A Special Thank You Note

I just received this thank you note from the Japanese tour group I blogged about earlier this week. Pretty cool!

We give tours of the building and we try to make it fun and interesting.

If you want to bring a group, check out our website, give us a ring, or post a comment.

Donate your blood before Vampire Kitty gets it all!

I heard a rumor that Vampire Kitties won't attack blood donors. . .

Photo from lolcats.com

Are You @Tweepared?

Loyal blog readers know that I'm into design and Twitter. So you can only imagine my enthusiasm about a new campaign that combines those two things with the real love of my life...preparedness.

@Tweepared is a "human billboard installation"/fundraising event for the Greater Ozarks Chapter of the American Red Cross (who are awesome Twitterers, BTW). They'll be creating "Real Time Tweet Shirts" and educating people on how to use the social media outlet for emergency preparedness.

Said @Tweepared mastermind Shawn Matthews of Swagbot, "We want to help people realize the need to plan for emergencies in a fun and creative way, while at the same time harnessing the power of social media to raise money for an important local cause."

If you can't attend this Friday's event out in Springfield (that's Missouri, not Oregon), you can still get @Tweepared:

1. Sign up for a Twitter account
2. Follow @Tweepared
3. Create an emergency plan for your family, church or business.
4. Make an emergency kit.
5. Send a message (Tweet) to 3 of your friends and tell them to get @tweepared.

You can also buy an awesome t-shirt right here!

Have Bus, Will Travel

Red Cross volunteers come in all shapes and sizes...and vehicles. Including a really awesome double-decker type bus.

I didn't actually tour the bus, but I was there when this news story was taped. Now it's nicely been posted online by Louise (@LouiseHornor) of the blog, Our Odessey.

As Louise says, "If you've been following this blog long enough, you might remember that we spent Christmas of 2007 in Beaverton, OR, finishing up a Red Cross disaster relief operation there. Only a handful of volunteers stayed behind to close up shop after the holiday, and somehow this caught the attention of the local TV news crew. They interviewed the few of us who weren't camera shy and put together a nice little 'feel good' story for their Christmas eve broadcast."



I remember those floods and what these volunteers and hundreds of others did to help us out here in Oregon. We're glad to return the favor in North Dakota this week. It's true -- neighbors helping neighbors...even if you don't have a street address.

Flickr Finds: Disaster Relief Snowman

Photo courtesy of Lindsey Weber/American Red Cross

Japanese Student Tour

Wow, it has been a busy month!

I wanted to share something that really stood out for me. Last week, I had the pleasure of touring a group of Japanese students visiting the United States with Azumano Travel. The tour was a bit difficult because of our language barrier, but a smile always seems to melt through language challanges.

The student's most favorite moments are pictured, they loved our mascot, Buddy Blood Drop. And, nothing speaks as loud as the universal language of Cheetos and baseball hats!

North Dakota: How We're Helping

Just to give you a quick update on how Oregonians are helping out in North Dakota:

On Saturday morning, two volunteers from our chapter headed to Fargo to help with response efforts -- Holly D. is providing nursing assistance and Carol G. (who generously helped with interviews on KGW, KXL and KOIN) is providing mental health support. There are no additional deployments scheduled at this time.

As of this morning, the American Red Cross had opened six shelters and provided well over 630 overnight stays to date. Nearly 700 Red Cross disaster volunteers have worked in the area, helping share more than 38 thousand meals and nearly 110 thousand snacks to evacuated families and emergency workers.

If you're looking for more information, photos and/or video, I'd urge you to visit the Red Cross online newsroom.

Photo courtesy of Virginia Hart/American Red Cross

No Free Lunch; Yes Free Training

With the economy the way it is, you might be thinking about going back to school. But unless you manage to get into this program, it's probably going to cost you a pretty penny.

But there is a way to pick up some special skills -- whether they be driving an oversize vehicle or handling media interviews -- all for free.

Sound too good to be true?

Well, I assure you this is all on the up-and-up; it's disaster volunteer training and you can see a lengthy list of upcoming classes right here.

There is one class that everyone has to take called "Fulfilling Our Mission," which gives you a great overview of the American Red Cross and our role in a disaster. From there, however, you can move on to learning about public affairs or client casework or operating a shelter or driving an emergency vehicle....and much more.

If you've got special licensure (think RNs or psychiatrists/psychologists), the training time can be even shorter, as your existing skills and knowledge are invaluable. Still, generally speaking, the time investment of anywhere from 4 hours to several days is tiny compared to the big rewards you'll reap.

If you're interested in picking up new skills, free is a very good price. Become a disaster volunteer!

Photo courtesy of Claire Sale/American Red Cross

Don't Be A Fool -- Learn About Earthquake Preparedness

No foolin' -- April 1 kicks off Earthquake Preparedness Month. And since I know you like to plan out your celebration well in advance, I thought I'd tip you off to the event that the City of Portland has put together in honor of the occasion.

On Wednesday, Portland's Office Of Emergency Management (POEM) will host a "fascinating, yet sobering" presentation on earthquake risk in the Pacific Northwest, from noon to 1 p.m. in the second-floor auditorium of the Portland Building (1120 SW 5th Ave.).

According to the press release, the main presenter, James Roddey (Earth Sciences Information Officer from Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries), will present "what is heralded as a fascinating and eye-opening reality about the Pacific Northwest experience with earthquakes." POEM will also educate attendees about its role in the City and its emergency preparedness plans.

There's really no excuse not to attend; the event is free and open to the public.

And if you want earthquake preparedness tips, you can check out what POEM has and what we have. Cross your fingers we're all in agreement...

"One million sandbags—and they aren’t stopping..."

We just had a post about the weird weather going on around the states. But being a news junkie, I was poking around online and stumbled onto a powerful statement by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi on the flooding situation in North Dakota (with a chance of a river swell over 40 feet). Her words on the impact of "neighbors helping neighbors" are pretty inspiring:

"North Dakotans are no stranger either to the ideal of neighbors helping neighbors. Through the weekend and early parts of this week, thousands of people -- including high school and college students, National Guardsmen, women, and our own Congressman Earl Pomeroy, among many others -- have stood shoulder-to-shoulder, filling sandbags to protect Fargo and other cities from the dangers of rising waters."

I think, amid the severity of this emergency, it's important (and reassuring) to see stories such as these to remind us that some of our most valuable resources are often each other.

Photo courtesy of nytimes.com

Did someone say free Burgerville?

I love Burgerville. I don't usually eat fast food, but there's something about their (veggie)burgers that I just can't resist...and their berry yogurt smoothies and their sweet potato fries and their onion rings and their secret sauce...and now I'm super hungry.

If you share my love of Burgerville, then come join us tomorrow at our Open House event at the Red Cross in Portland (3131 N. Vancouver Ave.) from 10am - 3pm. Burgerville will be outside cooking up a hamburger BBQ beginning at 11:15am (sorry, fellow vegetarians, but it's all beef).

Don't forget to come inside the building to check out what's going on -- there will be balloon art for kids by Jolly Molly the Clown, face painting by Fun Faces, prizes, popcorn, pop, chips, and tours of Portland’s Blood Donor Center.

Come celebrate Red Cross Month and learn how the Red Cross is at work in your community!

Singles CPR: We Made A Match!

You heard it here first -- Singles CPR gets results.

That's right...two attendees are now decidedly un-single, after meeting in class this past Valentine's Day. They've been going out ever since and joke about the fact that's it's how they met; he was there to get re-certified and she was there on a lark. Nonetheless, six weeks later, they're still going strong.

There's no telling how long this match-up will last, but it certainly bodes well for those who opt to come to our next installment of Singles CPR on April 22.

And, if you had any hesitation, perhaps these facts will convince you:

1. It's being held at The Cleaners at Ace Hotel Portland -- the hottest of Portland's hotspots.

2. Beverages are being donated by Sokol Blosser Vineyards and Widmer Brothers Brewery.

3. Truffles are being donated by Pix Patisserie.

4. If you don't find love in class, you can find it on the Portland Mercury's Lovelab personals, where you'll have a free two-week membership.

Honestly, I can't even think of how we'd make this event any better, but maybe you have a suggestion? If so, let me know; we're all about making Singles CPR the coolest, quirkiest way to meet a mate in PDX.

Image courtesy of Gabriela Camerotti

The Weirdest of Weird Weather

There's some pretty weird weather around the country this week - tornadoes in the South, flooding in Fargo, spring-break-snow in Kansas and swarms of earthquakes* in Southern California. 

Wondering what could possibly be weirder? Well, check out this list of ten cases of extreme weather. Guess who holds the record for highest snowfall in North America? Hint: it's a peak in propinquity to us here in Portland.

*Okay so an earthquake isn't "weather," but I wasn't going to clutter the sentence with "and geological phenomena." P.S. Does anyone else think that describing them as "swarms" gives earthquakes an eery sort of personification?

[Hat tip to mental_floss]

Stop giving excuses, start giving life

Here's something from the Singapore Red Cross to add to today's theme of creative international Red Cross advertising. I don't really need to type a lot. . .the video speaks for itself.



I'm too tired. I have too much to do. I don't want to drive that far. I just really don't have time.

Excuses are lame. And they definitely don't help save lives.

To schedule a blood donation appointment, call 1-800-GIVE LIFE or visit http://www.givelife.org/.

Portugese Red Cross Advertising

As someone who's into art and design, there's nothing I like more than seeing powerful Red Cross advertising. You can see some of our past favorites here, here, here and here.

This set of ads comes from Portugal and Leo Burnett. It definitely drives home the point that there's a lot of need out there, more of which could be met by people supporting the Red Cross with their donations.

And here's one more from Portugal from a different campaign by Partners Lisboa.

What do you think? Would these ads convince you to support the Red Cross?

CPR Helps Man In Need

Just got this story about an incredible CPR save from our friends over at PGE. Read on...

Wireman Bob Meyers had planned to make just a quick stop at the grocery on his way to work on March 19. Instead, the stop turned into a test of the years of training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) that he’s had at PGE.

"I was halfway through the store when I heard an announcement asking if there was anyone in the store who knew CPR," says Meyers. "I went up to the front of the store, and there was an older gentleman lying on the floor. Six clerks were standing around who had no idea of what to do."

After checking that the man’s airway was clear, Meyers gave him two rescue breaths, checked for a pulse, and finding none, began chest compressions. After the fourth or fifth repetition of compressions, medics arrived, and Meyers stepped out of the way to let them take over. They revived the man with an automated external defibrillator (AED).

"After all these years of training, it was all automatic, and I just did what I’d learned to do," says Meyers, who was taking refresher courses in first-aid and CPR training this week. "In these situations, time is of the essence. Having the right training is absolutely essential."

Meyers learned earlier this week that the man he helped is still in the hospital but doing all right. Meyers’ supervisor, Dale Goodman, says this incident — the first time Meyers had ever had to use CPR — is a good reminder of how important the required training is.

"It really drives home the point of why we do it," Goodman says. "Bob did a great job, and it's nice to know that we’re all trained well and can respond well in this kind of situation."

As for Meyers, he feels good that he was able to do what was needed when it was needed. And, he notes, he still managed to make it to work on time.

We LOVE hearing stories like this; stories that prove getting trained makes you ready to save a life -- any time, any where.

If you're interested in getting some training at your workplace, click here. And if you want to be a life-saver like Bob and sign up for CPR classes yourself, click here.

Be Nice And Share!

Sharing. You learned it back in kindergarten...if you haven't already forgotten, click here.

Vets and Pets

We've talked before about the importance of preparing your pets for disaster (see here, here and here). Now, I'm pleased to report that the Red Cross is taking a big step forward in partnering to protect your furry loved ones.

We just recently signed a more formal Memorandum of Understanding with the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF). The orgs have been working together for years, but this will allow for even more collaboration.

So how will the MOU actually make a difference? In short, there will be more local programs developed to help families prepared for the unexpected. The programs receive funding through AVMF grants and the AVMA will act as a technical adviser on all animal and veterinary aspects of disaster-response efforts.

One very cool example of this plan in action is what's happening in Chicago. That Chapter has been working with AVMA to address a common problem following house fires: temporary housing for pets. Together, they're creating a network of local veterinarians that would house the animal victims of a fire. Once it's up and running, it will hopefully be duplicated around the country...maybe even right here in Oregon.

While our priority is people, there's no doubt that pets need assistance during disasters. I'm happy to see the Red Cross working so diligently to make a difference!

Post-Hurricane Katrina photo, courtesy of Barbara Pritchard/FEMA

Stylishly Storing Your First Aid Supplies

So you've taken your Red Cross first aid class. You've purchased a first aid kit. Now where to store it?

Blogger and organizer Jeri shared six options for supply storage, many of which I quite like. My design-y side particularly loves the stainless steel version from Radius, which is so classy it could almost be used as art.

From a tin with the flavor of France to one that's made out of tomato paste drums, you're sure to find something that will work for your needs!

Senate Passes Serve America Act

Today the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act was passed 78-20 by the Senate!

What does this mean? Well, here is a quick view of SOME of what the Kennedy Serve America Act will do:

Expand opportunities for people to serve at every stage of life.
Use service to meet specific national challenges.
Put service to work to solve our most pressing challenges, such as:
Tackling the dropout crisis and strengthening our schools.
Improving energy efficiency; safeguarding the environment.
Improving health care in low-income communities.
Expanding economic opportunities for low-income individuals.
Preparing for and responding to disasters and emergencies.

For full coverage of this bill, please visit The New Service; a Blog by former American Red Cross Oregon Trail Chapter; Clara Barton Vista Corps Team Leader, Amy Pothast.

Pucker up...

The "Kissing Bug"--doesn't that sound so cute? Like an adorable ladybug with long fluttery eyelashes, a girlish giggle, and big red lips?

Mmm...not exactly. In fact, kind of the opposite.

The "Kissing Bug" is actually a nocturnal blood-sucking (and face-sucking, hence the name) bug that is responsible for the transmittal of T. cruzi, the parasite that causes Chagas Disease.

Maybe you've heard of Chagas Disease in relation to blood donation. People with the disease cannot donate blood because the parasite lives in the blood stream. The Red Cross knows that if we're not careful, Chagas could be passed through blood transfusions. For this reason, all donated blood is thoroughly tested for the disease. If Chagas is detected, the blood is immediately destroyed.

Anyway, if you live in Oregon like I do, you don't have to worry about the Kissing Bug sneaking in a smooch while you're asleep. The bug is mostly found in rural parts of the Americas.

Photo courtesy of Innovations Report

Prepare-aphernalia: Boxed Water

Another gem found by our friends at the Water Blog, these little boxes may look like the apple juice your mom used to pack in your lunchbox, but they're actually 100% H2O.

Aqua2Go was created with disaster kits in mind and has a five-year shelf life - longer than bottles or jugs since it's protected from both air and light damage.  I don't know if it's my lunchbox nostalgia talking, but I'd say these compact little water boxes make pretty cool prepare-aphernalia. 

  

Worldwide Wednesday Wrap-Up

Welcome to the Worldwide Wednesday Wrap-Up, in which we consolidate the international Red Cross and Red Crescent news into one list of bite-sized links for you...

[The place names link to maps so that you can get a quick idea of the region.]

Côte d'Ivoire: The ICRC and Ivorian Red Cross volunteers are helping 17,500 people resume farming by supplying rice, corn, and hoes.

Namibia: "Heavy rain has sent torrents of waters through communities that weren't prepared in the slightest," says the IFRC's Matthew Cochrane, who is publishing first-hand accounts of his experiences in Africa. 

Tajikistan: In a new partnership with Tajik universities, students will now learn about International Humanitarian Law.

Kyrgyzstan: “Not everything can be done by the doctors, so we have to start learning about it at school," says a Kyrgyz Red Crescent nurse who teaches children to recognize signs of tuberculosis. (More on TB and global prevention efforts here.)

Bangladesh: Building 1,250 cyclone-resistant shelters for families. 

Sri Lanka: As tsunami recovery projects near completion, the IFRC and Sri Lanka Red Cross Society are taking a holistic approach to building resilient communities.

GLOSSARY:

ICRC = International Committee of the Red Cross

IFRC = International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Feeling The Wrath Of Water

Speaking of the dangers of flooding, check out the "Wrath of Water" video posted by our friends at the Portland Water Bureau.

Make sure to watch around the two-minute mark and again at about 2:50.



Have we scared you into being afraid of heavy-duty water yet? If so, read the safety tips!

A Flood Of Information

Did you know that it's Flood Safety Awareness Week?

I'm sure you did, as floods are one of the disasters most likely to affect our area. Just think back over the last few winters and remember communities like Vernonia for a prime example.

Interestingly, our twtpoll seems to imply that you are not frightened of floods. We're used to rain around here, so maybe you're thinking that a little extra water can't hurt anything. Well, take a look at what it's doing in North Dakota right now. Maybe more than 3% of you should be worried, hmmm??

Here are a few links for your reading pleasure:

Red Cross online newsroom (North Dakota floods)
Flood Safety Awareness from the National Weather Service (lots of great links!)
Our flood safety tips

To all of the Red Crossers and others helping in North Dakota -- stay safe!

Photo courtesy of Barbara Rainey via CNN

LumberJax Red Cross Appreciation Day

It's La(red)crosse Season! (Apologies for the terrible pun)...

Come show your support for the American Red Cross this Sunday, March 29th at the LumberJax Lacrosse Red Cross Appreciation Day. The game starts at 3:00pm and will be played against the San Jose Stealth.

If you feel like you deserve a vacation and if you're feeling lucky, you can enter a raffle at the game for free airline tickets. All the money raised from the raffle will be donated to the Red Cross. Good for you, good for us!

LumberJax players will also be at the American Red Cross in Portland (3131 N. Vancouver Ave.) on Saturday, March 28 to greet donors and other guests. There will be a drawing for four LumberJax 2010 season tickets. This is also the date of an Open House event at the same location. So join us for the fun!

If you're like me and you don't know much about lacrosse (or any sport really), click here for some helpful basics.

Win Twilight DVDs! Help Disaster Relief!

Sometimes it's a tough decision. Do I spend my hard-earned cash on that new, awesome DVD set? Or should I use it to help fund disaster relief?

The answer is NEITHER. Thanks to this Social Vibe promotion you can satisfy both your taste for Twilight and your desire to do good - without spending a cent of your own. 

Here's the deal. Social Vibe - a cool tool that lets you raise money for charities by putting a sponsored badge on your facebook/myspace/etc. - is giving away some free Twilight DVDs and posters.  All you have to do to enter the drawing is:

1. Choose the Red Cross as your Cause on SocialVibe.
2. Leave a comment on this Social Vibe post about how it makes you feel to help people in a time of need.

One person will be chosen at random at midnight on March 25, 2009 to win a Twilight Two-Disc Special Edition DVD and two Twilight posters featuring Edward, Bella and the whole Cullen crew.

[Note: I copied the drawing rules from the Social Vibe blog post. Since I'm the only person on the planet who has not yet read/seen Twilight, I have no idea who the "whole Cullen crew" is. I'm assuming they are cool. ]

Hero Parrot Saves Toddler

Animal rescue is usually the dogs' domain. We've honored plenty of pups who have saved people from fire, shielded their owners from fatal frigid weather  or helped drowning swimmers to safety. 

But this time the canines can step aside. It's a parrot who saved the day.

I'm amazed at Willie the Parrot's ability to recognize that the little girl was choking and alert the babysitter to help. 

Being a Denver resident, Willie was honored as a hero at the Mile High Chapter's Breakfast of Champions. (Yes, that's a real photo of Willie above, sitting at the breakfast table. Cute, eh?) But of course the other hero was the babysitter who knew how to administer abdominal thrusts. (And now, I present you the requisite links to both babysitter training and child/infant CPR courses. Hint, hint.) 

Lizzie Bell's Constant Need for Blood

Imagine your life being completely dependent on the generosity of others. Fourteen year old Lizzie Bell of Tucson, Arizona knows what that's like. Lizzie suffers from Diamond-Blackfan Anemia, a rare blood disease that requires her to receive blood transfusions every few weeks. Lizzie's life depends on frequent blood transfusions and without the blood of others, Lizzie could not live.

Last Sunday night, the ABC Television Network gave us a glimpse in to Lizzie's life through an episode of "Extreme Makeover Home Edition," a reality series providing home renovations to deserving families. If you saw the show, you now know about all the hard work Lizzie has done to raise awareness about the need for blood donations. If you didn't see the show, click here to view the full episode online. Warning: do not watch without Kleenex in hand! If this doesn't make you cry, you're not human!

To help people like Lizzie, make a blood donation appointment by calling 1-800-GIVE LIFE, or visit http://www.givelife.org/.

Proof That "Razzing" Works

Antoinette Edwards, our incredible diversity director, shared with me an e-mail that I thought deserved to be seen by a wider audience:

Antoinette,

We met at an event last year. You said you would meet me down at the [blood] donation section and take photos if I came in to donate. Luckily, I lost your card. Amazing what you find when you clean your desk!

But you made me think about blood donations and I have done it twice since then. Last time was this Monday. When I donated at the mobile unit, I found out it was the first time in 10 years.

Just wanted to let you know your razzing worked. Next time I can donate is in May!

Pretty cool, right? If it's been a while since you've donated, go sign up now.

You're Buying Me Pizza For My Birthday, Right?

April 6.

My birthday.

The City of Portland's birthday (back in 1851).

And, in honor of these very special occasions, we bring YOU an equally special treat.

That's right -- on Monday, April 6, you can share your "philanthropizza" by using this flier at the Clackamas Town Center California Pizza Kitchen. Though the price of my birthday pizza stays the same, CPK will donate 20% of your bill right back here to the Oregon Trail Chapter. Where, I assure you, it will be used for important things like saving and rebuilding the lives of our fellow Oregonians.

So print this flier and go get some pizza (or salad or pasta or soup or dessert) in honor of my b-day. Feel free to drop off leftovers at the chapter!

Just How Much Plastic Do You Have On Hand?

One of the sad truths about going to Sundance is that you can't possibly see every movie that catches your eye. A few years back, I attended the fest but didn't get in to see one flick that sounded intriguing -- Right At Your Door. Last week, I finally made it happen.

If you aren't already familiar, the basic premise is that a dirty bomb has gone off in Los Angeles, leaving the husband safe inside the sealed house and his wife stuck outside with the potentially deadly fallout. Scary topic, yes. Horror movie, no.

But what struck me most about the movie was the disaster and preparedness angle. There's a frantic trip to the hardware store to get last-minute supplies. There's the breaking open of bottled water. And, most intriguing, there's the sealing up of the entire house -- done with garbage bags, grocery bags, shower curtains and anything they can get their hands on that's relatively impermeable.

Which got me thinking -- if there was ever a dirty bomb in Portland or if I had to seal up my home from, say, volcanic ash, I am woefully unequipped. I doubt I have nearly enough plastic (I certainly don't have tarps) and I don't think I have even ONE roll of duct tape.

Now we're not all about fear-mongering or frightening you into getting prepared. But we are all about providing food for thought. If you're interested in reading some terrorism preparedness tips, you can see 'em here.

And let it be said that the next time I head to Fred Meyer, I'm picking up a few rolls of duct tape. You never know when that stuff might come in handy!

There's no "doubt" Alaskans need to be prepared

Okay, forgive my terrible pun, but after 20 years of dormant life, Alaska's Mt. Redoubt began burping up ash plumes this weekend and I couldn't resist. A cloud of gray soot-like dust is streaming over the northern Anchorage area and my Alaskan friends have started freaking out. Anticipating a volcanic eruption may be difficult, but being prepared when it occurs is fairly simple...and the Alaska Red Cross has dedicated a page for simple steps on how to prepare for this emergency:

• Seek indoor shelter and seal any openings that could be entry sites for volcanic ash
  
• Develop a family disaster plan, with special consideration that ash may travel far away geographically from the eruption site
  
• Gather disaster supplies kit basics, especially a pair of goggles and a throw-away breathing mask for each member of the household
  
• In order to listen for further information from authorities, it may be wise to have "prepare-aphernalia" on hand like a self-powered radio/flashlight/USB charger device
  

As I read that Alaska Airlines canceled 19 flights out of Anchorage International this morning, having some of these items on hand will at least save you from a boredom emergency when stranded in the airport!

Disaster Action Team Responses

On march 18 a family of 2 adults had a fire in their rental, in Rainer. At first the couple felt they did not need assistance from Red Cross. The couple had Red Cross's phone number and called in Saturday, March 21, realizing they did need assistance. The couple had plenty of food and did not need a place to stay. When the Columbia County volunteers arrived they assisted the clients with:

--A client assistance card to shop for clothing and bedding.

On March 21, there was a single unit apartment fire in Astoria. When the Clastop American Red Cross volunteer arrived they assisted the two people with:

--Lodging in a nearby motel.
--A client assistance card to shop for food.

Seams!!!

After that last post, I have to leave you with something fun on a Friday. Check out this 1917 sewing pattern for Red Cross underpants.

(If you click the link, the instructions do - quite enthusiastically - say "Seams!!!")

Have a good weekend!

World Water Day

Not-so-fun fact: At any given time, half of the world's hospital beds are occupied by patients suffering from a water-related disease.

What kind of diseases? Ones like cholera, from which people literally die of diarrhea. (Eeek!) I hate to sound like such a downer - especially on a Friday, but the fact is that diarrheal diseases are on the rise because more than one billion people do not have access to clean water.

You can help. Just by raising awareness.

World Water Day is this Sunday, March 22.  You can participate in a number of ways:

- Come to Portland's World Water Day event, which includes a Walk For Water, some great concerts, and a screening of the award-winning documentary, FLOW.

- Follow World Water Day on Twitter.

- Read up on water issues the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies is tackling.

- Watch this video about how the American Red Cross worked with the Sri Lankan Red Cross to create a low-tech water sanitation system for tsunami survivors. 

When Will Disaster Strike? Nicolas Cage Knows!

This is the opening weekend for Knowing, a disaster movie in which Nicolas Cage finds a list that predicts the dates of upcoming catastrophes. 

And while we can't offer you any such list, we can offer help preparing for disasters - whenever they may happen. That's why we'll have a team of volunteers at Regal Cinema Bridgeport Village tomorrow. They'll have lots of great disaster prep info as well as a prize wheel! 

So whether you're a Nic Cage fanatic (*ahem* you know who you are) or just a disaster movie junkie, join us at the theater tomorrow.

Date: Saturday, March 21st

Time: 2pm - 8pm 

Place: Lobby of Regal Cinema Bridgeport Village

           SW Bridgeport Rd
           Portland, OR 97224

How To Survive A Disaster: Shuffle Your Playlist

According to our friend Amanda Ripley (author of The Unthinkable), when you're in an emergency situation your brain works sort of like iTunes.

Due to stress, it basically shuts down your higher reasoning functions and begins to shuffle through known patterns, or "playlists." And - just like iTunes - your brain will shuffle more readily to the playlists you use most often. 

That's why it's so important to get trained, make a plan and run drills.  So when your brain goes into shuffle mode, that stuff is in heavy rotation.

photo via Silvio Tanaka

Disaster Action Team Responses

A family in Warren , had a house fire March 19. The family of 2 adults and 4 children did not have a place to stay that night. When the Columbia County Red Cross volunteers arrived they assisted the family with:

--Lodging in a nearby motel.
--A client assistance card for the family to shop for food and clothing.
--Comfort kits for the adults containing washcloth, shampoo, comb, razor, shampoo, soap,
and Kleenex.
--Comfort kits for the children containing washcloth, shampoo, soap, Kleenex, crayons,
and a coloring book.
--Stuffed animals to comfort the children.

KOIN Answers FAQs About AEDs

How's that for a headline full of acronyms?

This week KOIN 6 News ran a great story about AEDs - answering questions like: What are they? Where are they? And how do you use one?

For first-hand accounts they interviewed two of our Breakfast of Champions heroes - the Sunset Athletic Club team from this year and Carrie Dunn from our 2006 awards. 

While the news story correctly points out that AED machines are simple to use, training is still invaluable. (If you are at all moved by this story, check out the CPR/AED class listings.)

Here's the news segment:

Remembering Community Members Lost In Fire

Yesterday our volunteers provided a memorial service in Tillamook for Rick and Shirley Noble, who were killed in a devastating house fire on Monday, March 9th. The Nobles were well-known in the community for their efforts in providing respite for homeless youth, charging them rent and helping them to get a footing on life. 

The service was in Goodspeed Park -  a favorite place of peace for the couple. As relatives came from near and far to pay their respects, our volunteer mental health nurses were on hand - along with local chaplains - to assist. 

Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of the Nobles, and our nurses remain ready to assist those who may need them.

Double Your Pleasure with Double Red Cell Donation

Did you know that it's possible to give two units of red blood cells during one blood donation appointment?

During a Double Red Cell donation, blood is drawn from one arm and channeled through a sterile, single-use collection set to an automated machine. The machine separates and collects two units of red cells and then returns the remaining blood components, along with some saline, back to the donor through the same arm. The process is safe, comfortable, and only takes about 30 minutes longer than a single-unit whole blood donation.

After a Double Red Cell donation, you might feel double-good, double-fresh, double-delicious for the good deed you've done!

Eligibility requirements for Double Red Cell donation are different from single-unit red blood cell donation requirements. Ask a representative from the Red Cross blood region in your area if you're eligible to give a Double Red Cell donation.

A Clue As To Why We Haven't Blogged All Day

Here's a visual puzzle for you. What word do all of these photos have in common?

[pause for suspenseful Jeopardy theme music]

Did you guess "tiny-confusing-pictures-that-Robin-is-making-me-guess-about?" Very close! But, I'm sorry, the answer we were looking for is "panel." 

Yes, today Lise and I sat on a PRSA panel - along with ISITE Design's Andy Van Oostrum  and KGW's Stephanie Stricklen - sharing what we've learned so far about using social media. It was an honor to be asked to speak, and it's always fun to share knowledge and resources with other folks who are working (or want to work) in this ever-evolving social blogo-inter-web-o-whatever-sphere.

In that spirit... do you have any questions for us? We're always happy to share. Or perhaps you have some social media tips for us!  Useful tools you use for your blog/twitter/RSS feeds? Websites we should check out? Share in the comments or message @RedCrossPDX on twitter.

photos via OregonDOT, man pikin, and ewen and donabel

Landslides and Lager

Do you like beer? Do you want to learn about landslides? Do you have plans tonight?

 

Because tonight Lucky Lab NW is again hosting Volcano Views and Brews. The topic is "Portland’s Never-ending Landslides: Past, Present and Future."

Dr. Scott Burns, Chair of the Department of Geology at Portland State University, will speak about famous slides in the area and how they have affected us. He’ll also answer questions like: How do we prevent them? 

Flight Attendant Rap

Okay so he doesn't mention all of the flight safety procedures, but this rap got a lot more people's attention than the usual, drab pre-flight speech.

I can't help but think that creative things like this could make safety communications much more effective.

Watch Rapping Flight Attendant and more funny videos on CollegeHumor

P.S. Apparently Southwest Airlines is pretty good at creative pre-flight safety announcements!

Professional Rescue Hero: Don Meyers

Don Meyers was enjoying a swim beneath a White River waterfall when bystanders pointed to a man struggling to stay afloat.



Watch the video now.

First Aid Rescue Heroes: Jon Langston & Leah Moe

Jon Langston and Leah Moe were exploring the woods of Clackamas County when they came across a man who had been seriously injured while mountain biking.



Watch the video.

Team Rescue Heroes: Sunset Athletic Club

Gyms may be filled with healthy people, but it doesn't mean their staff shouldn't be prepared to help after a heart attack.



Watch the video.

Disaster Action Team Responses

A second family from the Oregon City apartment fire that occurred March 11, called in on March 13, needing Red Cross assistance. When the American Red Cross volunteers arrived they found the family had place to stay, but did need Red Cross help. The volunteers assisted the 2 adults and 2 children with:

--A client assistance card to shop for food, clothing and coats.

The adults received comfort kits containing:
--Toothpaste, toothbrush, washcloth, shampoo, comb, razor, Kleenex and a washcloth.

The children received a comfort kit containing:
--Toothpaste, toothbrush, comb, shampoo, Kleenex, washcloth, coloring books and crayons.
--The children received stuffed animals to comfort them.

On March 13, a family of 2 adults and 4 children had a fire in their house in Vernonia. The family did have a place to stay, but did need help from the Red Cross. When the Columbia County American Red Cross volunteers arrived they assisted the family with:

--A client assistance card to shop for clothing, coats and food.
The family received comfort kits and stuffed animals for the children.

On March 13 there was a single unit apartment fire, in Gresham. When the American Red Cross volunteers arrived they assisted 2 adults and 1 child with:

--Lodging in a nearby motel.
--A client assistance card to shop for food and clothing.
The family received comfort kits and stuffed animals for the children.

Gamers Doing Good

We mentioned the Capcom/Red Cross partnership for the Resident Evil 5 Blood Drive last week.

Wondering how it all went? Well, here's the video:




And because the video didn't have nearly enough images of actual blood donation to make me happy, here's a link to an event review with lots of photos!

Busy With Breakfast

This post is going to be short and sweet, as Robin and I have much bigger things on our mind.

Like Convention Center big.

Like saving lives big.

Like biggest fundraising event of the year big.

That's right -- for the next day and a half, the blog might be extra-quiet, as we spend 36 hours at the Oregon Convention Center, prepping for the 12th annual Breakfast of Champions.

The schedule is jam-packed, as we have to set up some very cool re-enactments that will give guests a taste of what it's like to attend a CPR class, visit a bloodmobile and stay in a Red Cross shelter. As you can imagine, creating that sort of thing takes a ton of props, all of which have to be made to look and feel as real as possible.

We've also got to set the tables with programs and table tents and annual reports and the like, all to make sure that guests (corporate and individual) know what our organization is all about.

When we're not doing that, we'll try to upload the hero videos to YouTube, so even if you can't attend, you can get a "taste" of what the Breakfast is all about.

If you're interested in seeing all the action in person, you can still buy a ticket. It should be a phenomenal event -- follow us on Twitter and you'll get an inside view!

Serve America Act to Benefit AmeriCorps

With discussions of stimulus packages taking place around the country, National Service is certainly among the many undergoing very exciting times!

"The Serve America Act (S. 277), introduced by Senators Edward Kennedy (D-MA) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT) would expand opportunities for people to serve at every stage of life in order to meet specific national challenges. This bill, which has strong bipartisan support, will be considered by the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee next week. Once approved by the committee, it will move to the full Senate for deliberation.

The American Red Cross has joined with a number of other leading nonprofit organizations in support of both the Senate and House versions of the legislation. Moreover, President Obama has expressed his strong support for this legislation, and his budget request seeks to expand AmeriCorps and increase it from its current level of 75,000 positions to 250,000.

We continue to support both bills. The American Red Cross has joined with a number of other leading nonprofit groups on a letter to Congress of support for this legislation.

While the Serve America Act and the GIVE Act have a variety of provisions, of special interest to the Red Cross is the expansion of AmeriCorps, which has been of great value to a number of chapters across the country."

For further information on this issue, please visit former 2003-2004 Clara Barton VISTA Corps Leader here at the Red Cross Oregon Trail Chapter Amy Potthast’s blog; The New Service.

Amy now works for Idealist.org, and has been blogging about the process for some time. Here's an example!

Drills: Testing How We Deal With Pet Snakes

You're staffing a Red Cross shelter. How would you work with a client who:

Wanted to bring in a pet snake?
Was mute and asking for water?
Was diabetic and had lost consciousness?

These are the types of challenges that come up all the time in disaster situations, when stress is high and people are more likely to be thrown for a loop by unexpected requests. That's exactly why the Red Cross drills, drills, drills, to get workers prepared and comfortable when the unusual crops up. This is precisely what happened at a recent drill in La Grande, Oregon, which you can read about right here.

But why La Grande, a community that is fairly safe from natural disasters? As Red Crosser Tony Scheibe said, the possibility is real that at some point there will be a need for the establishment of an emergency shelter. He noted that an extended weather-caused closure of Interstate 84 could necessitate it.

Another could be an accident at the Umatilla Chemical Depot, which has poisonous munitions. The possibility of this is so real that the federal government has provided the La Grande Red Cross office (part of the Northeastern Oregon District) with added supplies to prepare it for a mass of evacuees from Umatilla County. Now we're ready to house and feed 500 people for 72 hours.

If you're interested in becoming a disaster volunteer, check out the process here. We can't promise you'll get to deal with pet snakes, but it's still guaranteed to be an exciting experience!

Blood on the Brain

Since lots of people think I look much younger than I am, I've decided to make an effort at appearing (key word, appearing) more mature. Big words make people sound old and smart, right? With this thought, I signed up for Merriam Webster's Word of the Day email which sends me daily vocab words and their definitions.

A few days ago the word of the day was incarnadine (\in-KAHR-nuh-dyne\), which is an adjective meaning: "red; especially : bloodred"

Since I work for the blood services, blood is often on my brain (in a non-weird, non-Vampire way). This got me thinking about other blood-related words. Here are some to impress your friends with...and maybe even creep them out a little!

consanguineous: Of the same blood; related by birth; having a blood relationship.
sanguinolent: Tinged or mingled with blood; bloody.
exsanguineous: Destitute of blood; anaemic. Bloodless.
exsanguinate: To drain blood. Derivatives: exsanguination.
sanguinivorous: Subsisting on blood. Derivatives: sanguinivore.

I know I probably always sound like a bit of a sanguisuge at the end of my blog posts, but, as always, I'd like to encourage readers to help save some lives by donating blood. We won't exsanguinate it all, we just want a pint or two!

Image: Fellow sanguisuge Ingrid Pitt in The Countess Dracula (1971)

Breakfast of Champions: It's Egg-cellent!

If you're hungry for stories of Oregonians who have performed heroic feats, I'd urge you to scramble on down to the Oregon Convention Center next Tuesday morning for our annual Breakfast of Champions event.

The program is stuffed with juice-y content. You'll meet our 2009 heroes, hear from a man whose life was impacted by our work and get an inside look at some Red Cross re-enactments that will be anything but half-baked.

So buy your ticket now -- you won't want to miss this opportunity to toast our heroes!

Photo courtesy of Joits

Friday The 13th: A Lucky Day?

Did you read this story about how unlucky 2009 is? Why? Because we've got THREE Friday the 13ths happening this year, with one happening tomorrow.

But for people who are in need of life-saving blood, tomorrow's actually their lucky day.

Down in Los Angeles, Capcom -- the creators of Resident Evil -- is partnering with the Red Cross for a special blood drive. As one blogger puts it, "Who knew Capcom could be so creepy AND helpful at the same time?" (Clearly they were following in the steps of the SAW folks, no?)

But even cooler than the blood drive itself are the posters that Jim Rugg and Jon Gibson created for the event. See all of their works of art right here.

Red Cross First Aid On The Doctors

I don't watch a lot of daytime television because, well, I'm at work. But maybe you do?

If so, make sure to tune in to The Doctors on KPTV (Fox affiliate) today at 3 pm. Why? Because they'll spend part of the episode talking about Red Cross first aid. From what I can tell, this is a change from the norm, as they often talk about much more suggestive (and rather embarrassing) topics.

If you're wondering how all this came out, it might be because the executive producer of the show is Jay McGraw, son of National Celebrity Cabinet member Dr. Phil (McGraw).

Don't Forget: It's Still Red Cross Month

March may be 1/3 of the way over, but it's never too late to remind you that it's still Red Cross Month.

We're not the only ones who know it. So does President Barack Obama. And so does our Governor.