Memorial Day Safety Tips

By Carly Flumer, Volunteer

Fire up the grills and take a splash into the deep end! Memorial Day is coming! The Red Cross wants to make sure you have a safe holiday by following these simple tips:

ROAD TRIP!

• If you plan on taking a road trip to see family or even down to the beach, make sure you pack the essentials, including extra cash, emergency phone numbers, and a first aid kit. If your neighbor plans on staying home for the holiday, let them know that you’ll be out of town so that they may act a friendly “neighbor watch.”
• Make sure your car is in good-working order if you plan to travel far and that it has enough gas before you hit the road.
• Remember to buckle up and pay attention to the roads at all times, especially if you’re driving with loved ones. If you plan on drinking, have a designated driver.

MAKE A SPLASH!

• Memorial Day marks the opening day of the pool season! Make sure you pack extra sunscreen and a hat, especially if you plan on going out around when the suns rays are at its peak – between 10am – 3pm
• Remember to not run around the pool area, especially when there are smaller kids and it’s more likely when someone can get hurt
• Ask a lifeguard for help if you feel that you are in danger. Supervise your children at all times.
• If you or your child need swimming lessons, the Red Cross offers classes throughout the region. Find your local class here: www.redcross.org/take-a-class

BBQ PARTY!

• Make sure every part of the grill is in proper working order and is not damaged, including the hose and the propane tank.
• Keep a fire extinguisher nearby.
• Supervise the grill at all times to avoid overcooking food, and more importantly, to make sure no one gets hurt, especially if children and pets are around.
• Never grill indoors. Grill outside, and make sure it has plenty of open space around it and cannot come into contact with anything flammable, such as surrounding trees.
• Use long-handled tools and oven mitts.
• Keep the grill covered when not in use.

For more information on how to keep safe this holiday, click here or, visit www.redcross.org.

Have a great Memorial Day weekend!

Show Your Love this Valentine's Day 💗 Learn CPR with the Red Cross 💕

By Rose Ellen O'Connor, Volunteer

February is National Heart Month❤, and the perfect time to learn how to save lives with your American Red Cross. Knowing how to perform CPR and being able to use an automated external defibrillator (AED) during a cardiac emergency are just a few of the many ways you can make a difference. 

Why not show your love this Valentine’s Day by learning how to save a heart-attack victim’s life? 💓

In response to the thousands who die every year in the U.S. from Sudden Cardiac Arrest, the American Red Cross offers CPR and AED (Automated External Defibrillator) classes throughout the Washington area. Nationally, the American Red Cross trains 9 million people a year in life-saving skills.
The difference between a bystander and someone trained in CPR or AED can be the difference between life and death.

More than 356,000 people in the U.S. suffer out-of-hospital Sudden Cardiac Arrest or SCA and nine out of ten die, according to the American Heart Association. That means that one person every two minutes dies somewhere in the country from sudden cardiac arrest, notes AED.com, making SCA the third leading cause of death in the U.S. and killing more people than lung cancer, breast cancer and HIV/AIDs combined.

There are rarely symptoms and almost no warning when SCA strikes, says AED.com. The Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation explains that SCA occurs when the heart stops beating. It can happen to all sorts of people, including children and teens. The person suffering an SCA collapses and may gasp or shake as if having a seizure, according to the foundation. The victim’s heart is no longer pumping blood throughout the body or to the brain.

That’s when CPR and AED come into play. There are only a few minutes to spare. To administer CPR, a rescuer places one hand on top of the other in the middle of the chest and pushes hard and fast, using body weight to administer compressions that are at least two inches deep and at least 100 per minute. The victim’s head is tilted slightly back, chin lifted and nose pinched closed. The rescuer places his mouth over the person’s mouth to make a complete seal and blows two times into the mouth to make the chest rise. Compressions are then continued. CPR can buy time until an ambulance arrives. It’s even better if an AED, a padded device that analyzes the heart and may deliver a shock to restart the heart’s normal rhythm, is available.

CPR given within three to six minutes of the onset of cardiac arrest can double or triple a victim’s chance of survival.

The American Red Cross, in conjunction with affiliates, offers a four-hour course in First Aid, CPR and AED. You can receive certification in each of the areas that is valid for two years. The classes are given throughout the region during the day and evening and on weekends. They start at $70 and free refreshers are offered online.

Red Cross also offers web-based training. It allows you to work at your own pace and requires only a short, in-person session to check your skills.

Below is a list of the courses we offer – with classroom, online + classroom, and online only options available:
• First AID
• CPR
• AED
• BLS/CPS for Healthcare
• Babysitting & Child Care
• Swimming + Water Safety
• Lifeguarding
• CNA Training
• CNA Testing
• Instructor Training

Register in seconds at www.redcross.org/take-a-class and start your journey to save a life.


You can also download the free Red Cross First Aid App for instant access to information on handling the most common first aid emergencies, including sudden cardiac arrest, at your fingertips.

Water Safety Month: Summer Safety

By Rose Ellen O'Connor, Volunteer

I didn’t know how close I was to drowning.

Pictured: Volunteer Rose Ellen (left) and
her daughter, Katie Rose.

Ten-years-old, slathered with suntan lotion, I was paddling out to sea on an oversized beachball, relishing the bumpy waves and the alone time. I’m the fifth of six siblings. All of a sudden, I heard a lifeguard say, “Hold on, Honey.” He handed me an innertube and began dragging me back to shore.  When I turned around I was amazed at how far I had drifted out. It seemed each time he pulled me closer to the shore, a wave would take us back out.

Finally, after a 10-minute struggle, he got me back to shore. I was embarrassed to see people standing in the sand as far as I could see watching my rescue. But it could have been a lot worse. I could have drowned. I had violated at least two of Red Cross’s water safety rules. I had swum without a buddy, who might have noticed how far out we were getting, and I’d gone far out of the designated safety area for the beach.

According to a survey released by the Red Cross last month, nearly half of all Americans said they have had an occasion where they thought they might drown. Yet they said they are going to engage in risky behaviors this summer that put them again at risk of drowning. Just over 60 percent of families with children said they plan on swimming in areas unsupervised by life guards even though 50 percent have never had swimming lessons.

Two thirds of those surveyed said they thought that putting inflatable arm bands or “water wings” on children is enough to keep them safe. To be truly safe, children and inexperienced swimmers should wear U.S. Coast Guard approved life jackets. Children should always be closely supervised by adults.

Nine out of 10 survey respondents were unsure what to do if someone appears to be drowning. The Red Cross says the correct steps in order are to shout for help, throw the person a flotation device and tell them to grab it and then call 9-1-1 if needed.

Water aficionados should know the signs of a swimmer in distress. According to the Red Cross, they are:

• Treading water and waving an arm
• Doggie paddling with no forward progress
• Hanging onto a safety line
• Floating on back and waving arms
• Arms extended side or front, pressing down for support, but making no forward progress
• Positioned vertically in the water, but not kicking legs
• Underwater for more than 30 seconds
• Floating at surface, face-down, for more than 30 seconds

Here are some safety tips from the Red Cross:

• Swim in areas supervised by lifeguards.
• Always sSwimwim with a buddy.
• Never leave a young child unattended around water.
• Even if you don’t plan on swimming, be careful around natural bodies of water, including ocean shoreline, rivers and lakes. Cold temperatures, currents and underwater hazards can make a fall into these bodies of water dangerous. 
• When boating, wear a life jacket.
• Avoid alcohol use.

The Red Cross offers swimming lessons for those aged six months to adults. The lessons offer a lifetime of safe and confident swimming. For more information contact the training support center at 1-800-RED-CROSS or support@redcrosstraining.org. You can also ask about Red Cross swimming lessons at your local aquatic center or your local Red Cross chapter.