L.A. Sky Observatory Becomes Earth Observatory During Wildfires

As this Discover Magazine blogger reminds us, equipment meant for one use is often repurposed for another in times of disaster. Right now the Mount Wilson Observatory's telescope, normally used for watching the sky, is being used to monitor wildfire conditions. You can watch the live webcam here.

And for Red Cross wildfire response updates, keep an eye on http://newsroom.redcross.org .

My Tribute To Reading Rainbow

In tribute to both the fourth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and today's cancellation of Reading Rainbow (one of the best children's TV shows in history), I present the following book recommendation:

[Read in the nervous, awkwardly rehearsed voice I would have had if I'd been one of the Rainbow Readers...]

Hi. My name is Robin. And I would like to tell you about a great book I just read. It is called A.D.: New Orleans After The Deluge. Yes, it is a graphic novel, but don't be fooled - it's not just a silly comic book. A.D. feels more like a documentary film - reenacting the moving real life stories of Katrina survivors. The art itself is incredible and tells the story in a way that words alone could not.

You can read the first few chapters online here. I guarantee you'll be hooked in just a few pages. And heads up, Portlanders! If you want a signed copy of your own, author Josh Neufeld is coming to Wordstock this October.

(Yes, that is my very hasty photoshop of me had I been on Reading Rainbow.)

I'm Prepared For Flu. Are You?

Check it out, guys! Thanks to my lightening fast hand-raising reflexes and zeal for quiz games, I won this awesome Germ Guard Personal Protection Pack yesterday in our staff meeting CPR quiz. It comes with hand sanitizer, gloves, tissues, alcohol wipes and even an N95 mask.

Now I'm totally prepared for flu season. H1N1, don't even bother coming my way!

... Of course I've also been practicing the sleeve sneeze (rather than into the hand) just in case I do get the sniffles and don't want to spread it to all of you.

You can get your own Germ Guard Personal Protection Pack through our online store.

Surfer Rescues Teen, Becomes Hero

Dude. Grab your shortboard and check out this frickin' rad story that's anything but bogus. Zach Canady is so boss!

P.S. Sharing this story with others? Make sure to get all your surf lingo here.

Photo courtesy of mikebaird, who takes some of the best surfing photos I've ever seen!

Whose Life Will You Help Save?

Lauren Larsen became a multi-gallon blood recipient during the near-fatal birth of her only child. Several of her actual blood donors talk about what it was like to meet Lauren—and her family—in person four years after helping to save her life. This narrative underscores the direct connection between blood donors and the people whose lives they impact. This blood donation advocacy video was produced by In The Telling with educational funding from Johnson & Johnson.

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.]


YEMEN: Thousands of people have been displaced in the governates of Sa'ada and Amran. The Yemem Red Crescent and ICRC are running camps, helping with relocation, providing medical supplies, water, and food among other aid.

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: The ICRC has distributed food, seed, farming tools and other relief items to more than 6,700 people who have fled their homes in Vakaga prefecture.

RUSSIA: An ICRC photo exhibition in Grozny highlights the issue of missing persons. It features 18 countries where the ICRC is providing information on how to prevent disappearances, spurring the search for people who have gone missing and assisting their families.

AZERBAIJAN: The ICRC and the Red Crescent Society of Azerbaijan have encouraged families of people missing in connection with the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict to gather in five Azerbaijani cities on August 30th and share their memories to commemorate the International Day of the Disappeared.

AFRICA: The IFRC is calling for positive stories about Africa. "We want to celebrate the solutions and strengths that help communities overcome and even prevent disasters, health crises and other shocks," says Pierre Kremer, head of the communications department.

AFGHANISTAN: Storytelling plays a role in health promotion. This team of women use picture books drawn by a local artist to illustrate their poetic - and imporant - messages about hygeine and disease prevention.




GLOSSARY:
ICRC = International Committee of the Red Cross
IFRC = International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Imogen Heap: The Fire

What does the devastation of a house fire sound like? I think I just found out.

Not because it happened to me (thank goodness), but because I was just listening to Imogen Heap's new album and was taken aback by a track called The Fire - a wordless one minute and fifty-nine seconds of stark, aching, yet gentle piano laid over the barely audible crackle of flames.


Maybe it's just my perspective as a Red Crosser, but this fire seems not to be the warming, welcoming hearth of a wood stove. Rather, it's the kind of flame that has roared through a home leaving nothing but ashes and memories in its wake.


Home fire is the most common disaster the Red Cross responds to. It happens far more frequently than you might imagine. Could Imogen have experienced one? It certainly seems that she knows how it feels to lose everything.


Listen to The Fire - and other Imogen Heap tracks - here.

The Leech is Back!

Back by popular demand, the leech has resurfaced in hospitals as a fashionable medicinal blood-sucking tool.

I'm not talking about the horror movie, human-terrorizing type of leech, or the 19th century humour-balancing kind either. The modern role of the little blood suckers as surgical instruments is actually really cool.

For proof that leeches aren't just ravenous blood-feasting sanguisuges, just watch this video from the PBS show Nova Science Now (one of the most awesome shows on television with one of the most awesome hosts).

Here's what leech expert Mark Siddall has to say about the way leeches are being used today to help hospital patients:

In terms of modern uses, the problem of flap or replantation surgery concerns the fact that we can reattach arteries easier than we can reattach thin-walled veins. So blood gets into reattached tissue well, but it doesn't get out. The result is swelling. Often so much swelling and clotting that the pressure can cause the (very expensively) reattached tissue to die. The problem then is how to reduce the pressure long enough for the veins to grow back. A leech... actively applies its own pressure to suck the excess blood out from a relatively shallow wound, and it puts in compounds that prevent clotting. The reduced swelling allows the veins to grow back. It's about giving the tissue time, really. And it works!

Crazy, eh? So leeches aren't as gross and diabolical as you thought. But remember that, although leeches can help hospital patients in certain cases, it's more likely that a patient would need to receive donated blood (and not get it sucked out). Call 1-800-GIVE-LIFE or visit http://www.givelife.org/ to make a life-saving blood donation appointment today.

Photo: OakleyOriginals

Comic Books For The Troops!

Check this out! Bridge City Comics - our locally owned comic book store (and by local I mean just a few blocks our office) - has started an initiative to send comic book care packages to the troops serving in Iraq.

You can "Adopt-A-Box" and help them cover the $11 cost to ship each box overseas. Info at bridgecitycomics.com/troops .

I have a feeling the they may enjoy these comic books just a little more than my amateurly drawn holiday cards I sent last year...

New 2012 Trailer

Robin and I like disaster movies. In fact, we're gearing up for Disaster Movie Mondays throughout the month of September at the Tin Shed.

But you know who likes disaster movies even better than we do? Roland Emmerich, director of Independence Day and The Day After Tomorrow. He's also the director of what looks to be one of the biggest diaster flicks yet -- 2012.

We shared an early 2012 trailer a while back, but below is the latest. I love that 1) it's got the kid who plays Young Shawn on Psych and 2) it's supposedly got a Red Cross cameo, though that's just hearsay at the moment.

Are you looking forward to 2012?

Eat Hot Wings; Help The Red Cross

Wildfires. House fires. Sadly, the American Red Cross is all about fires.

Which is why it makes perfect sense that we're partnering with Fire on the Mountain Buffalo Wings for their El Jefe Hot Wing Eating Contest!

If you can handle the heat, you'll want to head over to the FOTM location on E. Burnside to see just how many of the extra super spicy El Hefe wings you'll be able to get down. A look at their website shows that the all-time champ has managed 40 wings....can you do better?

Keep in mind that this events helps out a good cause -- our work of saving and rebuilding lives after fires (and a variety of other disasters) here in Oregon. Registration is just $10 and people can pledge their support for your efforts at just $5 a wing. Entry forms are available at both FOTM locations, including the one just down the street from our building on N. Interstate.

Eat hot wings; help the Red Cross. What could be more fun?

Saturday, August 29 - 3 p.m.
Fire on the Mountain Buffalo Wings
1708 E. Burnside Ave.

Flickr Finds: Oregon Red Cross Nurses

Look at these ladies, circa 1952!





I can't decide what I like better -- the fashion and the hairstyles or the sweet bus. Now that's the sort of ride I'd like to see converted into a bloodmobile...

Photo courtesy of vernon_dutton

Geneva Conventions: There's An App For That.

That's right, my fellow iPhonites! You can now access the full text of the Geneva Conventions (as well as the following Protocols) wherever you are with the free Geneva Conventions iPhone app. I just downloaded it yesterday. Is this not the coolest thing?

P.S. It also works with iPod Touch, of course. If you're on the App Store just search "Geneva Conventions" and look for that shiny new(ish) Red Crystal emblem.

Yelping Out The Red Cross

Are you a Yelper?

If you're the type that likes to check out all the latest, greatest restaurants in PDX -- like this one, this one and that one -- you've probably heard about Yelp, an online guide where users contribute their reviews, telling you where to pick and where to pan.

Okay, so Yelp isn't JUST for restaurants and bars -- you can find all sorts of businesses -- but that's what I happen to use it for. And though I've never posted a review myself, many of my friends have...a few of them have even posted frequently enough to attain ELITE membership, which entitles you to all sorts of swanky parties with free food and drink.

And speaking of swanky parties, Yelp is throwing their Ballroom Bash next Wednesday and you're totally invited. You don't have to be an Elite member to attend (though there will definitely be free food and drink); you just have to post at least one review on the site. All the details can be found here.

Since us Red Crossers want to be spotted in all of the hippest, coolest places, we're all over the Ballroom Bash. We'll be bringing along our infamous prize wheel, giving away gift certificates for places like the ultra-romantic Sapphire Hotel and chatting people up about our Singles and Comedy CPR classes.

This time around, all you have to do to "yelp" us out is show up!

Disaster Response Update

August 20:

Out in our Columbia River District, our disaster volunteers helped after a very late-night fire in The Dalles. Two clients were immediately hospitalized; we'll be there to help with clothes, food and lodging as soon as they get out.

Really Basic First Aid

First aid is about stitches and splints and bandages, right? Think again.

Sometimes first aid is just about lending an ear and holding a hand.

This blogger may have been trained in CPR and first aid, but really -- she just needed to be human; a comforting force.

Check out her story.

Photo courtesy of batega

Tune In, Animal Lovers!

Got a cat? A dog? A lizard? An urban chicken?

Then you might find today's episode of Ready Radio pretty handy. This time we focused our preparedness podcast on pets.

We packed the show to the brim with info and got the scoop about pet emergencies large and small from two pet experts. Professional pet sitter Amy Frankwick of Reigning Pets Northwest shared her experiences using pet first aid on the job and let us take an audio-peek into her own pet first aid kit. And Portland's popular intuitive animal communicator, Bridget Pilloud, led us through how pets react to disasters and techniques to help them adjust.


Listen online, and find the complete list of pet resource links on the Ready Radio site.

Practice Makes Perfect

So the pandemic flu has been in news coverage for quite awhile. This might cause one to feel apprehensive or fearful of the future and how to prepare. Luckily, I've just stumbled upon a new FREE online video game that allows YOU, yes you, to save the planet from total annihilation via influenza! It's called The Great Flu, and looks like a combination of Risk and the SimCity series...except with more virulent strains of a deadly virus.

Play now and buck up your "flu intelligence" by using real preparedness tips and scenarios such as closing schools, quarantining the ill and distributing a vaccine. Who knows, if the flu virus comes back in full effect this fall, you may even consider yourself an expert while helping your community...or you might just panic. But after reading our pandemic flu emergency tips, panicking will not be an option!

Blowing The Whistle On A CPR Save

Over the weekend, Denny -- a local soccer referee -- suffered a heart attack immediately following a 12-minute run, conducted for a MISOA fitness test. [If you didn't know, MISOA is the high school soccer official's association in the Portland metro area.]

A week and a half ago, Jamal completed his instructor training with the Red Cross , in preparation for being able to teach the course to co-workers at Multnomah County.

Fortunately for Denny, Jamal was well-trained and ready to jump into action when needed. Here's what one of the other people at the scene had to say:

"It was very scary today as we realized just how quickly the unexpected can occur. We are very fortunate that Jessica and Jamal administered CPR and kept him going until the paramedics arrived. Others helped by holding his hand and talking to him, the level of care and concern was meaningful.

According to his doctor, THANKFULLY, it appears that Denny will make a good recovery, although he will spend a few days at the hospital.

It is at times like this that I am reminded once again how wonderful our "soccer family" is, thanks to all of you."

You never know when you might need the skills to save a life -- the life of a friend, family member, co-worker or neighbor. Be prepared for anything; sign up for a CPR class today.

Photo courtesy of glennharper

"Stand Up, Stand Out, Stand Proud" Blood Drive

When you live in a cool city, that usually means that you rarely get the chance to check out the boutique-y and chic-y local lodging (why pay for a hotel when you have a bed of your own nearby?). Unless you have a really good reason... like helping to save lives.

This coming Tuesday, the Jupiter Hotel will be hosting the next Red Cross LGBTQ blood drive. Gay or straight, we invite you to come check out the event. If you can't donate blood, we encourage you to ask a family member or friend to donate. Maybe you can help out in a different way.

Just a reminder: the Red Cross (like every blood collection organization) operates under rules established by the Food and Drug Administration. There's a great blog about this right here.

Need more incentive in addition to a cool location and a good cause? Come for the blood drive, stay for the music. Beginning right as the blood drive ends at 8 p.m., the Doug Fir Lounge next door is hosting a night full of live, local indie rock.

Stand Up, Stand Out, Stand Proud

BLOOD DRIVE

Jupiter Hotel (800 E. Burnside)
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
3:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
To schedule your appointment, or for more information, contact Desiree Wagner at 503-201-0958 or desiree_wgnr@yahoo.com. You can also call 1-800-GIVE-LIFE or visit http://www.givelife.org/ and enter the sponsor code "standup."

Photo: eyeliam

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.]

TAIWAN: Red Crossers continue to support search and rescue efforts after Typhoon Morakot. Three teams with more than 200 volunteers have been mobilized. The terrain is difficult and can sometimes only be navigated by foot.

PAKISTAN: While hundreds of thousands of people are returning to the North-West Frontier Province, others are newly displaced. The ICRC is providing aid for both types of challenging transition.

SRI LANKA: Red Cross-distributed water filters are making a big difference for the health of villagers who are continuing to rebuild after the 2004 tsunami.

ISRAEL: To mark the 60th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions, the ICRC conducted a survey to gauge popular views of some of the core principles of international humanitarian law. Read some of the results here.

GLOSSARY:
ICRC = International Committee of the Red Cross
IFRC = International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Cool Jazz For A Hot Day

It's supposed to be a scorcher today, so I'm bringing you some sweet jazz that should help you cool off. Or at least "Take Five," as it were.



Why this particular composition? Not only because it's a classic, but also because this blog tells us that 50 years ago today:

Jazz pianist Dave Brubeck and his Quartet – Paul Desmond (saxophone), Eugene Wright (bass) and Joe Morello (drums) – laid down their indelible performance of the Desmond-penned classic, “Take Five,” during three summer sessions (June 25, July 1, and August 18) in 1959. Don Hunstein’s rare color shot of the foursome in short sleeves during the sessions at Columbia’s 30th Street Studio distills the essence of “Take Five,” an eternally cool sonic tonic for an endless summer night. Desmond left his royalties from the song, the first million-selling jazz single in Billboard’s Hot 100 history, to the American Red Cross.

What's more, according to this Wikipedia entry, upon his death in 1977, Desmond left the rights to royalties for performances and compositions to the Red Cross, which has since received combined royalties of approximately $100,000 per year.

How's that for music making a difference?!

You're Never Too Young To Learn CPR

Here's something that I bet you didn't know...the youngest students in our CPR classes are typically around 12 years old.

Note that these pre-teens are students in our ADULT CPR classes. And they're learning how to save a life before they can even get a learner's permit. That, my friends, is awesome.

What's more, we may even consider students that are younger than 12 in our classes. They just have to pass a written test and a skills test to receive certification. Skills tests do involve rolling over an adult and compressing the chest to 2 inches deep, which does requires a certain size child.

I tell you this because a recent study confirms that children as young as nine are capable of performing CPR and that the limiting factor (as mentioned above) was body weight, not age.

In fact, these kids -- ages 9 to 18 -- did pretty much as well as adults. Four months after taking a one-day course, 86 percent of the students were able to perform CPR correctly; more then 90 percent properly used an automated external defibrillator (AED); and 69 percent positioned the head correctly to open the airway.

Bottom line: the study authors concluded that grade-schools should consider offering CPR training. And we heartily agree!

Bob Ellis/The Oregonian

Disaster Response Update

August 17:

At approximately 4 a.m., disaster volunteers responded to a multi-family fire in Oregon City that displaced seven families. We're now providing assistance with food, clothes and lodging, as well as emotional support.

More Pie? But Why?

Because Robin didn't link to the AWESOME photos that she took of the CPR Pie entries!

Here's the set. Slideshow below!

Oh My, So Much Pie!

Pie, pie, pie, and more pie - that's what yesterday was all about.

As you'll recall, this year we sponsored and judged our very own category at the Portland Pie-Off. The CPR pie category required that the pie include ingredients beginning with the letters C, P, and R. The prize? A free CPR class and this awesome t-shirt.

Of the 72 total pies entered into the Portland Pie-Off, a dozen were in our category - which means that Lise and I had pretty good sugar buzzes by the time it was all over!

After some very tough deliberation (so tough that we just had to take second bites...oh the burden!) we awarded the blue ribbon to the Coconut Pinapple Rum caramel Pie (baker, Dereth, pictured above).



Each and every pie was deliciously creative, though. Just look at these combos!

- Chocolate, Pecan, Raisin (3rd place)
- Pear, Rosewater, Cardamom
- Peach, Raspberry, Cardamom
- Creme fraiche, Peach, Raspberry
- Candied ginger, Peach, Rum raisin (2nd place)
- Creme fraiche, Peach, Rhubarb
- Canadian bacon, Potato, Ricotta (Being a vegetarian I didn't taste it, but it smelled delicious. And carnivorous Lise said it was a very close runner up.)
- Cranberry, Pear, Rhubarb
- Chevre, Plum, Red wine
- Raspberry, Peach, Cherry
- Peach, Raspberry, Cream



We were honored and giddy to be part of such a purely joyful event. (You should have seen the grins on everyone walking around sampling pie.) Thank you to the Pie Commissioners for organizing it and to all the bakers who lent their creative talents to the subject of CPR.

We're already thinking about next year - wondering if we could have an AED pie category... or possibly pies made with at least one disaster kit item (mmm... peanut butter!)...

But for now I'm off to find a salad.

Photojournalism Beyond the Front Lines

We've all heard the saying that a picture is worth a thousand words. And it's true -- decades later, we still think of this haunting National Geographic cover or these LIFE Magazine photos that changed the world, while we'd struggle to recall an article written at the same time.

While I'm not going to Washington, D.C. any time soon, if I were, I'd make it a point to stop by the Newseum and check out the current exhibit -- Our World at War: Photojournalism Beyond the Front Lines. The International Committee of the Red Cross sent five award-winning photojournalists to eight war-torn and ravaged countries to document how war and armed violence have affected people’s lives. The exhibit of 40 photos will be on display until Sept. 7.

These incredible photojournalists are capturing images just as iconic as those taken by Eddie Adams during the Vietnam War. Read more about them and get a little taste of their work in this video.


Eleven-year-old Ozias waits at a temporary resting place in the conflict-torn Democratic Republic of the Congo, wondering whether his parents are still alive. (Ron Haviv/ICRC/VII)

Disaster Response Update

August 14:

Disaster volunteers responded to a single family fire in Rainier, Oregon. While the fire actually occurred on August 13, the family did not contact the Red Cross because they had insurance. However, since the adjustor wasn't available until Monday, we stepped in to help with food and clothing. The family has lodging with relatives.

Real World - Red Cross, CA

I don't really know what's going on with these cartoon preparedness videos from California's Bay Area Red Cross, but I figured I'd share them with you fine people anyway.

Red Cross: The Roommates

Real World icon courtesy greengirlsglobal.com

Sweetest Love Story Ever

Thank you to this blogger for sharing the heart-meltingly beautiful story of how her grandma and grandpa met and fell in love through the Red Cross...

They had met when my grandmother volunteered as a Red Cross worker in the small community of Oretown, where her family had a modest farm on the Oregon coast. She randomly drew his name from a list of lonely young soldiers to write to during WWI. They initially corresponded as friends, fell in love through the post over one and one-half years and, after he was discharged from the service, he came home to court her formally and ask her parents, Christian and Mathilde, for her hand. They married and built a life together that eventually found them retired in that lovely cabin in Long Beach, Washington.

Wouldn't that make the most romantic movie? (Hello, Hollywood! We know you're reading.)

Read the full story here.


Photo: flickr / Jayegirl99

Looking for Some Guiltless 'Me-Time'? Donate Platelets.

Life is busy. Between work, the gym, volunteering and little mundane (yet necessary) activities, I feel like I hardly ever have time to relax. My boyfriend says that I have a physical inability to relax and that I constantly have to be doing "something productive."

It's not that I don't like lounging around the house doing nothing (in fact, I love it), it's just that I sometimes feel guilty for having "me time." Shouldn't I be cleaning the house, doing laundry, writing a 'thank you' note, grocery shopping, or doing one of the other millions of things on my To-Do list?

(Ok, moving on to the point of this post; I'm getting stressed out as I type.)

If you suffer from "Me-Time Guilt" and "To-Do List Syndrome" (both definitely not official terms) like I do, I have the perfect solution for you: donate platelets at the Red Cross. It's the most guilt-free way to relax AND do something productive and philanthropic (help save lives!). The platelet donation process takes up to two hours, giving you plenty of time for some R&R. The Red Cross has a library of movies to chose from (or bring your own) that you can watch while you're donating... completely guiltless Me-Time!

This week the Red Cross in Portland is experiencing a high number of cancellations for platelet donations. We need you to help ensure that platelets are available for patients in need. Please call 1-800-GIVE-LIFE or visit http://www.givelife.org/ to make a platelet donation appointment.

Photo courtesy of Katiebate

Give Us Your Guess: Paleotempestology

I'm trying to build my nerd cred, but hopelessly failing at the task. Try as I might, I'm just cool. I can't help it!

(Note: You can't see this, but my tongue is firmly in cheek. Honest.)

But if there's one thing -- one little tiny thing -- that I do geek out on, it's words. I love puns and wordplay and writing of all sorts. I might not read from the dictionary every night, but I do keep my AP Style Guide handy and have http://www.m-w.com/ bookmarked, just in case.

So it's with great pleasure that I give you my new favorite word: PALEOTEMPESTOLOGY.

I'm hoping you'll guess what it means and leave your answer in the comments, but I know you guys will be plagued by curiousity until you pop it into Google.

So I'll give you a hint. If you want to know what PALEOTEMPESTOLOGY means and how it relates to disasters, check out this fascinating NPR story.

Paleontology (NOT paleotempestology!) photo © The Field Museum, #GN89860_3c

H1N1 Vaccine: What Are Your Thoughts?

In a time of pandemic, there might not be enough vaccine for every American. If that's the case, who should get vaccinated first? The elderly? The young? Healthcare workers?

These are the types of questions that agencies like the CDC and hospitals around the country ask themselves all the time. And here's YOUR chance to be part of the discussion as it relates to H1N1.

If you're interested in providing the CDC with some feedback, a public meeting is being held in Spokane, Washington on August 29. You can find out more about the other meetings happening around the country right here.

If, however, you don't feel like driving but do want to contribute, check out the two-day online dialogue. Those dates happening late August/early September and there are some participation requirements that you have to meet. Find out more here.

This is your opportunity to make your voice heard on the H1N1 vaccination program -- don't miss out!

Disaster Response Update

August 12:

Disaster volunteers responded to a duplex fire in outer SE Portland. Two adults and one child received assistance with lodging, food and clothes. Today, mental health volunteers will follow up to see if additional emotional support is needed.

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.]


PHILIPPINES, TAIWAN, CHINA: Each area's respective Red Cross societies are busy responding to Typhoon Morakot - manning evacuation centers, helping with search and rescue missions and providing relief items like rice, cooking oil, fast noodles, and bottled drinking water.

DARFUR: ICRC workers are assisting more than a half-million people with medical care, livestock vaccinations, seeds, tools and more.

UGANDA: 73,000 returnees who had been displaced by fighting are now receiving an acre's worth of sorghum seed from the ICRC to restart their crops after a drought-induced food shortage.

GEORGIA: For the past year, the Georgian Red Cross has been providing support for some 30,000 people still displaced by the August 2008 hostilities between Georgia and Russia, and their work is not done.

AFGHANISTAN: With thousands of Red Crossers providing food assitance, medical supplies, limb-fitting, water sanitation, international humanitarian law promotion and detainee visits, this is one of the ICRC's largest operations worldwide.

WORLDWIDE: Today is the 60th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions. CNN explains what they are and why they're relevant. For an in-depth perspective, here is ICRC President Jakob Kellenberger's full address.



GLOSSARY:
ICRC = International Committee of the Red Cross
IFRC = International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Swinging The Night Away

Every once in a while, I hear about things at work that we USED to do, but don't do anymore. Most of them are no big loss, but every once in a while, I hear about one that makes me think, "We totally should do that again!"

For example, several years back, we held a fancy five-course winter-y fundraising dinner with Bridgeport Brewing. Yum -- definitely something I'd like to repeat.

In any case, today I heard about an event that we haven't done for nearly 15 years...but that I'm going to try my darndest to bring back.

The celebration? A USO-style "victory dance," held in the ballroom of the Portland Art Museum.

Those of you who are into the Society for Creative Anachronism or historical re-enactment might already get where I'm going. Big band, swing dancing, 40's garb. People of all ages embracing an earlier time and the the charity that was there through it all...yeah, that's us.

You can read about some similar events here, here and here. Now to find out if the Portland Swing Dance Club OR the local Lindyhop group OR Tony Starlight's (my personal favorite) already have a similar event and if they'd consider (hint, hint) making the Red Cross a beneficiary.

If you happen to know of anything like this that's already happening in Portland, let us know. It would be such a FUN fundraiser and we've already got all the gear!

Catastrophe. Survival. Reality TV.

"Step into the compound where The Colony must survive." No, that isn't a cool Schwarzenegger quote. It's the tag line of Discovery Channel's new show "The Colony," the latest idea at gaining reality television ratings on a "science-based" network. Now, I'll be honest; the show feels more like Jerry Springer than MacGyver, but they throw some cool survival stuff in the mix, for instance:

-The "Colony" is composed of people with different skills to theoretically survive (Doctor, Engineer, Biologist, etc.)
-They have instances that hint at actual scientific techniques, such as creating a water filter and a solar energy utility
-There's an awesome post-apocalyptic feel to the show that is ridiculously entertaining, if not realistic

You be the judge: another reality television failure or a great way to showcase survival skills? Watch it Tuesdays at 10pm.

Image courtesy of zatori.dk

Fun With Fires And Volcanos

It's been a while since I've checked out one of my favorite blogs, Safety Graphic Fun. It's an often laugh-out-loud funny look at signage from all over the world -- complete with little stick figures getting in all sort of trouble.

I wanted to point you to two images that I found particularly scary/amusing. First, a sign from Turkey that explains (?) how to operate a fire extinguisher.



Suffice it to say that this is much more complicated -- at least based on the illustrations -- than the recommendation to PASS. Or, for those who aren't acronym savvy: Pull the pin. Aim low. Squeeze the lever slowly and evenly. Sweep the nozzle from side-to-side.

Next, a volcano safety sign, which should leave you feeling anything but out of danger.



You can take a closer look at the rest of the sign here and get some volcano safety tips here.

Have you seen a funny safety sign (check our contribution out here)? Send it on to SafetyGraphicFun [at] gmail [dot] com.

10 GPS Gadgets That Could Save Your Life

A few are for pros, and a few are for regular folks like you and me. But ALL of them are pretty amazing.

Whether you're hiking, skydiving, snowboarding, driving, or just wandering around, these 10 GPS gadgets could save your life.


P.S. Yes, one of them is an iPhone app.

P.P.S. Thanks to Wendy for alerting me to this article.

Flickr Finds: AED in Par-ee!

Recognize this lady? It's Jen Sedell, Oregon Community Action Corps manager (and part of our Red Cross team) standing in France (and it's actually Sault, not Paris) with a "defibrillateur."

Impressive that, even on a trip halfway across the world, Red Crossers still think about keeping people safe!

Meet The Scrub Club

We've talked before about the importance of preventing the spread of influenza (and many other viruses) by washing your hands. And now, with H1N1 and flu season upon us, it's more important than ever to make sure your kids have learned proper washing hygiene.

Sure, you can sing a song, but you can also introduce your kiddos to the Scrub Club.

From Chill to Taki, these characters will walk you through the steps of handwashing in a fun way. Should you wet your hands with iced tea? Dry them on your dog? Apply applesauce? Suffice it to say, if you pick these answers, the Scrub Club team will politely point you in the right direction, reminding you that applesauce goes better with pork chops than on your hands.

And, oh, how I swoon for Big E (aka E.Coli), the "rott 'n roll" star! But if you're not a fan, you can always play a match game and send him back to Grossland where he belongs. And Gel-Mo? Don't get me started.

Honestly, this is the cutest way I can think of to master the art of handwashing. And, as a kid at heart, I had a good time playing the games.

Pass http://www.scrubclub.org/ along to others; now's the season to get started with good habits!

Flickr Finds: A Disaster Response, In Photos

Did you know that, in Oregon, the Red Cross responds to a housefire approximately every 8 hours?

That means that -- in less time than it takes you to watch Season 2 of Mad Men in preparation for this Sunday's season premiere -- the Red Cross heard about a fire, headed to the scene, comforted the family, made sure they had food, clothing and a safe place to spend the night...and geared up to do it again.

Now you can see the work of these amazing disaster volunteers for yourself with a fabulous Flickr photo set from the Bay Area Chapter.

In this case, the Red Cross was called to help after a fire that displaced four families. Now see what they did.

You Have Six Days Left To Enter Your Pie!

You do remember that this Sunday is the Portland Pie-Off, right? It's only one of the best events in Portland.

Lise and I are getting eager to judge your entry for the CPR Pie category. (You remember, right? The one with ingredients beginning with the letters C, P, and R? You win an awesome t-shirt and a free CPR class if we like yours best!)

We just got our official judging instructions from the Pie Commissioner, and I'm sort of nervous now. I've never judged a culinary contest before. It's different than just eating pie. There are protocols to be followed, like avoiding spicy foods before the tasting and refraining from wearing lotions that might interfere with the olfactory senses.

AND we'll be judging alongside pie experts, like: Greg Abbott of Whiffies Fried Pie Cart, Tricia Butler of Sassafras Catering (last year’s Pie-Off winner), Joe of Stone Pie Joe’s, and Sarah Curtis-Fawley of Pacific Pie Company. Talk about intimidating!

It's a good thing our staff picnic dessert contest is on Friday so I can practice my tasting technique.


Portland Pie-Off
Sunday, August 16th, 1:00pm
Peninsula Park (Site B: corners of N. Ainsworth, N. Albina and Rosa Parks Way)


P.S. You can register your pie entry online.

P.P.S. You watch a "mini pie-off" on Friday (8/14) evening on KGW's Live at 7.


Photo via flickr's Pop Elegantiarum.

Everybody seems to think I'm lazy...

... I don't mind. I think they're crazy!

Remember the lazy-person-friendly blood donor campaign I told you about a few months ago? The one that gives you the chance to win a free La-Z-Boy recliner or gift card? Well good news, fellow lazies, the "Sit Back, Relax, and Donate" campaign is still happening... and you could be one of the three winners!

Enter the contest by presenting to donate blood or platelets before August 31, 2009 at a Red Cross drive in the PNW area. Beginning next week, La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries will also be hosting special “Sit Back, Relax and Donate” blood drives at five of their stores in the Portland area. These drives will include special giveaways!

La-Z-Boy Blood Drives
Monday, August 10th -- 11am-4pm -- Tualatin and Beaverton
Tuesday,August 18th -- 10am-3pm -- Salem
Friday, August 21st -- 12pm-5pm -- Clackamas
Monday, August 31st -- 11am-4pm -- Portland

So get up off the couch and make a blood donation appointment today! Call 1-800-GIVE-LIFE or visit http://www.givelife.org/.

Photo: 3 Cats on a Recliner from Flickr

"Friend" Bend!

[Forgive me. I haven't posted in a week, and I had some pent-up ryhme that I had to use in that headline.]

Our buddies down in Bend just started a Facebook group for the Oregon Mountain River chapter of the American Red Cross. They serve Crook, Deschutes, Grant, Harney, Jefferson and Wheeler counties and Warm Springs Reservation, and by the looks of their photo album they enjoy their work! Just look at the photo above from their Wilderness First Aid class. Pure fun. (...And learning, and saving lives... yes, yes, that too.)

Anyway, if you want to "friend" our buddies in Bend here's the link!

Red Cross Piggy Bank

What do you think of this image, from the folks at the Masschusetts Bay (Boston) chapter? Attention-getting, no?

Francisco Teaches Child CPR

Last week, we posted a video from Portland's Univision featuring our instructor Francisco Ianni. Great information; wrong video.

Now we've got the right one, as well as some words from the teacher himself:

Sus habilidades para salvar vidas no sólo serán cruciales durante un desastre, sino también en una situación de emergencia que puede pasar en cualquier lugar en cualquier momento. Hay muchas situaciones potencialmente peligrosas que pueden ocurrir donde usted vive y trabaja. El estar listo para responder le ayudará a aprender a cómo mantener seguros a su familia y compañeros de trabajo.

Aprenda los pasos de acciones en caso de emergencias: Inspeccione la escena y a la víctima; Llame al 9-1-1 o a su numero de emergencia local; Cuide a la victima. Enseñe a los niños como marcar 9-1-1 en caso de una emergencia.

Esto podría salvar una vida.

Para anotarse en una clase por favor llame 503-528-5614.

WATCH THE VIDEO

Disaster Response Update

August 4:

Our Direct Assistance Specialist helped a client whose mobile home in Arlington, Ore. was completely destroyed. The fire occurred around midnight and the client slept outside until this morning, when he drove to Portland to stay with relatives. We provided assistance with food and clothing.

He's No Chicken Little...

Whatcha doing this Thursday night?

Want to meet the Prophet of Doom?

Every month, our disaster volunteers get together for a meeting and invite a very special guest to present. This month, it's James Roddey from the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI).

Roddey's name should sound awfully familiar -- he's all over our newspapers (see here and here) and has been on OPB with some regularity (see here and here).

Why? Because he travels the Pacific Northwest explaining the relationship between natural hazards like earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, landslides -- all hot topics around these parts.

What's more, Roddey is ENTERTAINING and EASY TO UNDERSTAND...though wrapped in his whimsical delivery is an important message: In the past 10,000 years, there have been 20 documented great earthquakes along the Cascadia Subduction Zone and, in short, "It's going to happen again!"

Though Roddey assures us that The Big One will be a "horrific, scary, terrible event," keep in mind that he doesn't like to be called Chicken Little. He prefers PROPHET OF DOOM. Seriously. Man, the guy is already cracking me up (and yes, pun totally intended).

While these meetings are always open to the public, I don't normally extend such a wide invitation. But, honestly, you don't want to miss this.

Thursday, August 6
6:30p-8:00p
Oregon Trail Chapter Boardroom
3131 N. Vancouver Ave.

Portland: Most Awesomest City Ever

Last week was a big week for our fair city, as we were picked for several of those "Most Awesomest City Ever" lists.

Two that caught my eye -- taking 2nd for large cities in average volunteer hours and taking 16th in the "Best City for Singles" competition.

Okay, okay. So I'm only excited about the second one because it proves that our Singles CPR classes are a good idea.

But I'm excited about the first one because it proves that Oregonians care deeply about giving back, helping their community and doing it all for just the warm, fuzzy feeling -- no pay. They are conscientious, caring and passionate. Perhaps I should be working on a post about why volunteering is just as sexy as giving blood?

In any case, a hearty thank you to the whopping 36.7% of Portlanders who volunteer. And to the 1.015 million Oregonians who do as well. Read more here and than consider generously putting that spirit of giving to work with us!

Photo courtesy of Matt McGee

Disaster Response Update

August 2:

Disaster volunteers responded to an apartment fire in Banks, OR. The fire affected one unit, displacing two adults, a child and an infant. We provided lodging and assistance with food and clothing.