News

8/1/2007 - Seeing the Light

It was an ill wind that blew on July 19, 2006, followed by another two days later. Two thunderstorms a year ago left nearly 650,000 AmerenUE customers without electricity. Tens of thousands of North County residents were without power, some for as long as nine days. As the storms' anniversary approaches, groups seem more aware and focused on emergency preparedness. But just how well prepared they are may not be known until the next disaster strikes.

7/25/2007 - EDITORIAL: Personal Responsibility is Part of Storm Preparation

When it comes to emergency preparedness following last July's severe thunderstorms - and the sweeping power outages that followed them - it's a good-news, bad-news situation for the St. Louis region. The good news is that according to a recent poll, more St. Louis-area residents than last year say they're prepared for a disaster. The bad news is they represent fewer than half the respondents polled. Forty-seven percent of the respondents to the poll, conducted for the St. Louis Area Chapter of the American Red Cross, said they're prepared for a disaster.

7/24/2007 - Teacher Earns National Red Cross Award

Terri Ettling-Shell of O'Fallon, IL has received the Red Cross' National Certificate of Merit - the organization's most prestigious award given to someone for saving a child. In May, 2006, several children were swimming in Ettling-Shell's pool when one of them, Dylan Miller, accidentally stepped into the deep end. After pulling him out, she began cardiopulmonary resuscitation on Dylan and revived him after two rescue breaths. Ettling-Shell, who teaches special education at Cahokia High School, had been Red Cross-certified for CPR a month before the incident and has encouraged other teachers to get certified by the Red Cross.

7/21/2007 - Fire Sweeps Apartments - 10 ESL Families Homeless

About a dozen people were left homeless Thursday evening when a fire swept through an apartment building in the 600 block of North 10th Street in East St. Louis. The three-story, red-brick building was gutted by the fire, which East St. Louis firefighters believe may have started around 9 p.m. when a tenant used water on an electrical outlet in an attempt to put out an electrical fire. Ten families were homeless Thursday night but the Red Cross Disaster Action Team from Fairview Heights stepped in to make sure each family had somewhere to sleep and something to eat before the sun came up.

7/17/2007 - Prank Call to Military Spouse Puts Red Cross Into Action

As part of a disturbing prank, a military spouse received a call that her husband had been hurt while serving in Iraq and had been evacuated to a hospital in Germany. The caller, who identified herself as a representative of the American Red Cross, claimed that medical treatment was pending until paperwork was completed. All she needed was his social security number and date of birth. The spouse realized quickly that she was being scammed. The isolated incident was enough to swing the Red Cross into action to inform the public that only the Department of Defense notifies families of military casualites. The role of the Red Cross is communications and referral.

7/5/2007 - Girl's CPR Training Is a Real Lifesaver

Larry Boyd told his daughter Kimberly that something was wrong and then collapsed on the floor. Kimberly immediately called 911, and the emergency responder on the line asked her if she knew CPR. Fortunately, she did. CPR, or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, is a lifesaving technique used when breathing or heart function has stopped. CPR involves a combination of mouth-to-mouth breathing and chest compression that keeps blood flowing to the brain and other vital organs. Accredited courses teach CPR as part of first aid training. Kimberly had just finished a course offered by the American Red Cross.

7/5/2007 - Red Cross Raising Money for Remodeling Arnold Office

The American Red Cross hopes to raise $60,000 to recoup costs of a recent project at the Jefferson County Service Center, 3880 Jeffco Blvd., in Arnold. More classroom space was needed to accommodate students in Red Cross classes. A loading dock was revamped to allow emergency supplies to be more easily loaded and unloaded, and a storage area was constructed, freeing up additional space. Of the $60,000 fundraising goal, $18,400 will be spent on direct emergency assistance for local families.

6/29/2007 - Nurse Praises Emergency Benefits of Heart Machines

Karen Dix, a nurse at Wentzville's Timberland High School, was sitting in her office, across the hall from the faculty lounge. Lawrence Kiefer, a science teacher, was in the faculty lounge. He had just finished lunch with several other teachers. All of a sudden, he collapsed. Kiefer suffered cardiac arrest that nearly cost him his life. Dix said she was most thankful the school had an AED - a portable device that measures the electrical activity of the heart. Dix said she received a grant from the American Red Cross to purchase another AED, five mannequins and five AED training machines.

6/29/2007 - AEDs Can Save Lives When Hearts Stop

We hear a lot about cardiovascular health and the risk of heart attack and stroke. Yet more than 1,000 people die each day because their heart stops with no warning or prior sign of heart disease. This is known as sudden cardiac arrest, and only one in 20 people survive it. Of the nearly 300,000 Americans who die from sudden cardiac arrest every year, the American Red Cross estimates that more than 50,000 could be saved by the use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs).

6/27/2007 - Red Cross Offers Emergency Services for U.S. Troops

The American Red Cross cares about military personnel and their families and is here to serve as an important resource during times of need. Omar Ruiz of the Jefferson County Service Center and Nicole Holtgrefe of the St. Louis Area Chapter provided an overview of Red Cross Armed Forces Emergency Services during an interview June 8 on KJFF Radio (1400 AM). Ruiz and Holtgrefe also warned listeners about a new scam targeting spouses of deployed members of the Armed Forces.

6/25/2007 - Scam Hits the Home Front

Military spouses are being warned to beware of anyone calling to inform them their spouse has been injured in the line of duty. According to the Red Cross, a family recently received a telephone call from someone identifying herself as a representative of the American Red Cross. The caller, who was described as young sounding with an American accent, said that the spouse's husband was hurt while on duty in Iraq and was evacuated to a hospital in Germany. The caller then said medical treatment could not be started until paperwork was completed, and to start the paperwork they needed the spouse to verify her husband's Social Security number and date of birth. Only the U.S. Department of Defense notifies family members of military casualties.

6/18/2007 - Students Provide Comfort After a Crisis

Two groups of area high school students recently helped make a difference in the lives of those affected by a tragedy. The American Red Cross Metro East Service Center in Fairview Heights recently coordinated two groups from the Red Cross YouthCorps programs at Belleville West High School and O'Fallon High School to make 223 "comfort kits" for the Red Cross. Comfort kits are boxes of hygiene supplies given to families who have recently lost a home to fire. Supplies include washcloths, soap, shampoo and more.

6/18/2007 - Experts Provide Tips on Preventing Water-Related Accidents

According to Joyce Bathke, executive officer of health and safety services for the St. Louis Chapter of the American Red Cross, realizing that water and electricity don't mix is only one of many issues people need to be aware of when near their swimming pool. Officials recommend that families begin getting their child in a swimming program to get them familiar and accustomed with the water as early as six months, and to start taking actual lessons at around 4 years old. Each year, the Red Cross trains over 42,000 individuals in the St. Louis area on basic water safety tips and trains more than 90 percent of the lifeguards in the United States. During Red Cross training sessions, the No. 1 rule is making sure there is a lifeguard on duty or a parent supervising, even if a child has a flotation device or inflatable toy.

6/13/2007 - Damage Control After the Storm

Judy Alferman of Kirkwood, an American Red Cross volunteer, recently took part in disaster-relief efforts following a devastating tornado that struck May 4 in Greensburg, Kan. The tornado destroyed 95 percent of the town, killed 10 people and left most residents without homes. In response to the tornado's devastation, the American Red Cross asked for volunteers from across the country. Alferman arrived May 7 in the town and was able to see the damage firsthand.

6/1/2007 - Local Red Cross Helps Fight Measles in Africa

The American Red Cross is not only committed to solving problems locally but internationally as well. To increase awareness about the need for measles vaccinations in Africa and South Asia, and to raise the necessary funds to save children's lives, the American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter is very involved in the Measles Initiative. To educate the community on the importance of the Measles Initiative, the Red Cross recently hosted a lecture by Dr. Samuel Katz, world-renowned co-developer of the measles vaccine which is currently being used world-wide.

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