Red Cross Helps Allegheny County Libraries Prepare Patrons for Flu Season
PITTSBURGH – With extensive reference materials, computers and class offerings, Allegheny County libraries provide a wealth of information to the community. Amid flu season, however, the America
PITTSBURGH – The holidays are a time for excitement, celebration and laughter. With this holiday season quickly approaching, people throughout the region are decorating homes; while the American
Red Cross Urges Local Residents to Use Fire Alarms
PITTSBURGH - The American Red Cross Southwestern Pennsylvania Chapter wants you to be safe and ready in the case of a fire. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) release
January 31, 2008 American Red Cross offers safety tips for impending winter storm
PITTSBURGH - The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm watch in Allegheny, Washington and Fayette counties beginning Friday morning. Are you prepared? Taking appropriate precautions can help keep you and your family safe during winter weather. The American Red Cross Southwestern Pennsylvania Chapter offers the following safety tips.
Safety Tips for the Home
When the weather forecast predicts severe winter conditions, the safest place to be is inside. Even at home, the Red Cross recommends being cautious of winter hazards.
Prepare a Winter Storm Plan
Make sure there are enough blankets and warm clothing for entire family, including water-resistant boots, mittens and hats.
Plan a location where you and your family can meet in case of an emergency.
Monitor weather forecasts. A storm WATCH means a storm is possible in your area; a storm WARNING means a storm is headed for your area.
Plan to use flashlights if your power goes out. Do not use candles.
If the power goes out, do NOT run a generator inside the home or garage and do not connect the generator to the home’s electrical system.
Assemble a Disaster Supplies Kit Containing:
Bottled water (at least one gallon of water per person per day to last at least 3 days).
First aid kit and essential medications.
Battery-powered NOAA Weather radio, flashlight, and extra batteries.
Ready-to-eat food and can opener.
Flashlight and extra batteries
Safety Tips for the Car
When winter weather creates hazard ous road conditions, the Red Cross recommends staying inside and avoiding driving if at all possible. If you have to venture out, take the following precautions:
General Travel
Tell another individual your destination and planned route so that if you get stuck, help can be sent.
Keep gas tank full.
Keep an ear tuned to the radio for the latest road conditions.
Drive with your headlights on.
Keep all your windows clear of snow and ice for maximum visibility.
Don't drive faster than you can see ahead and leave extra space between your automobile and others on the road.
Remember bridges and overpasses usually freeze before other roads.
Make sure you are buckled up.
Keep a disaster supplies travel kit in your vehicle containing the items listed above, along with blankets, jumper cables, roadmaps, shovel, knife, tire repair kit, flares, tow rope and a bag of cat litter or sand (for traction).
If Your Vehicles Gets Stranded
According to the National Weather Service, many people die each year when they attempt to leave their vehicles during a storm to walk to safety. Instead, stranded drivers should stay with their vehicle.
Tie a piece of cloth to the antenna to signify you need help.
Run the engine and use the heater for 10 minutes out of every hour; keep interior lights on only while the engine is running.
Reduce the chances of hypothermia by constantly moving your arms and legs.
January 28, 2008 Volunteers needed for community shelter teams in Washington County
PITTSBURGH - Residents in three Washington County municipalities have united to make their community safer. Under the guidance of the American Red Cross Southwestern Pennsylvania Chapter, a team of individuals from Bentleyville, Cokeburg and Ellsworth are now prepared to establish a community shelter in the event of a large-scale disaster.
The Bentleyville Community Shelter Team - which supports Bentleyville, Cokeburg and Ellsworth and the surrounding area - follows a model that uses Red Cross-trained “citizen responders” to set up and run shelters during disasters. The result is a more efficient, fast-responding team that can quickly establish a shelter to house displaced victims immediately following a disaster. A shelter response that typically could take four hours may now take just 20 minutes with minimal coordination, according to Red Cross officials.
"Involving local citizens in disaster response creates a self-sufficient community,” explained Steve Noe, Service Delivery Coordinator for the local Red Cross. “Having residents within a community trained to set up a shelter in the event of an emergency helps with response time, which can ultimately save lives.”
Noe explained that while a core group of volunteers is now trained as part of the Bentleyville Community Shelter Team, the team is in need of additional volunteers. Further, the local Red Cross, in association with the Washington County Department of Public Safety, has a long-term goal of establishing shelter teams to serve each of the county’s 67 municipalities and is seeking volunteers interested in participating.
The chapter will host an informational meeting Saturday, Feb. 16; those interested in attending and/or training should contact the local Red Cross at 724-222-4750.
Background:
The local Red Cross developed the concept of self-sufficient, community-led shelters following the floods of Hurricane Ivan in September 2004. In the immediate hours and days following the flooding, the local Red Cross received 35 requests for shelter assistance. So much simultaneous demand challenged the chapter’s resources; the idea arose to train individuals in flood-prone communities to quickly establish shelters on their own.
As a result, in July 2006, the Southwestern Pennsylvania Chapter launched its Community Sheltering Project in five communities in Allegheny County thanks to funding from the United States Steel Foundation. Subsequently, the local Red Cross has added teams in two additional Allegheny County Communities and three Fayette County communities. The project’s intent was to help towns that lie in flood-prone areas by pre-positioning shelter equipment and supplies and/or by preparing citizen responders with skills and training to more quickly and efficiently help in the critical minutes after a disaster.
Proven Success:
The program has already proven to be invaluable. Just days before Christmas, a fire ravaged a senior citizen apartment complex in North Versailles, and the East McKeesport and White Oak community shelter teams established a shelter in the East Allegheny Junior/Senior High School Gymnasium providing a safe haven for 59 individuals left homeless by the blaze. Similarly, in response to local flooding in August 2007, all of the community shelter teams in Allegheny County were activated, and in April of 2007, the East McKeesport community shelter team opened up and manned a shelter following a large-scale apartment fire.
“Towns understandably rely on the Red Cross to provide shelter when there’s an emergency,” explained Noe. “But it’s always a better benefit to the communities to have a system in place to sustain themselves until additional help from other agencies, such as the Red Cross, can arrive.”
January 3, 2008 American Red Cross Southwestern Pennsylvania Chapter Adds New Employees
PITTSBURGH, PA - The American Red Cross Southwestern Pennsylvania Chapter welcomes the following new employees:
Mark Holzer of Squirrel Hill
Brian Knavish of Bellevue
Ed Vogel of Moon Township
Tom Wiese of Indianola
Mark Holzer joins the Red Cross as a Client Services Representative where he will work with local disaster victims to ensure they receive the help they need. Originally from Edmonton, Alberta, Holzer graduated from the University of Alberta with a bachelor’s degree in Sociology in 2003. He previously held positions as a case worker and a personal development coach with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Edmonton. The Squirrel Hill resident is also certified as Level 2 ski instructor by the Canadian Ski Instructors’ Alliance.
Brian Knavish, who earned a bachelor’s degree in English Writing from the University of Pittsburgh in 1999, joins the local Red Cross as Marketing and Communications Coordinator. Just prior to joining the Red Cross, he worked as an investigative writer with First Advantage. Previously he held positions as a sports writer with the Beaver County Times, a writer/editor with Gateway Newspapers and as a quality control specialist with ADVO. Originally from Baldwin, Brian and his wife Stacey reside in Bellevue.
Ed Vogel joins the Red Cross as a Driver and Maintenance Assistant in the chapter’s General Services Department. Ed retired from the United States Air Force in March 2006 after 34 years of service, including 26 years in the Air Force Reserve. When he’s not working with the Red Cross, Ed works in security at the Senator John Heinz History Center and during Pittsburgh Pirates games at PNC Park. Ed, who is originally from Woods Run, currently lives in Moon Township with his wife Irene. He has two grown daughters, Susan and Mandy.
Tom Wiese is the new Financial Development Officer with the local Red Cross. Before taking the position, Tom was the Vice President of Development with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Pittsburgh; previously he worked as the Major Gifts/Planned Gifts Assistant with the American Red Cross in Phoenix. Tom earned a bachelor’s degree in Sports Management at Indiana University in Bloomington, Ind. then earned an MBA from the University of Phoenix. Originally from Indianapolis, Tom now lives in Indianola with his wife Lhea and their daughters, Megan and Molly.
