Timeline of Disaster Relief (1936)

When one hears about all of the activities the Red Cross is in the process of undertaking internationally, one can't help but question what would happen if disaster struck here. A recently found document from 1936 allows us a peak as to what happens during a disaster, from the command centers' perspective. A log from the command center of Oregon Governor Charles H. Martin 74 years ago this week when the Oregon South Coast was threatened by fire, a fire that destroyed the community of Bandon.

“This document gives a complete new insight into the destruction of Bandon in 1936,” notes Judy Know, the executive director of the Bandon Historical Society Museum. “It tells a lot about how the fire was perceived and fought, and how a variety of people and agencies — from an empathetic resident of Salem to the massive federal government — responded to the catastrophic events here. It’s an inside view and a completely different perspective that none of the fire’s survivors or Historical Society members had ever had our hands on before.”

Here are some excerpts from the document, with more available at The Bandon Western World-

Sept. 27, 1936

8 a.m.: Governor learns of fire situation and orders Red Cross, Oregon State Police and Oregon Army National Guard contacted to begin mobilizing aid.

8:15 a.m.: San Francisco Red Cross is sending food, medical, shelter and other aid while calling on national Red Cross organization for additional help. Twenty state police officers are dispatched to the area from Eugene, Roseburg and Salem. National Guard Brig.-Gen. Thomas E. Rilea puts the Guard unit at Marshfield (Coos Bay) on alert. U.S. Naval Reserve Ensign James P. Biland starts amateur radio operator chain between Marshfield and Salem in case fire takes out phone lines in the Coquille area, where fire is reported to be endangering the city.

10 a.m.: National Guard units at Clackamas, Eugene, Roseburg and Grants Pass put on alert. U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Pulaski from Marshfield is anchored off Bandon and waiting for flood tide; Cutter Onondago from Astoria to arrive at Bandon around 8 p.m.

12:40 p.m.: Governor contacts Ninth U.S. Army Corps commander Maj.-Gen. George S. Simonds to request loan of cots, blankets, cook stoves and utensils; also may need troops to fight fire; Simonds to forward request to Washington, D.C. Three Work Projects Administration trucks were dispatched to the coast carrying federal commodities including 175 cases of beer, 68 sacks of flour, 450 blankets, 25 cots and an unspecified amount of canned fruits and vegetables.

6:24 p.m.: Portland police chief offers aid of its Sunshine Division.

8:50 p.m.: Highway Commission concentrating on keeping communications open and enabling free movement of firefighters and evacuees, if necessary. Twenty commission trucks and 150 men sent to the area from Eugene and Grants Pass-Medford. Two men with firefighting equipment assigned to each wooden bridge.

11:15 p.m.: Marion County Red Cross calls to offer aid; has a good supply of clothing.

Sept. 28, 1936

4:10 p.m.: Telegram received from President Franklin D. Roosevelt — I am much distressed at reports reaching us of the disastrous coast fires. Stop. Please keep me fully advised. Stop. I am instructing all federal agencies to render whatever assistance possible.

4:40 p.m.: Gov. Martin’s reply — Fire situation greatly improved due to higher humidity and low velocity of winds. Stop. No other cities in immediate danger unless weather conditions change for the worse. Stop.

Photo 1: Oregon State Archives- Occupied Areas Before/After Fire

Photo 2: Oregon Historical Society

Photo 3: KDRV (Medford)

Science 'Fact'ion

A (good) problem the geniuses behind science fiction are having these days is that the 'fiction' keeps becoming 'fact'. Many of the items from Star Trek have become a reality, and every day new innovations bring us closer to our dreams. This is precisely why SyFy Channel set up a website called dvice to present science fact. Over the past week several key technologies with potential for disaster relief have been mentioned.

A common sight after a major disaster are tent cities of both relief personnel and evacuees. As any camp-friendly Oregonian knows, tents can be small, unclean, and prone to the outside influences that tend to cause these disasters (such as hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, and civil unrest). A quick to deploy, large, and structurally sound 'building' is the ideal solution and is quickly becoming a reality. Take a look below at Concrete Cloth, a 'building in a bag' that inflates with an air compressor and then hardens with an application of water. The exterior becomes a ceramic, that is waterproof and fireproof.



Another challenge relief personnel face comes from the need of an extensive communication system- a system at risk of being wiped out by a major disaster. Swiss-based lab EPFL thinks they have a solution, in easy to deploy micro air vehicles. The SMAVNET (Swarming Micro Air Vehicle Network) can be deployed by simply throwing the vehicles into the air, as demonstrated below, which then achieve a hover pattern above the disaster area that sets up a wireless network which allows responders to use their phones and computers. Another development worth note is that mobile phones can be tracked by the point which they connect to, meaning that disaster alerts could be sent to phones within a certain area.



What if a disaster could be prevented from ever occurring? Hurricanes and Typhoons are known to form over hot water, typically giving us a few days of advanced notice to prepare. That same time has the potential for downgrading the storms all-together, by cooling the water it is predicted to travel over. Japan is particularly at risk to East Pacific typhoons, and a submarine manufacturing firm has an idea for taking on the typhoons. A fleet of specially designed submarines could be equipped with water cannons to spray cool water over vast areas that would reduce the hot water that fuels the storms.



Do you think any of these ideas have a place in reality, or should they go back to science fiction? And do you have any ideas that could make disaster relief or preparation easier?

EARTH The Book The Mention

While I might not be the biggest book reader, nor am I actively politically minded, I do enjoy a funny book that pokes fun at just about everything. That is why I was glad to see The Daily Show with Jon Stewart Presents EARTH (The Book) on sale, similar in style to their previous guide, America (The Book). EARTH covers all the basics of humanity and it's interactions on planet earth, presented as a guide for aliens to find. Everything from safety tips for Earthquakes (Stay away from chandeliers, shelves containing bowling balls and California), imaginary wilderness indigenous to supermarket magazine racks, to even defining love (scientifically through the chemical reactions at the synapse level).

To be expected from the Daily Show team, they also poke fun at society and culture. One section discusses the concept of altruism, the selfless regard to our fellow man. This includes a scale comparing the various types of donation, with canned food (there is no expiration date on love) at the bottom and body organs (ideally without waking up in a bathtub full of ice) on top. Donating blood actually appears near the bottom, just above monetary donations and below barely wearable clothing. Apparently one of the major collection methods for monetary donations comes from viewers in an effort to get celebrities to stop embarrassing themselves on telethons.

On the flip side, the war section discusses the violent nature of our species. It includes the supposed original Geneva Convention drafted by the International Red Cross, proclaiming that soldiers can attack healthy people but can't attack the wounded, hospitals, or anything related to the Red Cross. And they mean anything related to the Red Cross-

"You may not shoot members of the Red Cross (not even a little), nor prevent them from inspecting your prisons, nor touch their property, nor leave live hand grenades in their medical kits... nor fling dead rats at them for a laugh nor... look, just stay away from the Red Cross, OK? Who do you think wrote this thing?" (Page 116)

So there you have it- donating blood is relatively easy, and volunteering with the Red Cross is a means to avoid war. At least according to this guide, which is now becoming part of my car preparedness kit since humor has it's own healing qualities.

Photo: Entertainment Weekly

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. It's a non-comprehensive sampling of the larger and/or more intriguing aspects of our global work...

HAITI: Red Cross emergency response teams were quickly deployed to camps across Port-au-Prince when a severe and unexpected thunderstorm left thousands of families without tents and tarps.

PAKISTAN: The ICRC continues to assist thousands of people displaced by both the flooding and the fighting.

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO: Acting as a neutral intermediary, the ICRC facilitated the handover to Congolese authorities of two pilots released in North Kivu.

COLOMBIA: Briseida González saved an 11-year old girl's life after an anti-personnel mine accident in a remote village. The ICRC trains villagers like González in first aid so that they might be able to deal with an emergency in the absence of a doctor or nurse.

WORLDWIDE: Do you know exceptional nurses or nursing aides who have worked in natural disasters or armed conflicts? Nominate them for the Florence Nightingale Medal.

GLOSSARY:

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

How Much Does A Hurricane Weigh?

"I don't know and I don't care!"

That may be what the guy in this video says, but I know YOU feel differently. The answer depends on whether you measure in elephants or blue whales (radio vs. cartoon), but rest assured, the answer will BLOW YOUR MIND.


P.S. I'll give you a hint. A storm cloud holds the water weight of 15 million elephants.

Roll Up Your Sleeves for Free Cinetopia Tickets!

The Top 11 reasons the Cinetopia Movie Theater in Vancouver is worth the drive:

1. Extra Wide Leather Seating
2. Extra Wide Rows - 1 to 3 Extra Feet
3. 50% Steeper Stadium Seating
4. Digital Super High Definition Projection in Every Theater
5. Finest Dolby / Klipsch Sound System
6. Giant Curved Screens up to 50 feet wide
7. Special Living Room Theaters with Private Box Seating & Footrests
8. Premium Concessions / Gourmet Popcorn Bar
9. Upscale American Grill Restaurant
10. Lunch and Dinner available in Theaters
11. BECAUSE YOUR BLOOD DONATION GETS YOU A FREE PASS!

All presenting donors at the Clark County and Portland Donor Centers of the Red Cross will receive ONE free pass to Cinetopia's "Living Room Theater" for any showing except opening nights. Free tickets expire on November 11th.

This amazing offer is only available Wednesday, September 29th and Thursday, September 30th.

Clark County Donor Center Hours

Wednesday, September 29^th Drive Hours: 7:30am -12:30pm

Thursday, September 30^th Drive Hours: 7:30am -1:00pm

Portland Donor Center Hours

Wednesday, September 29^th Drive Hours: 11:15am -5:45pm

Thursday, September 30^th Drive Hours: 8:00am -2:30pm

To schedule a donation for this awesome deal, please call 503-284-4040, option 1 to schedule. Don't miss out!

Graphic courtesy of meetupstatic.com

You're Invited!

We'll be there...will you?

FINAL CONTEST: #just1thing For Your Pets

Sure, we've talked about preparing kids and families, but for many Portlanders, there's one VIP that we might have missed. So, for this final week of Preparedness Month, we're turning our attention to animals for our second annual #just1thing contest.

WEEK FOUR: PREPAREDNESS FOR YOUR PETS

If you send us a tweet this week with what you're doing to prepare your pets and tag it with#just1thing, you'll be entered for a chance to win a pet emergency and first aid kit, valued at $100. [Big thanks to our amazing partners at Oregon Public Health Emergency Preparedness for providing...see here for rules.]

Get busy and tweet us with how you're getting Rover ready for anything...we'd love to hear it!

P.S. Whether you win or not, here's our list for getting your pets prepared. You should also consider signing up for Pet First Aid.

Photo courtesy of our friends at the Oregon Humane Society

The Emergency Bra Can Now Be Yours

Remember last December when we told you about The Bra That Could Save Your Life? You know, the one that converts into a pair of fully-functional face masks in the event of disaster?(Perhaps you recall the inventor's Ig Nobel Prize acceptance speech here.)

Well, we just found out that this amazing invention - which adds new meaning to the term "wonder bra" - is now available for purchase! I was a little surprised to find that it's only $29.99. That's a decent price for any bra - let alone one that could save two lives.

So ladies, check it out. And guys, it's not to early to start thinking about holiday gifts. Just sayin'. You can't go wrong with a gift that's both lovely and life-saving.

The Ride for Red Starts...Yesterday!

You think you like riding bikes? Well, these people REALLY like riding bikes.

Yesterday was the start of a cross-border fundraiser to benefit both the American Red Cross and Canadian Red Cross. The Ride for Red is a 4000 km (2485 mile) bike tour from Calgary, AB to Santa Monica, CA. The goal is to raise 1 million dollars for each organization. Four full time riders (Miss Canada and three Olympians), 20 celebrity riders and various day riders will participate.

What I'm most excited about is that the ride is coming through Portland on Oct. 15-16. Ummmm...and have you seen the photos of the riders? I'm betting you wouldn't kick any of them out of your bobsled. Nice picks, Red Cross.

In any case, you can follow the team's progress online via any of these sites:

Web: www.therideforred.com

Blog: www.rideforred.org

Twitter: www.twitter.com/therideforred

Facebook: www.facebook.com/therideforred

Youtube: www.youtube.com/rideforredORG

Hopefully we'll get some photos of their PDX visit next month!

Celebrating Two Decades of Hope

As the American Red Cross Holocaust and War Victims Tracing Center celebrates it's 20th birthday, I thought I'd share some of our photos of those we've helped locally.

It's incredible to think about two decades helping survivors reconnect. Since opening its doors for the first time in Baltimore on September 24, 1990, Tracing Center volunteers have processed more than 43,000 requests for information and more than 1,600 families have been brought together through the work of the center.

That’s So Portland!

“That’s so Portland!” I've been it told so many times the exact criteria is indiscernible. Since I moved from northern Indiana (Mishawaka to be exact) on August 19th, I've been trying to figure out what makes something "so Portland."

I was invited to crash a dinner party with a fellow AmeriCorps member's family last weekend. Among the hilarious and fascinating topics of conversation that came up was the Swifts that roost in the smokestack of Chapman School, described to me as being very "Portland". They told me a charming history and tradition of the students and staff sacrificing; the preservation efforts; the hundreds of picnickers, and yes, the thousands of Swifts. What made them descriptive of the city?

I took it for granted and followed the flow of conversation, but intended to heed the admonishment that I had “to go see it before the end of the month.” Two days later I was surprised to find that an unexpected Red Cross outreach activity brought me to Chapman School. Just after the event began I slipped away from the information table and went to see this much foretold Portlandesque delight.

I enjoyed the few moments I could take in the activity and returned to my duties, confused. I know so many people back in Indiana who would think this occurrence fantastic. This isn't so unique; it could be happening anywhere. What makes this “so Portland?”

So help me out. Why is this/how is anything “Portland?”

Photo courtesy of Rhapsody in Books Weblog
http://rhapsodyinbooks.wordpress.com/

More Info:
http://backyardbirdshop.com/index.php/site/article/vauxs_swift1/

http://audubonportland.org/local-birding/swiftwatch

Make A Bed, Make A Difference

As much as I enjoy dressing like a 50's housewife, I rarely act like one.

More specifically, I don't cook or clean -- I like to pay restaurants and professionals for such privileges.

But there is ONE thing that I do every day, without fail...I ALWAYS make my bed.

There's just something about coming home to straightened sheets and plump pillows that makes going to bed relaxing and not stress-inducing. Plus, when friends drop by unexpectedly, you can skip that stern warning of "Do NOT go in there!" for at least one room.

Even if you're not a real-life bed-maker, you can practice your skills virtually with a new Facebook app from TownePlace Suites by Marriott. Just go to www.facebook.com/makeabed, click to "virtually" make a bed and TownePlace Suites will donate $2 to Red Cross disaster relief. The company's goal is to donate up to $50,000 by November 1, 2010.

Give it a try and tell your friends. If four of them join you, you'll be entered to win a 7-night stay at any participating TownePlace Suites location.

Having a professional make my bed for a week? Now that sounds like my kind of contest.

Being Prepared for the Unexpected

Even though it is Preparedness Month, sometimes we see Red Cross related news that even catches us off guard. Here are a few amazing/interesting/awkward stories from the past two weeks.

If the film Forest Gump taught us anything, it was that running long distances can be a great way to raise awareness (Also- that chocolate is amazing). Meet Australian Pat Farmer. At 48 years old, he holds many Australian running records and has run around the entire country and through the desert interior. Now, he is planning to run from the North Pole to the South Pole in a 13,000 mile/ 11-month journey (including through North America). Why does he want to do this? To increase awareness of international water and sanitation programs, and hopefully raise $100,000 for the Red Cross. After the trip is over, he plans to come back to the States to visit the United Nations and make an additional appeal for help.

Speaking of a 'world's longest' to raise awareness, the British Red Cross is preparing a 30,000 mile taxi ride from London to Sydney. Using a vintage London black cab, three friends hope to raise 20,000 pounds for the British Red Cross while taking 8 months to travel through four continents. Their adventure will be posted online at http://www.itsonthemeter.com/.

And speaking of the British Red Cross, they recently conducted a study on the effects of alcoholism on youth. In the UK they might not be able to legally purchase alcohol until they are 18, but they can consume it privately at age 5 and publicly at age 16. This means that occasionally youth have to deal with drunk friends getting injured or losing consciousness. To find out just how many and how young, the British Red Cross took a poll of 2,500 British kids and found one in seven young people (some as young as 11) have had to deal with a drunk friend facing an emergency. Only 10% called emergency responders, and over half called their parents. This has become a call to action for the British Red Cross to train youth in the importance of first-aid and dealing with crisis situations.

Apparently youth don't learn how to deal with crisis situations from video games, but they aren't all completely without benefit. Eve Online is a massive multiplayer online game and features a rather unique system in which gametime can be purchased as an in-game Pilot License Extension (PLEX) that can be traded or sold to others. Now, the developer is allowing PLEX cards to be traded back into donations for the Pakistani Red Crescent for flood relief efforts. They held a similar program earlier this year for Haiti, and raised over $40,000 for the Red Cross. PLEX can also be destroyed if your character's ship is destroyed, as one person learned when they lost six years worth of game-time, so donating to a worthy cause sounds like a much more appropriate use. And, it sounds like a better video game than the recently announced 'Blood Drive', that involves running over zombies instead of saving lives through blood donations.

A more appropriate mention of a blood drive would be this one from the Comstock Inn in Saginaw, Michigan. Carol Stutzman was donating to reach the incredible milestone of 22 Gallons. That is at least 176 donations! If you donated every 56 days, that would still take 27 years to achieve. Which Carol strives to do, as she is actually an Oregonian who was in Michigan visiting family. Domestic travel doesn't necessarily mean you don't have an opportunity to donate, as the American Red Cross collects blood across much of the United States.

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. It's a non-comprehensive sampling of the larger and/or more intriguing aspects of our global work...

KYRGYZSTAN: In July and August the Red Crescent Society of Kyrgyzstan, in cooperation with the Ministry of Health, WHO and UNICEF, gave free polio vaccinations to 95 percent of children aged under five throughout the country.

MALI/NIGER: In response to the food crisis, the ICRC has distributed aid to more than 300,000 people.

WORLDWIDE: Is the law of war suited to today's conflicts? The ICRC has just completed a two-year study on the current state of international humanitarian law.

WORLDWIDE: “For the first time in human history more people live in towns and cities than in the countryside, but the world has not kept pace with this change. This is why more people live in slums or informal settlements than ever before, and this will lead to more people being affected by urban disasters like the terrible earthquake which struck Haiti earlier this year, " says Bekele Geleta, IFRC Secretary General, referencing the findings of the newly launched World Disasters Report.

WORLDWIDE: Are you between the ages of 18-25? Involved in youth and humanitarian issues? Apply for the ICRC's Young Reporter Competition before October 1.

GLOSSARY:

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

Future Fashion Trend or First Aid Innovation?

In the future, your clothes may come in a can. So may your bandages.

That is if fashion designer Manuel Torres has anything to say about it. He has created a new "spray on fabric" that molds to your body. I don't know about the fashion implications (would you wear a spray-on shirt?), but the new material's first aid prospects have me intrigued. Torres says medicinal coating could be added to the mix, making spray on bandages that could help wounds heal faster.

We've featured many things that come in a can on this blog. Cheese, bacon, even sandwiches. But this may be the strangest so far. Check out the video. This is some pretty futuristic stuff.

CONTEST: #just1thing For The Workplace

After last week's focus on families, we're turning our attention to the office for our second annual #just1thing contest.

WEEK THREE: PREPAREDNESS FOR THE WORKPLACE

If you send us a tweet this week with what you're doing to prepare your workplace (or anywhere else!) and tag it with #just1thing, you'll be entered for a chance to win a 10-person emergency kit, valued at $299. [Big thanks to our amazing partners at Oregon Public Health Emergency Preparedness for providing...see here for rules.]

Couple caveats:

1. Just because this is "workplace week" doesn't mean the winner of this kit couldn't use it elsewhere. It's perfect if you've got a (really big) family and it would be great for an organization (think church or synagogue).

2. This is our very biggest and best prize of the month -- don't miss it!

So tweet us with your wisdom for the workplace.

Finally, to get you thinking about business preparedness, I'm passing along two PDFs:

• Preparing your Business for the unthinkable
• Expecting the unexpected; what to consider in planning for workplace emergencies

Portland Pirate Pride!

"Avast ye bilge-sucking seadog! Keelhaul the scallywag over Davy Jones' locker! ...Are you completely confused? If so, you need to brush up on your Pirate English!

This weekend is the ultimate time for pirate antics in Portland and beyond for the state of Oregon. Our great state can take pride knowing that "Talk Like a Pirate Day," an official holiday as far as I'm concerned, originated in our very own backyard!

Come celebrate the Portland Pirate Festival on September 18th and 19th, and Talk Like a Pirate Day on September 19th (although I feel that this may unofficially be celebrated on Saturday as well).

Partying the pirate way is sure to be a swashbuckling adventure, but the Red Cross recommends that you consider a few pirate-centered safety themes, including:

CPR - Walking the plank may leave you with more than the taste of sea salt in your mouth. Brush up on your CPR skills so you can revive even the guiltiest pirates!

First Aid - Crossing cutlass and buccaneer blade, there are bound to be many abrasions, contusions, punctures and lacerations. Additionally, living life on the high seas may result in scurvy, nausea and other health emergencies. A pirate without a game plan for wounds and illness is no pirate at all.

Blood - Sure, many pirates unintentionally give blood while battling it out for doubloons, booty and other treasure. But pillage or not, stocking up on some O negative blood (the universal type) will be sure to keep your crew in shipshape while sailing the seven seas. Our Red Cross bloodmobiles roll out in search of this real treasure every day!

Weigh anchor and hoist the mizzen! Your pirate adventure begins tomorrow!

Pirate festival graphic courtesy of portlandpiratefestival.com

Our Red (Cross) Carpet Debut!

A while back, I told you about Kathy Ryan, a runner who collapsed during Hood to Coast, Oregon's most famous relay race. The team that saved Kathy's life was honored at our Breakfast of Champions and I let drop that there was a film in the works that would include her story and a CPR class taught to her team of runners by our very own Francisco Ianni.

Well, it's official..."Hood To Coast" is complete and Francisco made the final cut! What's more, the fine film folks were nice enough to put together a short clip that highlights Kathy's story and our efforts to get more people trained in CPR. Check it out!

Hood To Coast Movie - American Red Cross CPR from HoodToCoastMovie on Vimeo.

While you can't see the full film quite yet, we're looking forward to a team movie night on 1-1-11, when it will be theaters nationwide for one night only. Wouldn't it be cool if every Red Cross chapter went out that night to support the film and its life-saving message? Francisco would be so proud...

What I'm Watching...

...these sweet new preparedness PSAs, of course!

Have you ever seen a tornado disappear before your very eyes? Well, now you have:

And here's a very quick quake:

And if that wasn't enough, go watch the slightly different versions in Spanish (Consequences and Flood).

So, what are your thoughts? Did FEMA and the Ad Council create something that will make you think about preparedness...or will it be more background noise?

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. It's a non-comprehensive sampling of the larger and/or more intriguing aspects of our global work...

MOZAMBIQUE: When riots erupted recently in Maputo, the Mozambique Red Cross immediately mobilized seven teams of 23 volunteers and 18 staff to provide first aid and evacuate those requiring hospital treatment. Staff and volunteers are now providing psychological support to those affected by the riots.

WORLDWIDE: Just two diseases – pneumonia and diarrhea – account for 36 percent of all under-five deaths worldwide. Most of these lives could be saved with cost-effective and relatively cheap immunization measures, says a new joint report by the IFRC and the GAVI Alliance.

SENEGAL: When the country was about to host a mass gathering of two million pilgrims for a religious festival, pandemic preparedness was a top priority for the Senegalese Red Cross. They mobilized hundreds of volunteers for the occasion. Now they say they're more prepared than ever for outbreaks and other disasters.

KAZAKHSTAN: While professional tennis fans were glued to their televisions watching the US Open play out, 32 amateur athletes and Kazakhstan’s national tennis champion gathered for their own tournament in Almaty to raise awareness about the American Red Cross and Kazakhstan Red Crescent Society earthquake preparedness program. (photos)

GLOSSARY:

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

Think You Can't Donate Blood? Investigate and Be Sure!

"I was out of the country for a year..."

"My iron level is always too low..."

"I just got a tattoo..."

There are many reasons for why people think they can't give blood. Don't let an assumption stop you from making a big difference in the lives of others!

Most donation deferrals are temporary. The top two temporary deferrals are from: low iron count (number one) and cold or flu-like symptoms (number two). Simple diet changes and other pre-donation preparation will often remove these barriers to giving blood.

Some common misconceptions about blood donation deferrals include:

Medications - In almost all cases, medications will not disqualify you as a blood donor. As long as the condition is under control and you are healthy, blood donation is usually permitted.

Health concerns - Diabetes, hypertension, asthma, allergies...There are many medical conditions that allow for blood donation, so long as certain criteria is met. Make sure you click on each link above for information on those conditions, or research a different health concern not listed through this link.

Age - 16 year olds can donate in 31 states with parent permission! There is no upper age limit for blood donation, as long as you are well with no restrictions or limitations to your activities.

Piercings and tattoos - Piercings don't disqualify you as long as the instruments used were sterile or single-use equipment. Tattoos from state-regulated entities require no waiting period for donating blood.

World travel - Deferrals based on travel come from the risk of disease. Decisions about risk factors for disease are often made at the city level, rather than country level. The top three diseases that are investigated from travel locations are malaria, HIV and "mad cow disease." Please call 1-866-236-3276 (a free 24-hour hotline) to inquire about any specific eligibility concerns.

Above all else, if you've had a bad donation experience once or have never tried to donate, consider these reasons to dedicate an hour of your time towards giving blood:

More than 1 million new people are diagnosed with cancer each year. Many of them will need blood, sometimes daily, during their chemotherapy treatment.

A single car accident victim can require as many as 100 pints of blood.

Right now, donors can make the difference between an adequate blood supply and a shortage. Call 1-800 RED CROSS or visit us online to give the gift of life today!

When Disaster Strikes, What's Really Important?

Which possessions would you take if you only had 15 minutes?

This question comes to you from Kari Henley, an author over at The Huffington Post, and comes in the wake of fires in both California and Colorado.

She asked this very question on Facebook and here were some of the answers:

"My wife and kids. And my homeowners insurance policy."

"My purse that has everything in the world and then some in it!! Could live out of it for a while!"

"I have often wondered about this. Obviously my pets and people, but after that I would attempt to gather family treasures -- photos, books, etc. I could care a less about 'Important documents,' you can get a new Social Security card; you can't replace Grandma's recipe box. I think any tragedy that causes loss always makes you grateful for what you were able to salvage, particularly if there are no injuries, and later rue those things that were lost, regardless of what they were. I suppose I would be particularly sad about those things that would be too difficult to take in a hurry: special furniture (my great great grandmother's hall tree), things that are buried in my basement (like my wedding gown) and children's baby things."

"Live alone -- no one else to worry about but me -- however there is a picture of my grandmother that hangs in my kitchen taken in the 1920s, she looks like a flapper, and a few other pictures on my walls I would take. And my laptop -- everything else is insured."

And from Kari herself: "Surprisingly the one thing that floated to the top is an antique fountain pen that sits on our piano and holds a treasured family story. My father in law used the cap to hide a special diamond inside when he immigrated to the United States from Poland. The diamond was purchased with all of the money they could scrape together as Holocaust survivors after the war, and represented everything they had, and is an ultimate symbol of love, survival and faith. The diamond sits on my finger now, and will sit on my daughter's one day."

So what's your answer? While the most practical item might be your disaster kit or "go bag," what's the most meaningful thing you'd grab and why is it important?

Photo from the San Bruno gas line explosion, Virginia Hart/American Red Cross

CONTEST: #just1thing For Families

After last week's focus on kids, we're turning our attention to families for our second annual #just1thing contest.

WEEK TWO: PREPAREDNESS FOR FAMILIES

If you send us a tweet this week with what you're doing to prepare your family (or anyone else!) and tag it with #just1thing, you'll be entered for a chance to win a four-person family preparedness kit, valued at $165. [Big thanks to our amazing partners at Oregon Public Health Emergency Preparedness for providing...see here for rules.]

Couple caveats:

1. You'll want to win this kit, even if you live alone. It's good for 4 people, which means you can save the lives of 3 of your besties. It is also guaranteed to make you the most popular person in your neighborhood.

2. This isn't a repeat of kids week, I swear. Think about OTHER family members -- do you take care of an elderly parent, for example? Maybe you should tweet us about how you're looking out for their well-being in a disaster.

So tweet us with your facts for families.

To get you in the spirit, here's a PSA about what happens when families don't discuss their disaster plan. Does this sound familiar?

Why Schools Need AEDs

To be able to give kids like Central Catholic's Hayward Demison a shot at a long life:

Amazing that nurse Lisa Lyver was nearby. And that she knew CPR which, in this case, was enough to restart Demison's heart.

Would you know what to do if someone collapsed near you? Take the time now to get trained...you never know when those skills might save a life.

Donating Blood for Community Preparedness

Here is a video from our media partners at KNDU (Richland, Washington).


The American Red Cross Pacific Northwest Blood Region includes much of Oregon and Washington, meaning that a donation of blood in Tri-cities is sent to Portland before being distributed to hospitals. This also means that the messages presented in the video apply to the entire region.

If you want a real example regarding the importance of blood donation, look back to the blog post earlier this week about the California Bay Area Community donating for an Officer. I noted the importance of preparedness and having enough blood on hand before a major incident. The Bay Area also includes the community of San Bruno, where Thursday a major natural gas explosion turned a neighborhood to ash with at least seven dead and 37 homes destroyed. Burn victims can require a great deal of blood, and the area's Red Cross noted that the surge from the Officer let them be well prepared for this incident.

If you can donate and are eligible, please consider signing up for an appointment today!

Photo: San Francisco Chronicle

One Last Summer Festival!

Summer means a few things to me: awesome concerts (like Portland's own Musicfest Northwest), outdoor movie nights, fun at the coast and elephant ears. Yep, no summer would be complete without a weekend festival for elephant ears and other fair food.

If you haven't checked off amazing fair cuisine from your "summer bucket list," you still have a chance at the Vancouver Sausage Fest this weekend! Not only that, our blood mobile is rolling out to the event tomorrow!

Make a lifesaving donation and reward yourself with a bratwurst in the beer garden! The Red Cross will be taking donations (no appointment needed) from 11 am to 4 pm on Saturday, September 11th. The sausage fest is located at 6500 Highland Drive, Vancouver, Washington (St. Joseph's Catholic School).

Check out other sausage fest information, including all the food options, an entertainment schedule and more at this link.

"Sausage Man" graphic courtesy of stjoevanschool.org

FREE PIZZA!! (With Your Preparedness Kit)

You know the joy you'll get when you take home a preparedness kit, right?

Well, can you imagine the even greater joy when you get 10% off your purchase?

And can you imagine the heart-poundingly unstoppable joy when you discover that you also get to ENJOY A FREE PIZZA?

It's true. You can feel those palpitations just by going to our website and using the handy coupon code on one of two starter kits. When they ship out, we'll toss in a coupon for a free pizza or cheesy bread, thanks to our fine partners at Papa Murphy's.

So enjoy a Hawaiian for stocking up on H2o. Or the Chicken and Bacon for storing extra bandages. And really, who doesn't like some old fashioned Pepperoni with your preparedness.

Mangia, my friends!

Meet Our Salem Heroes

How many heroes are there in Oregon? Hundreds? Thousands?

Well, they've just added 15 more to their ranks, thanks to our friends at the Willamette Chapter in Salem. Read the article, watch the videos of the outstanding Oregonians and then nominate someone you know for the 2011 Breakfast of Champions here in Portland!