Clorox and the Red Cross...Made for Each Other!

What's the coolest thing that Clorox has done since color-safe bleach?

I may be biased, but I'd say it's their support of the Red Cross. For more than 20 years, Clorox has supported the Red Cross's disaster efforts financially and through product donations.

Now Clorox is helping us raise money through Facebook, but we need your help! You can visit theClorox Facebook Page and click on the yellow "start helping" icon. Clorox has pledged $1 for every click.

Next time you log in to Facebook, find the page of the company that has kept your whites so white all these years, and take a moment to click the link.

Thank you all for your support!

Prepare-aphenalia: A Belt That Will Do More Than Just Hold Up Your Pants!

There's not much fashionable preparedness gear out there.

Sure, there's a bra that saves lives. But most things are just conceptual or prototypes.

But today I get to tell you about a piece of prepare-aphenalia that's actually available for purchase, would look great on a guy or a girl, and is a great addition to your fashion-forward disaster kit.

This sweet belt from six eight six ventures into multi-tool territory with a buckle that contains Philips and flathead screwdrivers, an adjustable wrench loop and -- most important -- a bottle opener. Not girly enough? Ladies, your version can be found here.

Sure, a real multi-tool (like this one) is more useful overall, but you never know where you might run into an emergency and, if you're wearing pants (which I sincerely hope you are), you'll likely have this right around your waist.

Prices come in at around $55 and are available in a variety of places online.

Need to Save a Life? There's an App for That!

Any iPhone user can tell you, we are always on the hunt for the next best app out there that promises to make life so much easier. Well I have yet to find an app that will pay my bills, make my coffee, and drive me to work, but I am still holding out.

However, while watching the 11 o'clock news last night to make sure there were no home fires reported I heard of an app that helped a school coach save a student's life. Check out the story below....

La Verne Lutheran High School basketball head coach Eric Cooper purchased an application for his iPhone to teach him CPR skills. Little did he think he’d need it a day later.

Cooper used his app to save the life of senior Xavier Jones, a 6’8 starting center. As the L.A. Times reported:

After Jones crashed to the floor, head coach Eric Cooper Sr. and assistant coach  John Osorno sprinted to his side and administered CPR to the 17-year-old high school senior.

The quick-thinking coaches — with the help of an iPhone — were able to revive him and probably saved his life.

The night before, Cooper had fortuitously downloaded an application to his cellphone that gives real-time instructions on how to administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Not a bad week for the creators of the app Phone Aid — get some good PR AND save a life!

Jones, 17, has been hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which is the same condition that killed Loyola Marymount basketball star Hank Gathers, who collapsed during a game in 1990. Ironically, Jones – the beneficiary of the app – plans on becoming a doctor. His 4.0 GPA earned him a scholarship to West Point.

Immediately after seeing this, I decided to download this app, and for $1.99, I was able to start using the app, which I must say is very straight to the point and can be beneficial to anyone who has had training and needs a refresher session. Another great feature was the First Aid section which covers treatments on over 50 different emergency situations. The app is decided to be a great tool for an emergency situation, but not to replace the training that one would receive from, oh let's say, the American Red Cross. So be a local hero, and save a life. Contact your local Chapter today and sign up for a class.

Something else to add to your Emergency Preparedness Kits - Tetris!

Something else to think about when putting together an emergency preparedness kit. Click here to learn what you should have in your kit according to the Red Cross. Below is part of an article from the Telegraph in the UK.

British researchers found that playing the popular computer game shortly after the trauma helped wipe out the bad memories and reduce distressing flashbacks.

The psychologists from Oxford University believe the discovery could lead to new treatments for accident victims in hospitals as well as those involved in war zones.

“This is only a first step in showing that this might be a viable approach to preventing post traumatic stress disorder,’ said Dr Emily Holmes of the Department of Psychiatry at Oxford University, who led the work.

Click here to read the rest of the article, and for more information on how to build your own Emergency Preparedness Kit or to have a Red Cross Crewmember give your or your employees a training presentation contact your local Chapter today at (559) 455-1000.

What in the World, Wednesday!

(I was sick last week, so cut me some slack!)
Welcome to the What in the World, Wednesdays! 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...

SWITZERLAND: The ICRC is set to play host, for the first time ever, to a conference on international standards for law enforcement.

SUDAN: As the referendum in South Sudan approaches, the ICRC is stepping up preparations for possible humanitarian emergencies.

CAMBODIA: Hundreds of people lost their lives in a stampede at last week's Water Festival. The Cambodia Red Cross has been assisting with medical aid, psychosocial support and helping people search for missing loved ones.

REPUBLIC OF CONGO: A campaign to vaccinate 3.6 million people against polio got underway last week and has so far reached over 2 million people.

GLOSSARY:

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

Who Was Clara Barton?

Clara Barton was the humanitarian rock star of the 19th century. A compassionate, hard-working, visionary woman, she was a pioneer in serving members of the military and their families.

Until last night, I knew way too little about her. Like many third graders who have studied her for book reports, I knew that Barton founded the American Red Cross and cared for wounded soldiers on the battlefields of the Civil War. But while watching  History Detectives on PBS, I learned that Barton was a pioneer in serving members of the military and their families during times of conflict.

Historians explained the depth of Barton’s commitment: She assisted battlefield doctors in the most gruesome conditions, bravely helping with amputations when no one else could stomach it. Single handedly, she began collecting supplies like socks and bandages for soldiers—one of her first relief efforts. She watched in horror as thousands of soldiers were buried in unmarked graves, and their families were simply left to wonder. Inspired to help, Barton began administering a list of missing soldiers, which helped families locate their loved ones or find closure. She received more than 150 letters each day from families of missing soldiers, or those who had answers.

The History Detectives episode centers on one of these letters and a single soldier and his fate. Today, local volunteers in the Central Valley educate members of the military and their spouses and parents about Red Cross services during deployment. Today, if a soldier’s family needs to alert her about a death, birth or other important news, they make a single call to the American Red Cross.

The episode is available here online. To learn more about our Red Cross services to members of the military today, and to learn how you can help, visit  www.arccentralvalley.org. 

Has the Red Cross ever helped you or your family? We'd love to hear about it in the comments! Or, tell us which famous lady you did book reports on as a kid!

A Text That Can Save A Life...

So, I was minding my own business when a altruistic question came to mind…

Is there a way I can donate to the Red Cross via text message?

Lo and behold- there is! During the Red Cross Holiday campaign, those with a mobile phone can now text GIFT to 90999 to make a $25 donation to the Red Cross.

Time is limited, however. The opportunity begins today and will continue through December 31, 2010.

ALSO- people who make a $25 text donation will be able to download a badge for their Facebook pages!!! Awesome, right?! Not only do I get to show my friends my philanthropic ways, but I may also inspire them to donate too.

And, in case you were wondering, if you text REDCROSS to 90999 it will let you donate $10 to support Disaster Relief. Pretty cool, huh?

You can text GIFT to 90999 to give $25, which will be added to your mobile phone bill/deducted from your prepaid account. Msg & Data rates may apply. Reply STOP to 90999 to Stop. Full terms and privacy policy: redcross.org