PITTSBURGH---Register by Wednesday, Feb. 15, for the American Red Cross Southwestern Pennsylvania Chapter’s Disaster Training Weekend at the Community College of Allegheny County. Interested participants can register for the full weekend or the courses they need to join the chapter’s Disaster Action Team.

The Disaster Action Team is the group of volunteers who responds to local disasters and assists the affected families with emergency needs such as food, new clothing and temporary shelter.

If you would like to join the Disaster Action Team, the following training is required:
· Introduction to Disaster - NOW ONLINE!  http://www2.redcross.org/donate/volunteer/
· Family Services: Providing Emergency Assistance
· Community Services, Shelter Operations, Shelter Simulation
· Disaster Action Team Orientation-next one is Monday, February 27th  
 
Disaster Training Weekend at CCAC-North Side:
Feb. 17 Community Services (Pre-req: Intro to Disaster) 6-9 pm
Feb. 18 Family Services: Providing Emergency Assistance (Pre-req: Intro to Disaster) 9am-5pm
Feb. 19 Shelter Operations (Pre-req: Intro to Disaster and Community Services) 9am-12pm
Feb. 19 Shelter Simulation (Pre-req: Intro, Community Services, Shelter Ops) 1-4:30pm
 
Registration: Calling 412-237-2500 or visiting www.ccac.edu.

Location: Community College of Allegheny County - Allegheny Campus-808 Ridge Avenue, Pittsburgh (North Side) Library Building - Room 120.
Free Parking: Brighton Road and Ridge Avenue - follow Brighton Road around the bend - past Security Guard station, up behind CCAC buildings.  A sidewalk will guide you from the parking lot to the Library building.
 
For more information visit www.swpa.redcross.org and click on Register for a Class.
 

Friday, February 10, 2006 - With a winter storm expected to blow in over the weekend, now is the time to prepare yourself and your family.  What you do today can make all the difference when extreme winter weather arrives on our doorsteps. Some simple precautions can keep you safe against the snow and cold. Use these American Red Cross safety tips to prepare for this weekend’s weather:   

Prepare a Winter Storm Plan:
· Have extra blankets on hand.
· Ensure that each member of your household has a warm coat, gloves or mittens, hat, and water-resistant boots.
· Plan to use flashlights if your power goes out. Do not use candles.

Assemble a Disaster Supplies Kit Containing:
· First aid kit and essential medications.
· Battery-powered NOAA Weather radio, flashlight, and extra batteries.
· Ready-to-eat food.
· Bottled water (at least one gallon of water per person per day to last at least 3 days).

Travel Plans:
If travel is necessary during potentially dangerous winter weather, it's best to inform someone of the travel route, destination and expected arrival time. Travelers should also remember to keep their gas tanks near full to avoid ice in the tank and fuel lines. If you get stuck in slick conditions, the following actions should be taken:
· Stay with your car. Do not try to walk to safety.
· Tie a brightly colored cloth (preferably red) to the antenna for rescuers to see.
· Leave the overhead light on when the engine is running so that you can be seen.                                       
· As you sit, keep moving your arms and legs to keep blood circulating and to stay warm.
Protection from the Elements
When you prepare to go outside in severe cold weather, please remember the following:
· Most of your body heat is lost through your head so wear a hat, preferably one that covers your ears.
· Dressing in warm layers helps you retain heat. You can remove layers as you need to, if you become too warm.
· Mittens provide more warmth to your hands than gloves.
· Recognize frostbite warning signs: gray, white or yellow skin discoloration, numbness, waxy feeling skin. Seek medical attention immediately if you have these symptoms.
· Hypothermia is a serious condition. Warning signs for detecting severely low body temperature are memory loss, disorientation, incoherence, slurred speech, drowsiness, exhaustion, and uncontrollable shivering. People generally suffer from hypothermia after being over-exposed to extremely cold weather, dangerous wind chills, ice and snowstorms, freezing rain or sleet.  Recognize the symptoms of hypothermia that can be a serious medical condition: confusion, dizziness, exhaustion and severe shivering. Seek medical attention immediately if you have these symptoms.
· Wear waterproof, insulated boots to help avoid hypothermia or frostbite by keeping your feet warm and dry and to maintain your footing in ice and snow.
· Get out of wet clothes immediately and warm your core body temperature with a blanket or warm fluids like hot cider or soup.

For more valuable information on preparing for cold weather, contact the Southwestern Pennsylvania Chapter or visit www.swpa.redcross.org. Find detailed reports on the weather in your area at www.weather.com or find details on winter storms at www.noaa.gov or www.fema.gov.

PITTSBURGH, PA - Would you know what to do if a loved one or co-worker suffered a heart attack? Sudden cardiac arrests can occur without warning in the home, workplace, or other public locations.  American Red Cross CPR training, first aid and safety kits can provide the knowledge of how to respond to an emergency and the tools needed for you to help save a life.

This Valentine's Day, learn how to protect yourself and your loved ones by enrolling in a CPR/AED class with your family, friends or co-workers or give the gift of a class, safety kit or AED to someone you care about.

American Red Cross First Aid, CPR and AED programs are designed to give you the confidence to respond in an emergency with lifesaving skills. Using AED equipment, the courses feature hands-on simulation, lecture, and live and video demonstrations.  Programs are available for any age and can be tailored to the needs of specific groups, businesses and individuals. 

• Gift certificates to learn CPR, First Aid, or skills with AED range from $25-$65 and the courses are offered at several locations in our four-county region to accommodate even the busiest of schedules. 
• First Aid Kits are one of those emergency items -like fire extinguishers and smoke detectors - that make ideal gifts that you hope you never have to use.  The Red Cross has several sizes and types of First Aid kits available ranging in price from $8.50 to $25.
• Know someone who loves their pet? A Pet First Aid Kit and Pet First Aid Book are ideal gifts for the dog or cat-lover- or for the family pet-sitter. The book, created by the American Red Cross and the Humane Society of the United States, provides guidance to care for ill or injured pets.  The book is $12.95 and the kit is $16.00.
• AEDs are also available and can be purchased by individuals or businesses.

For more information about the courses and kits available, contact the American Red Cross Southwestern Pennsylvania Chapter at 1-888-217-9599 or visit www.swpa.redcross.org.