American Red Cross - Rio Colorado Chapter

The Rio Colorado Chapter is: Colorado, Fayette, Matagorda, and Wharton Counties. We are headquartered in Bay City, and have been helping our neighbors since 1917.

Even if we are not hit directly by a hurricane, the risk of flooding still exists. Check out our documents on how to prepare and deal with floods, and discuss your family's emergency plan at dinner tonight.

Citizens of Fayette County Raise over $16,000 for Their Local Red Cross Branch

The citizens of Fayette County have successfully raised over $16,000 in funds for their local branch of the American Red Cross. Thanks to their generosity, every citizen in Fayette County is safer, military members and their families will continue to receive Red Cross services free of charge, and those affected by every kind of disaster, from house fires to tornadoes, will never be left out in the cold.

Two Faces of a SAF Red Cross Worker

Laura Hahn is a former Americorps Member with the Southeastern Pennsylvania Chapter of the Red Cross who will be spending the next four months in Baghdad, Iraq. This is an excerpt from her blog.

I have been in Iraq now for about 4 weeks and feel that I can finally begin to talk about the work I am doing. I have explained before that my job description involves both delivering messages and providing morale activates for the troops. The extremes of both factes of this work took a little getting used to.

I work the swing shift from 4:00 pm until 1:00 am every night and, for the most part, I am the only Red Cross worker in the building at that time. I am mostly in the office doing case work while the building is filled with service members using the computers, phones, and relaxing in our TV rooms with snacks. For those that are not familiar with what case work is, I receive emergency messages from the States by computer, and then it’s my job to locate the soldier (not always easy!) and deliver the message to his or her commanding officer. The messages themselves can range from a birth notice to a death notification or the unexpected illness of a loved one.

Most of these messages request notification, which means the service member has no idea what’s going on at home, and I end up being the bad news giver. So when some hear my voice on the other end of the call, they're happy to receive news from the Red Cross girl (girls being very rare here). Other times, they are sad because it means I have more bad news for someone in their unit. I will spare you examples of these messages, but when you think about those really sad things you hope never happen, well unfortunately they do.

While I am very used to this and have learned to handle each case individually, I have also learned how to take the messages without becoming overly involved. While all of this is going on, I will have soldiers coming in because they want to talk or maybe they are looking for some hot coffee and a snack. (If you know me, I am always glad to feed everyone!) Sometimes the guys are super excited about something going on at home; maybe they are a little depressed after a day of work; many times it’s a practical joke they played on one of the other guys that they just have to tell someone about; but I think mostly it makes them happy to have a girl to talk to and someone who wants to hear their stories. Whenever my case load is low, I am usually planning fun activities, baking bread, decorating the office, or trying to come up with new ideas.

As a child, I loved the story of Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and that is how it feels some days. I need to be able to turn the good guy and bad guy roles on and off all the time. It’s not easy, but it is very necessary and something that took some time getting used to. I love my job very much, and I am very passionate about what I do. No matter how my day goes, I always go to bed knowing I helped someone who truly needed it that day. -Laura Hahn

We have SAF Caseworkers all over the world. In fact, many of your neighbors are currently serving our men and women in uniform as SAF Caseworkers as they carry on their daily lives. If you would like to find out more about becoming an SAF volunteer, contact your local branch office today.

Don't be like Dilbert! Be Red Cross Ready!

Fight H1N1.

Click HERE or the black bar above for more info

HOME FIRES - SILENT DISASTERS

Every year, the Red Cross responds to tens of thousands of home fires.

The total number of house fires this year = 63,111 The American Red Cross responds to an average of 64,000 home fires each year.

HOME FIRES are the MOST COMMON and the MOST PREVENTABLE local disaster!

A home fire, can happen anywhere to anyone, yet it is highly preventable. With the approach of winter and increased use of wood stoves, candles and dried evergreens, the local Granite Chapter of the American Red Cross urges New Hampshire families to review steps for home fire prevention. It's easy to take a few minutes to prevent a fire in your home. Here are important safety tips:

Make Your Home “Fire Safe”

Ö Smoke alarms save lives. Install a smoke alarm outside each sleeping area and on each additional level of your home.

Ö If people sleep with doors closed, install smoke alarms inside sleeping areas, too.

Ö Use the test button to check each smoke alarm once a month. When necessary, replace batteries immediately. Replace all batteries once a year.

Ö Vacuum away cobwebs and dust from your smoke alarms monthly.

Ö Smoke alarms become less sensitive over time. Replace your smoke alarms every ten years.

Ö Consider having one or more working fire extinguishers in your home. Get training from the fire department in how to use them.

Ö Consider installing an automatic fire sprinkler system in your home.

Plan Your Escape Routes

Ö Determine at least two ways to escape from every room of your home.

Ö Consider escape ladders for sleeping areas on the second or third floor. Learn how to use them and store them near the window.

Ö Select a location outside your home where everyone would meet after escaping.

Ö Practice your escape plan at least twice a year.

Escape Safely

Ö Once you are out, stay out! Call the fire department from a neighbor’s home.

Ö If you see smoke or fire in your first escape route, use your second way out. If you must exit through smoke, crawl low under the smoke to your exit.

Ö If you are escaping through a closed door, feel the door before opening it. If it is warm, use your second way out.

Ö If smoke, heat, or flames block your exit routes, stay in the room with the door closed. Signal for help using a bright-colored cloth at the window. If there is a telephone in the room, call the fire department and tell them where you are.

For more safety tips from the American Red Cross, click here.

The Red Cross is there to help when the tragedy of home fires touches our communities.

All Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by voluntary donations of time and money from your friends and neighbors in Wharton County.

DISASTER SUPPLIES LIST

Below is a list of supplies recommended by the American Red Cross to have in store before a flood, hurricane, power outage or other disaster strikes. Be sure to include any special need for children, disabled, elderly, or others in your household – and don’t forget to plan for your pets!

You can assemble your own disaster kit or start with a Red Cross kit purchased at the Rio Colorado Chapter. Whether we expect a flood, hurricane, ice storm, heat wave, or power outage, it’s important to plan ahead of time so our families and communities can be ready. And this month is an especially good time to think about disaster preparedness.

Here is a list of supplies recommended by the American Red Cross to have in store before a flood, hurricane, power outage or other disaster strikes. Be sure to include any special need for children, disabled, elderly, or others in your household – and don’t forget to plan for your pets!

Water—at least a 3-day supply; one gallon per person per day
Food—at least a 3-day supply of nonperishable, easy-to-prepare food
Flashlight
Battery-powered or hand-crank radio (NOAA Weather Radio, if possible)
Extra batteries
Pet supplies (collar, leash, ID, food, carrier, bowl)
First aid kit
Medications (7-day supply) and medical items (hearing aids with extra batteries, glasses, contact lenses, syringes, cane)
Multipurpose tool
Sanitation and personal hygiene items
Copies of personal documents (medication list and pertinent medical information, proof of address, deed/lease to home, passports, birth certificates, insurance policies)
Cell phone with chargers
Family and emergency contact information
Extra cash
Emergency blanket
Map(s) of the area
Baby supplies (bottles, formula, baby food, diapers)
Tools/supplies for securing your home
Extra set of car keys and house keys
Extra clothing, hat and sturdy shoes
Rain gear
Insect repellent and sunscreen
Camera for photos of damage
Any special needs that are important to members of your household

ARE WE READY FORTHE NEXT BIG ONE?

Two Faces of a SAF Red Cross Worker

HOME FIRES - SILENT DISASTERS

DISASTER SUPPLIES LIST

ARE WE READY FOR
THE NEXT BIG ONE?