Red Cross Volunteer Training and Earthquake Preparedness

Red Cross offers FREE classes in Santa Rosa

FREE Earthquake Preparedness class on
Wednesday, January 20, from 6:30-7:30 p.m.
All are invited. To reserve a seat, register by calling 577-7603.
You are also welcome to show up at the door.

Red Cross Volunteer Training, interested individuals are encouraged to attend a free local class, "Fulfilling Our Mission," at 5297 Aero Drive, Santa Rosa (Chapter headquarters). Monday, February 1 from 6 to 9:30 p.m.

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January 20:“Following a 6.5 earthquake and numerous aftershocks in Humboldt County, it’s a wake-up call that we must be prepared for serious earthquakes in Sonoma and Mendocino Counties, too,” said Rodger Doncaster, Director of Disaster Services. “Being prepared and knowledgeable is the best way to minimize property damage, injury and even death. We’re hoping that raised community concern about earthquakes will let us train as many people as possible on January 20.”

Topics covered will include:

What to do when the earthquake hits
· How to reduce hazards related to earthquakes
· Build a kit: what to include in a disaster kit for one person or an entire family
· Make a plan: ensuring that all members of the household including pets are considered.
· Be informed: what training you should get that can save the life of a family member, neighbor, co-worker, or community member
· Lifesaving safety tips you can use in earthquakes or any emergency.

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American Red Cross Pledges Haiti Relief

SEE http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=Red+Cross+Haiti for updated photos

Please visit this site if you would like to use some of the powerful photographs taken by Red Cross workers in Haiti.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/americanredcross
Another site you may find useful is http://newsroom.redcross.org/

The Red Cross is contributing from the International Response Fund to support the relief operation, and has opened its warehouse in Panama to provide tarps, mosquito nets and cooking sets for approximately 5,000 families.

In addition to Red Cross staff already in Haiti, six disaster management specialists are being deployed to the disaster zone to help coordinate relief efforts. At this time, the American Red Cross is only deploying volunteers specially trained to manage international emergency operations.

February 1: To begin Red Cross volunteer training, interested individuals are encouraged to attend a free local class, "Fulfilling Our Mission," at 5297 Aero Drive, Santa Rosa (Chapter headquarters). The next is Monday, February 1 from 6 to 9:30 p.m.

There has been an outpouring of support from the public. To help, people can donate funds to the American Red Cross International Response Fund as follows:

In Sonoma and Mendocino Counties

Online at www.arcsm.org/donate
By phone: (707) 577-7627 (Sonoma County) or (707) 463-0112 (Mendocino County)
By mail or in person: 5297 Aero Drive, Santa Rosa, CA 95403
Red Cross donation cans will be available beginning Thursday afternoon at Friedman’s Home Improvement stores in Santa Rosa, Ukiah and Sonoma, and Berry’s Market on Aero Drive in Santa Rosa.

National Red Cross

Online at www.redcross.org
By phone: 1-800-REDCROSS (1-800-733-2767).
By texting “Haiti” to 90999 to send a $10 donation to the Red Cross

Debris and collapsed bridges are making access to many areas extremely difficult. Telephone service and electricity are out in many places. Haitian Red Cross staff worked throughout the night to rescue people still trapped in their homes and provide first aid. The priority remains to provide food, water, temporary shelter, medical services and emotional support.

The American Red Cross already had fifteen staff in Haiti providing ongoing HIV/AIDS prevention and disaster preparedness programs. All are reported to be safe and responding to the disaster.

The International Committee of the Red Cross has established a family linking Web site, enabling persons in Haiti and abroad to search for and register the names of relatives missing since the earthquake. www.icrc.org/familylinks.

While communication with those in Haiti is still difficult, people should contact the U.S. Department of State, Office of Overseas Citizens Services at 1-888-407-4747 or 202-647-5225 if trying to reach a U.S. citizen living or traveling in Haiti. If trying to reach a Haitian citizen, callers should continue to call or contact other family members who live nearby. Telephone, Internet and other communication lines are often disrupted in times of disaster.

To date, there have been no requests for blood products from the government of Haiti. However, some patients at an affected facility in Haiti have been moved to a Guantanamo Bay hospital, and the Armed Services Blood Program has asked both the Red Cross and Florida Blood Services for support for those patients. In addition, the American Red Cross will be sending a shipment of blood products to the United Nations Mission in Haiti.

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Despite extreme challenges, the American Red Cross has dozens of disaster specialists in Haiti, assessing the damage, addressing urgent needs and establishing the foundation for a long-term recovery operation. These individuals joined the 15-person staff who were already in country, and 12 Red Cross teams from other countries who arrived on Thursday. Among these teams are engineers, surgeons and family linking specialists. These teams will establish field hospitals, restore water and sanitation systems, distribute supplies and restore family links facilities.

Two planes carrying Red Cross humanitarian assistance are due to land Friday afternoon in Port-au-Prince. The first carries a field hospital, and the second carries tarps, blankets, hygiene items, buckets, shelter supplies and kitchen sets.

NATIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND EVENTS

The $37 million raised so far includes $9 million contributed nationwide via texting. There is no current report of how much has been raised locally through texting.

A telethon is planned for MTV (also broadcast on ABC and NBC) on Friday night, January 15, to be hosted by George Clooney. First lady Michelle Obama has been featured on a public service announcement encouraging donations to the American Red Cross.


LOCAL CONTRIBUTIONS & EVENTS (partial list)

So far, more than $13,000 has been donated through the American Red Cross, Sonoma & Mendocino Counties, with people continuing to call, donate online, mail in donations, and bringing contributions directly to the Santa Rosa headquarters.

Local Chapter headquarters at 5297 Aero Drive in Santa Rosa will be open to accept donations on Saturday and Monday from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Phone, online, fax donations will also be processed on those days.

Special Red Cross Haiti relief accounts have been established at both Sonoma Bank (all nine Sonoma County locations) and Redwood Credit Union (all 15 North Bay and San Francisco branches) for donations. All are welcome to donate, whether they have accounts at the companies or not.

On January 16 and 17 in the town of Sonoma, most merchants on East Napa Street have agreed to donate 10 percent of proceeds to the Red Cross Haiti relief effort.

On January 16, Steve Seskin performs at the Petaluma Arts Council, 230 Lakeville St. and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the relief effort.

Mark West Elementary School and Sonoma Charter School are both collecting funds to donate to the relief fund.


CONTINUING DONATIONS

The best way to help is for people to donate funds to the American Red Cross International Response Fund, and designate their gifts to Haiti relief.

In Sonoma and Mendocino Counties, to donate:

* Online at www.arcsm.org/donate

* By phone in English: (707) 577-7627 (Sonoma County) or (707) 463-0112 (Mendocino County); in Spanish (707) 577-7600

* By mail or in person: 5297 Aero Drive, Santa Rosa, CA 95403

* To put on a fundraising event: contact Emily Buller, (707) 577-7627.

* Red Cross donation cans are available at many locations, including Friedman’s Home Improvement stores in Santa Rosa, Ukiah and Sonoma, Berry’s Market on Aero Drive in Santa Rosa, Ray’s Food in seven Cloverdale locations, Starbucks in two Cloverdale locations, in Healdsburg at Ferrari-Carano, Alexander Valley School, Hamburger Ranch, Harvest Markets in Fort Bragg and Ukiah.

To donate to national Red Cross

* Online at www.redcross.org in English;
www.cruzrojaamericana.org in Spanish.

* By phone: 1-800-REDCROSS (1-800-733-2767) English; 1-800-257-7575 Spanish.

* By texting “Haiti” to 90999 to send a $10 donation to the Red Cross

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While donations are coming in for Haiti relief, the initial American Red Cross response is made possible in part by contributions from members of the Red Cross Annual Disaster Giving Program (ADGP). The following partners designate a portion of their ADGP commitment to the International Response Fund: American Express, John Deere Foundation, Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Morgan Stanley and State Street Foundation.

ABOUT THE AMERICAN RED CROSS, SONOMA & MENDOCINO COUNTIES

American Red Cross is a neutral, humanitarian organization that provides relief to victims of disasters, and prepares people to prevent and respond to emergencies. The Sonoma & Mendocino Counties chapter, like all Red Cross chapters, is self-sustaining. The Chapter receives no funding from the national organization or United Way, and minimal government funding. All disaster assistance and assistance to members of the Armed Forces provided by the Chapter is free and is made possible by voluntary donations of time and money by the people of Sonoma and Mendocino counties. Donations can be made online at www.arcsm.org, via mail to 5297 Aero Drive, Santa Rosa, CA 95403, or by phone at (707) 577-7600. Mendocino residents can call (707)463-0112.