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
December 23, 2008 Make a New Year's Resolution to Get Trained in CPR and First Aid
PITTSBURGH– The beginning of a New
Year is a time for fresh starts and preparing for the future. As 2009 begins,
there is no better time to get trained in lifesaving skills. Make your New
Year’s Resolution to get trained in CPR/AED or first aid this January. Learning
these skills could actually help you save a life!
The American Red Cross Southwestern Pennsylvania Chapter offers
convenient courses that teach you valuable lifesaving skills to help you be
prepared for potential emergencies.
Below is a list of classes being offered in January:
Tuesday,
Jan. 20; 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.Standard First Aid with Adult, Child and
Infant CPR, Downtown Pittsburgh Location. $65
Wednesday, Jan. 21; 5:30 p.m.
to 10 p.m.CPR/AED
Adult; Washington location. $45
Monday, Jan. 21 and Tuesday, Jan. 22; 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. (Monday) and 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
(Tuesday)Standard First Aid with Adult
CPR/AED (both sessions must be attended for certification). Washington
location. $55
Thursday,
Jan. 22; 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.First Aid; Washington location. $40
Thursday,
Jan. 22; 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer. Downtown
Pittsburgh Location. $80
Saturday,
Jan. 24; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. First Aid
with Adult CPR/AED. Uniontown location. $55.
To register for any of the above classes, or for more information, visit
swpa.redcross.org or call 1-888-217-9599.
Additionally,the local Red Cross now offers online training
in First Aid and Adult CPR/AED.Take a
class online at your convenience, then come into the Downtown Pittsburgh
location for a brief skill session on either Friday, Jan. 16 or Monday,
Jan. 26, to complete your certification. Call 412-263-3100 to register.
December 22, 2008 Red Cross Urges Safety During Frigid Winter Weather
PITTSBURGH - As we experience frigid temperatures throughout the region this week, the American Red Cross Southwestern Pennsylvania Chapter advises residents to put safety first.
The Red Cross advises area residents to stay inside if at all possible during freezing temperatures. If you have to venture outside, keep the following precautions in mind to help keep you and your family safe.
Protect Yourself from Freezing Temperatures
Wear appropriate clothes - It is essential that you dress correctly before going outside. Dressing in warm layers helps the body retain heat. Since most of the body’s heat is lost through the head, you should wear a hat, preferably one that covers the ears. Mittens provide more warmth for the hands than gloves, and waterproof, insulated boots will help protect against hypothermia or frostbite.
Warm the body - Once you’re inside, change out of wet clothes immediately, and warm up from the inside with a blanket and warm fluids like hot cider or soup. However, be careful to avoid alcohol and caffeine, especially in potential cases of hypothermia.
Recognize the warning signs for hypothermia - People generally suffer from hypothermia after being over-exposed to extremely cold temperatures. Hypothermia (severely low body temperature) is a very serious medical condition. If you notice memory loss, disorientation, incoherence, slurred speech, drowsiness, exhaustion, or uncontrollable shivering in a loved one, seek medical help immediately.
Recognize warning signs for frostbite - Waxy-feeling skin, numbness, and/or gray, white, or yellow skin discoloration are signs of frostbite. Seek medical attention immediately if any of these symptoms are present.
Heat Your Home Safely
If you choose an alternative heating source during cold weather, take the following precautions to avoid fire hazards:
Inspect fireplaces and wood stoves - Have your chimney connections and flues inspected and cleaned by a professional before every heating season. Use a sturdy screen when burning fires. Only burn wood - never paper or pine boughs. Finally, do not hang holiday decorations on your fireplace if you plan to use it as a heat source.
Check smoke detectors - Install new batteries in your smoke detectors and insure that the detectors are working properly.
Do not overuse electrical outlets - Make sure to not overload your electrical outlets with heating sources, appliances, or holiday decorations. Be careful of extension cords that can present hazardous walkways.
Use caution with portable space heaters - Place space heaters at least three feet away from anything combustible, including wallpaper, bedding, and clothing. Do not leave children or pets unattended near space heaters, as they could get burned. Never leave space heaters on when you are leave the room or go to bed. Do not dry wet mittens or other clothing over space heaters, because it is a fire hazard.
Use generators carefully - Always operate portable generators outside - never inside, including in the basement or garage. Do not hook up a generator directly to your home's wiring. Instead, it is safer to connect the equipment directly to the outlets on the generator.
Create a disaster supplies kit - Place lifesaving items in both your home and vehicle. Go to www.swpa.redcross.org for a list of materials to include, and make your Promise to Prepare.
December 11, 2008 Murrysville Resident Barb Elliott Spier Named December Volunteer of the Month
Christmas
Eve. It’s one of the most magical nights of the year for millions of people.
It’s a night to stay home with family, exchange holiday gifts and celebrate the
spirit of giving.
But
disasters do not take holiday hours. Thanks to the dedication of volunteers
like Barb Elliott Spier, the American Red Cross will be there to help whenever
disasters strike . . . even on Christmas Eve.
Spier, an
Oakmont native and current resident of Murrysville, volunteered to be on call for the
American Red Cross Southwestern Pennsylvania Chapter this Christmas Eve. That
generosity has earned her the distinction of being the chapter’s Volunteer of the Month for December.
“Normally,
I go to church on Christmas Eve,” explained Spier. “I go to church every week,
so I decided to celebrate Christmas Eve early this year. I thought I’d let
other people go to church and be with their families. I want to be there if
anyone needs help.”
Spier’s
decision to willingly take call on Christmas Eve comes as no surprise to those
within the Red Cross.
“Barb is a
great example of what the Red Cross is all about,” said Patricia Waldinger, CEO
of the local Red Cross. “It would be easy to stay home with friends and
family on Christmas Eve, but Barb is selflessly making herself
available to the Red Cross. Disasters can strike at any time – even on the
holidays – and Barb wants to be there to help should something happen. She
certainly is to be commended.”
These days,
Spier is one of the most active and dedicated volunteers at the local Red
Cross. Three years ago, that was not the case.
“I did not
know what the Red Cross did. I had no clue,” she said. Spier
worked as a nurse for more than 30 years. During that time, she also taught
nursing at the University of Pittsburgh and would frequently take students
into the community to do health screenings.
One day in
early 2006, shortly after she retired, Spier was driving in her car and heard a
news report on the radio about a fire at Douglas Plaza in Wilkinsburg, one of
the senior citizen complexes she and her students regularly performed health
screenings.
“I heard on
the radio that they were calling ambulances and everything like that, so I went
to help,” she said. “I knew nothing about what the Red Cross did, but while I
was there helping people get their medications, a fire chief actually thought I
was a Red Cross volunteer.”
That
sparked an idea in Spier’s mind. If she was so willing to help during an
emergency, why not become a Red Cross volunteer and do this kind of work
regularly?
“I called
right away to get information,” she said. “When I found out what the Red Cross
did and that it was such a worthy organization, I thought it was for me.”
Spier
signed up, took the appropriate training classes and joined the Disaster Action
Team (DAT). Additionally, with her background as a nurse, she became a member
of the Health Services Team.
While she
technically lives in WestmorelandCounty, she was more familiar with AlleghenyCounty, so she joined the Southwestern
Pennsylvania Chapter, rather than the Westmoreland County Chapter.
As a member
of the Disaster Action Team, Spier takes on-call shifts an average of once per
week. She travels to the scenes of local disasters, such as fires and floods,
and offers the victims assistance with their immediate needs: food, clothing
and shelter. In Southwestern Pennsylvania Chapter, the Red Cross responds to a
fire nearly once every day, so being a member of the Disaster Action Team is
usually eventful.
“Sometimes,
when it’s really cold out, I hope that I won’t have to go out on a call,” she
said. “But as soon as that pager goes off, I’m instantly ready to go!”
On the
Health Services Team, Spier uses her medical background to help with basic
medical needs during large scale disasters that require the opening of shelters
to house many victims.
Those
skills have become especially useful during national disasters; on three
different occasions, Spier has deployed to other parts of the country to help
with wide spread destruction. During each deployment she’s worked in Health
Services.
Spier says
she would encourage anyone and everyone to volunteer with the Red Cross.
“I think
there is a lot of need out there for volunteers, and it’s a wonderful
organization,” she said. “You meet some wonderful people, both the people you
volunteer with and the people who are in need. The people are usually so
grateful for the help that we give. Being a volunteer has been very rewarding.
I get far more from being a volunteer than I give.”
December 5, 2008 Local Red Cross to Participate in National Day of Giving
PITTSBURGH -- ‘Tis the season for giving, which is why the American Red Cross has designated next Saturday, Dec. 13, as its “National Day of Giving.” The day is designed to help the Red Cross in its efforts to raise $100 million as part of its national Campaign for Disaster Relief.
Locally, volunteers from the American Red Cross Southwestern Pennsylvania Chapter will be out in full force to collect donations.
First, on Friday, Dec. 12, volunteers will be positioned in the lobbies of Downtown Pittsburgh Office Buildings to collect donations from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Then, on Saturday, Dec. 13, local Red Cross volunteers will be collecting donations at The Mall at Robinson and the Galleria at Pittsburgh Mills. Anyone who donates at least a $1 will receive a Red Cross bracelet, and anyone who donates at least $10 will receive a stuffed Disney Mickey Mouse. All money raised from these National Day of Giving efforts will go to the Red Cross National Disaster Relief Fund.
“Everyone at the Red Cross is excited about the National Day of Giving,” said Patricia Waldinger, CEO of the American Red Cross Southwestern Pennsylvania Chapter. “I am confident the region will show its generosity and contribute to help disaster victims across the country.”
The Red Cross National Disaster Relief Fund was depleted as a result of a very busy year for disasters, including a record number of tornadoes, severe flooding in the central United States and brutal hurricane season.
“One thing we all have in common is that no one is immune from a disaster. Even if you don’t live in an area that gets hit by hurricanes or earthquakes, events like house fires and floods can happen anywhere,” said Waldinger. “The Disaster Relief Fund is what we all rely on to help people when they need it.”
Even if you can’t make it out to donate, there are several ways you can help the Red Cross on its National Day of Giving.
Online: Visit swpa.redcross.org to make an online donation.
Mail: Send contributions to the National Disaster Relief Fund to PO Box 37243, Washington, DC, 20013. Contributions to the Local Disaster Relief Fund can be sent to PO Box 371997, Pittsburgh, PA, 15251-7997.
Phone: To donate to the National Disaster Relief Fund, call 1-800-Red-Cross. Do donate to the Local Disaster Relief fund, call 412-263-3100.
Text: As part of the Red Cross “Give2Help” text message program, simply text message the word “Give” to “2HELP” (24357) and $4 will be donated to the National Disaster Relief Fund. Charges will appear on your cell phone bill.
December 3, 2008 Give the Gift of Safety this Holiday Season
PITTSBURGH - While you search for the perfect gifts for loved ones this holiday season, consider giving the gift of safety. The American Red Cross Southwestern Pennsylvania Chapter makes it easy to purchase first aid kits and other Red Cross merchandise. Not sure what to buy? We also offer gift certificates that can be redeemed for apparel, safety equipment and classes.
These unique gifts help your friends and family be prepared for emergencies, and they also give back to the community. All proceeds from the purchase of these items help the American Red Cross Southwestern Pennsylvania Chapter assist local families in times of disaster.
The following items are a sample of the gifts offered by the American Red Cross:
First Aid Kits
Too many people do not own crucial, life-saving first aid kits. The Red Cross offers several sizes and types of First Aid Kits to fit the needs of every person on your list and keep them safe in their homes and vehicles. (Cost: $3.95-$49.95)
Pet First Aid
The Red Cross offers small, medium and large Pet First Aid Kits for the animal lovers on your list. We also partnered with the Humane Society of the United States to offer books in Dog First Aid and Cat First Aid. These books provide guidance for care of ill or injured pets (Cost: $12.95-$16.95)
Merchandise
The Red Cross also offers hats, shirts, and other apparel in a variety of colors, from classic red to kiwi green. We also have merchandise such as key rings and lanyards that make great stocking stuffers. (Cost: $8.50-34.95)
Gift Certificates
Red Cross gift certificates can be used for any course offered by our chapter, training your loved ones in skills such as CPR, First Aid, Babysitter’s Training, Lifeguarding and AED Skills. Gift certificates can also be used for any Red Cross merchandise. (Available in any denomination)
There are four simple ways to purchase Red Cross merchandise and/or gift certificates (please note that shipping and handling fees are not included in the prices listed):
1. Order by telephone by calling the local Red Cross at 1-888-217-9599.
2. Visit the local Red Cross Web site at www.swpa.redcross.org to view photos of the products and order online (certain products not available on Web site)
3. Order through the American Red Cross Southwestern Pennsylvania Chapter’s Products and Services Catalog (download at www.swpa.redcross.org).
4. Purchase in person at the American Red Cross Southwestern Pennsylvania Chapter headquarters, located at 225 Boulevard of the Allies in Downtown Pittsburgh.
The American Red Cross Southwestern Pennsylvania Chapter wishes you and your family a safe and happy holiday season.
