Disaster Action Team Responses

On Saturday, July 19, a family had a fire that destroyed their house in Portland. When Red Cross volunteers arrived, they assisted the family of three with:

--A client assistance card to shop for clothing and food.
--3 adult comfort kits containing, toothbrush, toothpaste, comb, shampoo, comb, washcloth,
razor, and a package of Kleenex.

Student Learns Lesson in Responsibility

Every once in a while, Cross Blog gets a hot tip from our fans. This time it's a very special note, received by instructor Becky Vogely:


    Dear Ms. Vogely,

    I took your babysitting class and I am the one who put the shower on [a chemical eye-wash shower in a classroom -- Becky had to clean up the mess]. I am so, so sorry about that and I feel terrible.

    Babysitting is all about responsibility and I was not the least bit responsible. A way to make it up to you would be to give back the babysitting

    card [she did] and take the class again, and this time I'll make better choices.

    Thanks for everything you've done. I am so sorry.

The girl who took the class is right; being responsible -- for yourself or others -- is key. Looks like she learned some good lessons.

If you want to take a babysitting class (and maybe meet this girl yourself), you can find out more here.

Who Uses the Red Cross in a Disaster To Pick Up Women?

Okay, so Oregonian John Richards didn't exactly INTEND to pick up women, but pick up one he did...Iowan Michelle Peterson, who he'll marry this coming Saturday in Portland.

As John says, "When I met her, it was a disaster, a complete disaster." That disaster was Hurricane Katrina, and they met while volunteering for the American Red Cross.

It's a sweet story, told here by Oregonian columnist Margie Boule. Having worked a disaster response, I can say that there's not much time for romance, but there certainly are incredible, life-long bonds that are formed. This story doesn't surprise me, but it's poignant nonetheless!

Warning: Wildfires Ahead for Oregon

Did you see this?

"A red flag warning is in effect from now through Thursday in Northeast and Central Oregon, as powerful thunderstorms packing lightning churn across the region."

If you don't already know what to do to if a wildfire strikes, go here for lots of tips to protect yourself.

A Friend Is Drowning, What Do You Do?

Here's a quick pop quiz:

If a friend is drowning, you should...

A) Jump in the water and swim them to safety
B) Throw a rope or reach for them from the shore

Nearly 50% of the students in one Self Enhancement, Inc. (SEI) summer program classroom answered "A." And that's wrong...the kind of wrong that could be deadly. But by the end of class, every single student knew the mantra, "Reach or throw, don't go," proving that a little education really can save a life.

I tell you this for two reasons. One, because we have a very cool new SEI partnership (I'd link to the press release, but it's on the new website and not ready for public consumption yet). And two, because there was this very sad article in The Oregonian today.

The 13-year-old victim's brother jumped in the water (A) to try and rescue him, almost drowning in the process. Fortunately, a camp host pulled the 18-year-old onto an island in the river (B), saving his life. But despite attempts by quick-thinking rafters to revive the younger brother with CPR, it was too late.

As the article says, "The rivers of Oregon and southwest Washington claim dozens of victims each summer. Last year, 15 perished in the water. The year before that, 23." Take the time to review water safety tips for lakes and rivers. And get trained in CPR. You never know when you might need to save a life.

Photo courtesy of Operators Are Standing By