ON THIS PAGE: TOPICS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST
*GRILLING SAFETY TIPS---HOME FIRE SAFETY
*DISASTER TRAINING CURRICULUM OVERVIEW
*KEY POINTS ABOUT HIV/AIDS---A CONTRACT
WITH MYSELF
*PLANNING FOR SAFETY IN CASE OF FIRE
*PANDEMIC PREPARATIONS ARE UNDERWAY
*INTERESTED IN A BLOOD DRIVE?
*PROJECT LIFESAVER
*******
GRILLING SAFETY TIPS----HOME FIRE SAFETY
It is very important to take fire safety measures when you are grilling outdoors. Here are some simple rules to follow to ensure your family's safety:
****Keep children at a safe distance from the grill.
****Wear close-fitting clothing. No long, wide sleeves or flapping aprons or skirts.
****Remove all flammable materials---from lighter fluid to hot pads to dry vegetation---to a safe distance from the flame and heat of the grill.
****Have a bucket of sand or dirt or the lid to the grill handy at all times. It is best to smother the flames when there is grease because using water to douse the fire can spread the grease and make the fire worse.
****Be sure the grilling fire is out or safely covered when you are done. With a gas or butane grill, turn off the gas valve to the barbeque and shut off the supply valve at the tank.
****Dispose of used charcoal in a container that will not burn, such as a metal trash can.
****Be sure nothing is hanging above the grill, such as tree branches or house eaves.
****Light charcoal with approved lighting methods, such as a starter stick. Never use gasoline.
****Keep all flammable liquids away from smoldering fires. Spraying lighter fluid or gasoline on a smoldering charcoal fire can cause it to explode.
****Always store gas or propane grills outside in a cool, shady location out of direct sunlight. Do not store them in a home, on a balcony, or in a garage where fumes can accumulate, or near heat sources, such as a furnace or water heater.
****Make sure any hoses and fittings on your grill are tight and secure.
****To light a gas or butane grill, light a match or lighter stick away from the grill. Turn the gas on, then place the match or lighter stick through the ignition hole on the side of the grill.
****Make sure grease from grilling is not allowed to drip on any hoses or fittings or onto a flammable surface such as a wooden deck or grass or leaves.
****Keep power tools with gasoline engines away from grills, especially when cooking.
**********
DISASTER TRAINING CURRICULUM OVERVIEW
The Disaster Training curriculum is arranged into nine course categories below, allowing chapters to find training that meets their volunteers' and employees' development needs by specific skills and interests. The West Alabama Chapter of the American Red Cross' sequence of disaster training classes schedule is posted on this website--Disaster Service page. Please call 758-3608 for more information.
Understanding our Mission
Fulfilling our Mission -- Translating Your Compassion into Community Action (Basic)
Introduction to Disaster Services (Basic)
Planning and Preparing for Response
Catastrophic Event Planning for Chapter Leadership (Advanced)
Critical Response Team Training (Advanced)
Weapons of Mass Destruction/Terrorism: An Overview (Basic)
Mass Casualty Disasters (Basic)
Workshop for Development of Community Disaster Education (Basic)
Managing, Supervising, and Supporting Personnel
Disaster Kitchen Supervision (Intermediate)
Family Service Supervision I (Advanced)
Fundamentals of Chapter Disaster Operations Management (Advanced)
Fundamentals of Staff Services (Basic)
Mass Care II Interim Training Solution (Intermediate)
Preparing for and Managing a Spontaneous Volunteer Workforce (Basic)
Public Affairs II (Intermediate)
Service Delivery Site Management (Advanced)
Staff Health: Deploying a Healthy Workforce (Basic)
Supervision in Disaster (Advanced)
Supervision on Disaster Assignment
Workforce Planning and Aquisition (Basic)
Working with Partners
Collaborating to Ensure Effective Service Delivery (Basic)
Emergency Operations Center/Incident Command Liaison (Basic)
Emergency Operations Center Liaison Self Study (Basic)
Public Affairs in Disaster I (Basic)
Public Speaking Workshop (Basic)
State Relations Disaster Liaison (Basic)
Determining the Impact of a Disaster
Fundamentals of Disaster Assessment (Basic)
Delivering Red Cross Disaster Services
Client Assistance Cards: Caseworkers Course (Basic)
Client Assistance Cards: Financial and Statistical Information Management Workers
Client Assistance System Training
Client Casework: Providing Emergency Assistance (Basic)
Disaster Kitchen Training (Basic)
Disaster Mental Health: An Overview (Basic)
ERVs: Ready. Set, Roll (Basic)
Foundations of Disaster Mental Health Course (Basic)
Health Services Response Workshop (Basic)
Mass Care Overview (Basic)
Mass Care: An Overview-Spanish (Basic)
Psychological First Aid (Basic)
Serving People with Disabilities Following a Disaster (Basic)
Shelter Operations (Basic)
Shelter Simulation (Basic)
Supporting Red Cross Service Delivery
Disaster Fundraising: Preparing for and Responding in Chapters
In-Kind Disaster Workshop
Financial and Statistical Information Management (Basic)
Logistics: An Overview (Basic)
Logistics During A Weapons of Mass Destruction/Terrorism Incident (Basic)
Logistics Simulation (Basic)
Becoming an Instructor
Community Disaster Education Instructor Specialt y (Advanced)
Disaster Instructor Specialty Training (Advanced)
Fundamentals of Instruction and Facilitation (Basic)
- National Instructor Training Conference (Advanced)
Additional Training Resources
Recruit/train public relations professionals to respond to disasters
FEMA Independent Study
First Aid/CPR training through Red Cross Health & Safety
KEY POINTS ABOUT HIV/AIDS---A CONTRACT WITH MYSELF
*HIV is the virus that causes AIDS, and AIDS is a result of HIV infection.
*HIV infection can be prevented.
*HIV is not spread through everyday casual contact.
*People cannot get HIV when they give blood.
*I also know there are steps I can take to keep myself and my family from becoming infected with HIV and to help my community respond in informed ways to HIV infection and to people who have HIV or AIDS.
*I know that HIV is spread by having vaginal, anal or oral sex with someone who has HIV, or by sharing needles with a person who has the virus. Not having sex or sharing needles protects me from HIV.
*If I do have sex, I can greatly reduce the risk of becoming infected or infecting others with HIV and other STDs by using a latex (or polyurethane, if allergic to latex) condom correctly and consistently.
*If I do inject drugs or other substances of any kind, I can protect my self by using new, sterile equipment each time I inject.
*I can be around a person who has HIV or AIDS; share things like telephones, pens, spoons and coffee cups; use the same bathroom and kitchen; and even shake hands and give hugs without risk of becoming infected myself. Therefore, I will take steps to keep from becoming infected with HIV and/or to help educate and protect my family and community. (Here are some possible steps to take; add others as you like):
*I will talk to my friends and family about how to prevent HIV infection.
*I will not inject drugs.
*I will keep in mind that I can always decide not to have sex.
*I will use a latex condom whenever I have vaginal, anal or oral sex.
*I will volunteer to help an AIDS service organization.
*I will be counseled and tested because I believe I may be at risk of HIV infection.
PLANNING FOR SAFETY IN CASE OF FIRE
It is always important to plan an escape route from your home in case of fire. Every home should have:
*Two exits from every room----Make sure that every one in your home knows at least two ways out of every room.
*Smoke alarms----Install smoke alarms outside and inside every sleeping area, right outside the kitchen and on every level of your home.
*Ladders----Use ladders for exiting sleeping areas on the second floor. Store ladders in easy-to-reach locations near the exit where they are needed. Choose a storage place that will make it easy to keep the ladder tangle-free.
*Home floor plans----Post floor plans of your home outside every room. Show two possible exits out of every room. Mark the best escape route to take out of every room.
*Outdoor meeting place------Choose a place outdoors where everyone can meet in case of a fire. Teach everyone in your home to go to your outdoor meeting place in case of a fire. Once you are out, stay out!
PANDEMIC PREPARATION PLANS ARE UNDERWAY
Governments around the world are getting ready. For example, U.S. federal authorities are:
*stockpiling vaccines and medications
*supporting research to produce new vaccines and medications
*establishing effective public health guidelines
*monitoring viruses around the world
*working to detect outbreaks and responding to them quickly
*helping state, local, and tribal authorities develop pandemic flu response plans
*setting up systems for sharing emergency health information.
FOR MORE INFORMATION www.adph.org
***************
INTERESTED IN A BLOOD DRIVE?
Contact: Ryan Sherman, Account Manager, (205)939-6515 office
(205)939-6526 fax
SHOULD I DONATE BLOOD? About 4 million people need blood each year in the United States. That's one person every two seconds, and the overwhelming majority would die without it. Healthy donors are the only source of blood. There is no substitute...........Blood is needed for emergencies and for people who have cancer, blood disorders, sickle cell anemia and other illnesses. Some people need regular blood transfusions to live......A single blood donation can be separated into components, which can help more than one person:
*RED BLOOD CELLS help accident victims, surgery patients and
those with anemia.
*PLATELETS help the blood clot and are used for cancer patients
undergoing chemotherapy.
*PLASMA is used to treat patients suffering from burns or shock.
AM I ELIGIBLE? The American Red Cross collects blood from thousands of volunteer blood donors each year. Most healthy people age 17 or older, who weigh at least 110 pounds, can donate blood.
IS MY BLOOD NEEDED? The American Red Cross needs 25,000 people nationally and 1200 locally to donate blood each day to serve patients in need......Nationally, 5 percent of eligible donors give blood.....If all eligible donors gave twice a year, there would probably never be shortages......People age 65 and older comprise 13 percent of the population, but use 25 percent of all blood transfused.....High school and college students donate about 15 percent of the blood supply.....The need for blood is constant because blood only lasts a maximum of 42 days.....The American Red Cross supplies about one-half of the nation's blood.
BEFORE DONATING: Donating blood will not alter your daily routine in any significant way. We suggest that you do the following things before donating to help you have a great donation experience:
*Get a good night's sleep.
*Eat a well-balanced, nutritious meal.
*Double your normal fluid intake 48 hours before donating.
GIVING BLOOD: IS IT SAFE? There many misconceptions and unfounded fears about giving blood: Donating is safe, quick and easy. Needles, bags and tubing are used only once.......Donating rarely hurts. You will feel a brief sting in your arm near your elbow......Reactions when donating are rare and usually minor......If you feel tired after donating, it should pass in a few hours........Your blood cells replace themselves. You can donate blood every 56 days.
TUSCALOOSA: PROFESSIONAL PLAZA EAST, 921 - 3rd AVE EAST, SUITE 100
PLEASE REMEMBER THAT ID. IS REQUIRED FOR EVERY DONOR.
FOR INFORMATION OR TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT, PLEASE CALL
1-800-448-3543 OR VISIT www.redcrossblood.org
************
IT'S TRAGIC, NOT MAGIC when a loved one disappears.
PROJECT LIFESAVER can help.......by providing small transmitters to be worn on the wrist or ankle to allow a person to be located quickly if they become lost.
For information: Call Vicki Kerr at 752-6840 or
Sgt. Dale Phillips at 752-0616.