to the classroom and the American Red Cross wants to make sure your student is safe as they head back to school for the upcoming year.

“While safety is a top priority for all students, there are special steps for parents of younger kids and those headed to school for the first time,” said Jim Gilloon, Regional Communication Manager, “Make sure the child knows their phone number, address, how to get in touch with their parents at work, how to get in touch with another trusted adult and how to dial 9-1-1. Teach children not to talk to strangers or accept rides from someone they don’t know.”

SCHOOL BUS SAFETY

  • If children ride a bus to school, they should plan to get to their bus stop early and stand away from the curb while waiting for the bus to arrive. Cross the street at the corner, obey traffic signals and stay in the crosswalk.
  • Never dart out into the street or cross between parked cars.
  • Teach your student to board the bus only after it has come to a complete stop and the driver or attendant has instructed them to get on.
  • Kids should board their bus only, never an alternate one.
  • Make sure your student always stays in clear view of the bus driver and never walks behind the bus.

GETTING TO SCHOOL BY CAR, BIKE, ON FOOT

  • If children go to school in a car, they should always wear a seat belt. Younger children should use car seats or booster seats until the lap-shoulder belt fits properly (typically for children ages 8-12 and over 4’9”), and ride in the back seat until they are at least 13 years old.
  • If a teenager is going to drive to school, parents should mandate that they use seat belts. Drivers should not text or make calls use their cell phone and should avoid eating or drinking while driving.
  • Some students ride their bike to school. They should always wear a helmet and ride on the right in the same direction as the traffic is going.
  • When children are walking to school, they should only cross the street at an intersection, and use a route along which the school has placed crossing guards.
  • Parents should walk young children to school, along with children taking new routes or attending new schools, at least for the first week to ensure they know how to get there safely. Arrange for the kids to walk to school with a friend or classmate.

DRIVERS, SLOW DOWN!

Drivers should be aware that children are out walking or biking to school and slow down, especially in residential areas and school zones. Motorists should know what the yellow and red bus signals mean. Yellow flashing lights indicate the bus is getting ready to stop and motorists should slow down and be prepared to stop. Red flashing lights and an extended stop sign indicate the bus is stopped and children are getting on or off.

Motorists must stop when they are behind a bus, meeting the bus or approaching an intersection where a bus is stopped. Motorists following or traveling alongside a school bus must also stop until the red lights have stopped flashing, the stop arm is withdrawn, and all children have reached safety. This includes two and four-lane highways. If physical barriers such as grassy medians, guide rails or concrete median barriers separate oncoming traffic from the bus, motorists in the opposing lanes may proceed without stopping. Do not proceed until all the children have reached a place of safety.

PREPARE FOR EMERGENCIES Know what the emergency plan is at your child’s school in case a disaster or an unforeseen event occurs. Develop a family emergency plan so everyone will know who to contact and where to go if something happens while children are at school and parents are at work. Details are available at redcross.org/prepare.

TAKE A FIRST AID CLASS The Red Cross First Aid App provides instant access to information on handling the most common first aid emergencies whether it be before, during or after school. Download the app for free by searching for ‘American Red Cross’ in your app store or at redcross.org/apps. Learn and practice First Aid and CPR/AED skills by taking a course (redcross.org/takeaclass) so you can help save a life.

Red Cross Memorial Day safety tips

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Phoenix — This Memorial Day, many people will be traveling, firing up the backyard grill and the American Red Cross offers a series of steps everyone can follow to safely enjoy the holiday weekend. “Everyone looks forward to having fun over Memorial Day and the Red Cross wants to make sure people know how to stay safe while enjoying the holiday, “said Jim Gilloon, Regional Communication Manager.

HIGHWAY SAFETY Millions of people will be on the highways over the Memorial Day weekend. The Red Cross offers these tips everyone should do to stay safe while traveling:

  1. Buckle seat belts, observe speed limits.
  2. Do not drink and drive.
  3. Pay full attention to the road – don’t use a cell phone to call or text.
  4. Have an emergency preparedness kit in your vehicle.
  5. Clean the vehicle’s lights and windows to help the driver see, especially at night. Turn the headlights on as dusk approaches, or during inclement weather.

Fire Season typically begins in May.

  1. Avoid parking or driving through areas with grass that would touch your muffler.
  2. Dispose Cigarettes properly
  3. Don’t Drag Chains—One Spark Is All It Takes.

GRILLING SAFETY Every year people are injured while using charcoal or gas grills. Here are several steps to safely cook up treats for the backyard barbecue:

  1. Always supervise a barbecue grill when in use.
  2. Never grill indoors – not in the house, camper, tent, or any enclosed area.
  3. Make sure everyone, including the pets, stays away from the grill.
  4. Keep the grill out in the open, away from the house, the deck, tree branches, or anything that could catch fire.
  5. Use the long-handled tools especially made for cooking on the grill to keep the chef safe.

RED CROSS APPS: People can download the all-inclusive Red Cross Emergency app which offers emergency alerts to help keep the user safe. And there is a special mobile app – Monster Guard – designed for kids, teaching them to prepare for emergencies at home by playing an engaging game. Users can find the apps in smartphone app stores by searching for the American Red Cross or going to redcross.org/apps.

Red Cross Reminder: Check Smoke Alarms when Turning Clocks Back

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PHOENIX – Daylight Saving Time ends this weekend and when majority of the country turns their clocks back, the American Red Cross reminds them to also take these steps to make sure their household is prepared for emergencies. The State of Arizona, this is a reminder to check and install smoke detectors.

“It’s important for everyone to make sure their household is ready,” said Colin Williams, Regional Communications Officer with the Red Cross AZ, NM, El Paso,TX. “A disaster like a home fire can happen anywhere, at any time. We urge people to take these steps now and know what they should do if an emergency occurs.”

  • Check smoke alarm batteries. When turning the clocks ahead, take a few minutes to replace the smoke alarm batteries and push the test button to make sure the alarms are working. It’s also a great time to check carbon monoxide detectors.
  • Install smoke alarms. If someone doesn’t have smoke alarms, install them. At a minimum, put one on every level of the home, inside bedrooms and outside sleeping areas. Check local building codes for additional requirements.
  • Practice an escape plan. Make sure everyone in the family knows how to get out of every room and how to get out of the home in less than two minutes.
  • Get a kit. Keep disaster supplies in an easy-to-carry bag to use at home or carry in case ordered to evacuate.
  • Make a plan. Have all household members plan what steps they should take if an emergency occurs.
  • Be informed. Learn what emergencies can occur in the area and how officials notify residents should a disaster occur.

WHAT PEOPLE CAN DO: People can visit redcross.org/homefires to find out more about how to protect themselves and their loved homes from fire. They can also help by donating to Red Cross Disaster Relief by visiting redcross.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS or texting the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Donations to Disaster Relief will be used to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small.

Arizona, New Mexico & El Paso Region of the American Red Cross consolidates social media pages

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PHOENIX — )The Arizona, New Mexico, El Paso Region of American Red Cross has consolidated all existing chapter social media pages into one regional page per social media channel effective July 4, 2018. The purpose is to create a greater impact and provide the most value to our online audiences. Twitter will provide breaking news on our disaster response and preparedness activities while Facebook will focus on volunteers carrying out the Red Cross mission. Over the weekend we will discontinue posting on the previously recognized social media accounts and shift ALL Red Cross social media content to the new regional accounts. We thank you for being great partners in helping us create a stronger community.

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter: @AmRedCrossSW

American Red Cross dispatched teams to three fires last night

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FLAGSTAFF – It was a very busy night for the Arizona American Red Cross last night. Three teams were dispatched to various fires.

Casa Grande, Arizona – The American Red Cross Pinal County Disaster Action team lead by Captain Jim Porter assisted 3 adults displaced due to a Mobile Home #fire and a fifth wheeler trailer parked in the back. Included in the #fire 1 adult next door displaced due to no utilities.

Phoenix, Arizona – The American Red Cross Phoenix Chapter, led by DAT team Captain Michael Young cared for 3 adults and 3 dogs displaced by a multiple apartment units #fire near West Campbell Ave, Phoenix, AZ.

Prescott Valley, Arizona – American Red Cross Northern Arizona, assisted 1 adult and 1 dog from a single home #fire due to the Viewpoint fire. Both are safe and being cared for by the DAT volunteers of Northern Arizona Red Cross. This was follow up as part of their larger wildfire response efforts.

Thank you, DAT volunteers, in providing shelter, food and emotional support to these families. We appreciate all that our volunteers do, to provide hope and help to members of our communities.