Cross Blog

Category: Health and Safety

Prevent the spread of flu

Monday, September 21, 2009

From Red Cross Chat
By Gail McGovern, CEO of the American National Red Cross

As everyone knows, the nation is actively keeping their eye on the H1N1 virus, whether it’s through the CDC, American Red Cross, or HHS.

Whereas it’s always a challenge to get people to prepare for a natural disaster, we’re seeing exactly the opposite when it comes to the H1n1 virus.

93% of Americans said they’re taking steps to make sure they can help avoid spreading the flu. 2/3 said they’d get innoculated if there was a vaccine.

I think part of the reason for this high level of public awareness is that the way to prevent the spread is so easy.

It’s simply:

washing your hands
using a tissue
making sure you dispose of that tissue properly
making sure you have enough supply at home in case you wind up having to be with a loved one who’s ill
stay away from others if you do wind up contracting the flu
It’s that easy!

That said, it’s when you’re touched by a personal situation that all of this comes home. I know we’ve been trying to educate schools and parents but as a parent of a college student I was still concerned that we need to continue to get the word out.

I recently dropped off my daughter at school for her second year (I thought it would be easier than the first year but am learning that isn’t the case - I can’t believe that I have to go through the emotional gut-wrenching experience of saying goodbye another two times after this).

After another emotional goodbye to my daughter, the one thing that put a huge smile on my face is when I walked into her dorm suite I noticed that in every bathroom were bottles of Purell.

In the elevators and in the dorm rooms and plastered all around the campus were how to prevent the spread of h1n1 flyers and they had the same easy steps I just spoke about.

So it was delightful to see that in my market research with a sample of one, there was one university, the Johns Hopkins University, that is very much attuned and aware and doing their part to prevent the spread. As a mom it makes me feel a bit more comfortable about dropping my daughter off to school.

Action Item: In addition to taking the easy steps I listed above, you can help us by passing around this information. Share it on Facebook, tweet it, or print it out and pass it around to your friends, workplaces, and schools.  I thank you in advance.

Should First Aid Training Be Required?

Monday, September 14, 2009

From Red Cross Chat
With so many observances on the calendar these days, you may not have realized that Saturday, Sept. 12, was World First Aid Day. Now armed with this piece of trivia, you’re probably not surprised that the Red Cross is involved – first aid training is one of our areas of expertise. This year, our Red Cross colleagues in Europe pulled together a report about first aid trends that made us think – most would agree that first aid skills are fundamentally important, but what really motivates people to take a class?

The report tells us that, at least in Europe, it’s partly because they have to. First aid training is required for people who drive, work in industrial settings and care for children in many countries.

This bold approach means that Europeans are better prepared than most for a roadside accident, household emergency or workplace disaster. For example, the survey showed 95 percent of the population in Norway is trained in first aid. Close behind are Germany and Austria with 80 percent. And Iceland can boast that 75 percent of its people are trained. (Another set of trivia for your weekend social events)

Many U.S. states have also enacted laws that require CPR training for teachers and automated external defibrillators (AEDs) be placed in public buildings, but what do you think? Should first aid training be required in theUnited States?

To cast your opinion, take a few seconds to participate in our informal poll, and then let us know why you answered “yes” or “no” by commenting on this post.

If you answered “no”, we’re especially interested in alternative ideas – how can we increase the number of Americans able to respond to life’s emergencies? Our President & CEO Gail McGovern recently asked this question at the launch of our new national preparedness campaign – Do More Than Cross Your Fingers.

If we’ve piqued your interest, you can also learn more about our first aid training here at home and around the world. And if this discussion has motivated (or reminded) you to get trained, please contact your local Red Cross chapter to register for an upcoming course.

Photo: Frank Toussaint/Belgian Red Cross

My name is Cory, I am a lifeguard

Monday, August 17, 2009

From Red Cross Chat

This message was just left for us on our YouTube channel by Cory aka Lifesaver of the Day.

Hi, my name is Cory. I am a lifeguard. Today was our busiest day all year. We had ten day camps come and swim, leaving about 150 kids in a pretty small pool (some in, some out) I was on duty, when another lifeguard blew the whistle and as I looked up I saw a group of about 50 patrons all standing over someone, with audible frantic calls. I saw the lifeguard there run inside, so me and a fellow lifeguard immediately cleared the pool.

I ran up to the scene, to find a 3 year old boy with vomit spewing out of his mouth like a rabid dog. His eyes were rolled back, and a day camp supervisor was giving chest compressions. I immediately grabbed an ARC pocket mask and assisted in giving two person CPR. Every time I gave a breath, the boy would clinch his teeth and make this grunting sound like he was struggling very hard. Eventually after about 5 cycles, I gave two more breaths and the boy started to cry, and a few seconds later he was totally crying. We both rolled him into a recovery position and the EMS put him on a stretcher. The boy is okay now.

I just wanted to thank all of you in the ARC for doing what you do, and for giving such good training for lifeguards. I am proud to be an ARC certified lifeguard, and I am confident in my ability to give proper care thanks to your course and to your instructors.

-Cory-

Sign up for a water safety class today

Why Child Proof Your Home?

Thursday, August 06, 2009

For articles like this and other parenting advice, visit Child Proof Advice.

Why Child Proof Your Home?

Preventable injuries are the number one cause of death of children. The majority of preventable injuries do occur in the home.  2,700 children die annually from preventable injury in the home.  The next number really alarms us; 120,000 children are permanently disabled with 70 percent of those children being under the age of 4.

Happily, a lot of the children are not fatalities, but you must ask yourself, just what kind of condition are they in if they are permanently disabled.  Did they fall and break their back and become paralyzed?  Do they have behavioral problems from a poison?  Did they lose a finger?

If a disease were killing our children at the rate reflected in these statistics, parents would be outraged and would demand a cure.  Yet, injuries are occurring like a major health epidemic. 

When children first begin to crawl, their curiosity about the world around them triples as they explore any and everything.  Pre-schoolers develop motor skills but they have poor impulse control and judgment. Children don’t have the strength, coordination nor maturity to avoid injury and their curiosity is a powerful force.  As a result, they enter one of the most dangerous times of their lives when they are at the highest risk for injury.

Many parents will think considering child safety is not necessary.  Afterall, their parents didn’t seem to do any thing special and they were raised successfully.  But stop and think ....., how would you feel if you were one of those parents whose child died in the emergency room?

There is absolutely no greater devastation than loosing a child and certainly that devastation is compounded when the loss is due to a preventable accident.  Your question is not will your child find hazards in the home, but when. So, do we do as our parents did or do we learn from our mistakes and take preventative measures to stop accidents from happening?

When should you evaluate the safety of your home? 

It is recommended that you make your home safe before your child is born or at least by the time they are six months old.  This will give you time to personally adjust to the changes and to develop new habits of closing gates and latching cabinets.  Also, a new “evaluation” should be done every six months.  As your child grows and develops….changes will still need to be made.  See additional safety recommendations at childproofadvice.com.

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Copyright©2009 by Child Proof Advice.  All rights reserved.

My first motorcycle accident

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

From Red Cross Chat
This story was originally posted on morganlinton.com. We’d like to give a hearty, “way to go!” to everyone who’s Red Cross certified and ready. Do you have a story like Morgan’s? Share it with us in the comments.  Below is an excerpt:

First – no, I was not riding a motorcycle and don’t think I ever will. I did, however, witness a motorcycle accident today and was first on the scene to provide assistance. About two months ago I was certified by the Red Cross in CPR and First Aid.

In my class they prepared me for situations like this and I was surprised at how well I was able to handle the pressure. So what happened?

I was dropping my girlfriend off at her lab in UCLA and we stopped to get a tasty burger and In-N-Out Burger. The security guard apparently had just bought a new motorcycle and was showing it to his friend who worked at the restaurant. His friend hopped on the bike and started driving alongside the cars in the drive-through lane.

I turned to my girlfriend and said,

“whenever someone lets a friend test-drive their motorcycle it never turns out well.”

About ten seconds later we hear the distinctive sound of a CRASH. Being trained in First Aid only a short time ago I was prepared for the situation. I jumped-out of my car and grabbed my First Aid kit with CPR mask, gloves, etc. The driver was lying motionless on the ground with his head resting on his hands. Everyone started to run over to him. I pointed to one person and said

“call 911 and tell them to send an ambulance.”

I then started speaking to the victim and asked him where he felt pain. He indicated that his ankle hurt very badly and he felt pain in his shoulders. I told him not to move at all and asked if he was having any trouble breathing. It is also essential that you keep the crowd away and limit the surrounding area to the person on the phone with 911 and yourself. With too many people it could be easy for someone to trip and fall on the victim potentially causing more damage.

In an accident like this you want to keep the person talking as it is likely they are suffering from a concussion along with their other injuries. Obviously breathing is essential so you want to make sure they are able to breathe and be prepared to give CPR if they lose consciousness. I waited with him and continued to keep him talking and focusing on staying awake. The ambulance arrived and they put a neck brace on him, loaded him onto a backboard and took him to the hospital.

It felt good to be able to assist in this situation and I hope that by having this basic training I was able to provide the best possible care until the paramedics arrived. I’m going to call the emergency room tonight and see if I can get an update on his status. I will feel a lot better knowing what the final outcome was.

I would suggest anyone that hasn’t done so already to take the time (and spend the small amount of money) to get certified by Red Cross. It takes only one weekend day and by knowing what to do in an accident you can stay calm and help save someones life. Well, that’s enough excitement for one day! I hope everyone had a great weekend and stay-away from Motorcycles – I hope this is a reminder for everyone about just how dangerous motorcycles are!

Are you a member of the Scrub Club?

Tuesday, May 05, 2009

From Red Cross Chat

The Scrub Club can help your kids (and you!) enjoy good hygiene. They have webisodes, games and songs to make avoiding the flu as fun as possible.

How to Avoid Swine Flu

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

From Red Cross Chat
This blog post is a group effort of Red Crossers Robin Parker, Wendy Harman, and Claire Sale:

Here are some important things we bloggers have been doing to stay safe while on the road this week:

• Washing our hands. This task doesn’t have to be a bore. In fact, humming a complete renditon of “Row Row Row Your Boat” or “Happy Birthay” while washing willl not only entertain your stall mates, but also ensure that you’ve lathered long enough to get rid of most germs.
  
• Not Hanging Out With People Who Are Sick. Er, duh? Unless you’re a caregiver, steer clear of sick folks.
  
• Learning How to Sneeze. Seriously. Nowadays they teach elementary school kids to sneeze into their elbows, but many adults still use their hands. Think about it. You’re not going to pick up many things with your elbows, right?
  
• Putting Masks In Our Kit. We’ve got ‘em at home, but we had to build a road kit this week. It was easy to stop by the local Walgreens and pick up a few of these. They may look silly, but our fashion motto is “safety before style.” Depending on CDC recommendations, we may decide to wear them on the plane.
  
• Another good idea: Check your pantry to make sure you’ve got plenty of food and water in case you end up needing to take a few sick days.
  
• This is a serious situation that has the potential to spread, and it is a good time for families, businesses and organizations to follow good public health practices and to review and update their preparedness plans.
  
• Stocking extra food, water and supplies at home will reduce the need to go out should this swine flu strain become more widespread and schools or businesses temporarily close. The Red Cross recommends storing a two-week supply of food, water and household necessities such as laundry detergent and toilet paper. A gallon of water per person per day should be stored in clean plastic containers. Family preparation steps should also include storing formula for infants, food for special nutritional needs, essential medicines and medical items, and extra food for pets.
  
• People seeking information on human swine flu should visit the CDC web site or call 1-800-CDC-INFO
  
  Posted in: Health and Safety | Comment

  A Word on the Measles Outbreak in the US

  Wednesday, April 15, 2009

  (From Red Cross Chat)
  Watch a video related to this here.

  The following update on the Measles outbreak in the US this week is by Athalia Christie, Sr. Technical Advisor for American Red Cross.

  This week, we were remindedthat although measles was eliminated from the Americas in 2002, the unvaccinated are still at risk.

  Six people in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania contracted the highly-contagious disease from an infected Indian traveler. An adult male, who contracted measles during a visit to China, spread the disease to at least one adult and an infant in Montgomery County, Maryland upon his return.

  Parents, living in the United States, have a choice whether to vaccinate their children. What they fail to realize is that until families everywhere have the opportunity to immunize their children, ours will face the threat of contracting this preventable disease.

  If an unvaccinated person travels to a country where measles is still endemic or comes in contact with an infected visitor from such a country, they may be exposed to measles and become ill.

  The Measles Initiative is a partnership – led by the American Red Cross, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the United Nations Foundation, UNICEF and the World Health Organization – committed to addressing this issue. The first step is to reduce measles deaths globally by 90 percent (between 2000 and 2010), which can be achieved by hosting mass vaccination campaigns and strengthening immunization services.

  We make the safe and effective measles vaccine available in many developing countries where poverty, poor health systems and a lack of information make it difficult for families to secure preventative medical care.

  The work is carried out by local health workers and Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers who create temporary vaccination posts, visit schools and travel door-to-door, ensuring that every child receives a measles vaccination.

  Since 2001, the Measles Initiative has supported immunization campaigns in more than 60 countries, vaccinating more than 600 million children. Through these efforts, global measles mortality was reduced by 74 percent (2000-2007).

  But as this week’s outbreaks show, the impressive global gains are not enough.

  Posted in: Health and Safety | Comment

  Have a safe holiday

  Tuesday, December 16, 2008

  The American Red Cross knows how important having a plan is to your safety. That’s why this holiday season, we’re teaming up with Ydrive to prevent drinking and driving.
  Before you go to a holiday party or New Year’s Eve party, make sure you know how you’re getting home safely. Ydrive will not only pick you up, but they’ll get you home in your own car.
  When you buy a $50 gift card for Ydrive, not only are you giving the gift of safety, but you’ll also benefit the American Red Cross, Greater Carolinas Chapter. For every gift card sold, Ydrive will give $10 back to the chapter.
  Find out how you can stay safe this year—buy a gift card to Ydrive.

  Posted in: Health and Safety | Comment