Caring Is Sharing! Give Blood On Valentine's Day

Come celebrate Valentine's Day at the Red Cross!

Do you love chocolate? All presenting donors at our Clark County Donor Center on this special day will receive a small box of chocolates from Russell Stover. There will also be drawings held for other chocolate goodies throughout the blood drive.

You can also give from the heart this Valentine's Day at our Bend Donor Center! Bring a friend to donate blood at the Bend Donor Center during this week, February 13 - 17 and both presenting donors will receive an American Red Cross water bottle*.

*Presenting donors will fill out a form with name and number to receive their water bottles. Donors do not need to present to donate at the same time.

Schedule your appointment now or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Where Do You Fit?

Graphic courtesy of socialgraphics.files.wordpress.com

No matter what your blood type, the need is constant. Sign up to donate at redcrossblood.org or 1-800 RED CROSS today!

The Red Cross Has Redesigned Its Logo!

The American Red Cross officially unveiled its new logo last Thursday, featuring the iconic Red Cross in a button, to symbolize the personal investment of volunteers, employees and supporters in the Red Cross mission. The Red Cross, one of the world’s most recognized and trusted brands, has historically represented hope, safety on the battlefield, and care in crisis.

This new look is designed to reflect the organization as it is today: modern, authentic and innovative. The updated identity is meant to appeal to both long-time Red Cross supporters and an entirely new generation of volunteers and donors, eager to show their affiliation with the organization. This presentation of the Red Cross logo is similar to the lapel pins and buttons worn by Red Cross supporters in the early part of the 20th century.

While most people think of disaster relief and blood donation when they think of the Red Cross, the updated brand identity is meant to invite people to learn more about the organization and its mission.”We want to show more people how they can be part of a Red Cross that intersects with their lives in many ways,” said Peggy Dyer, chief marketing officer of the Red Cross. “We’re proud of both our history and our future. We look forward to telling our story to a wider audience and the new brand identity is an important step in that process.”

The American Red Cross will continue to roll out its new look when it debuts a redesigned corporate website later this year. The new site will feature the logo button, updated graphics and an enhanced use of photography. It will also feature user-generated content to allow individuals to share their Red Cross experiences.

The American Red Cross is currently developing a public-service ad campaign that will feature stories of people whose lives have been touched by the Red Cross mission.

Scientific and Humanitarian Lessons from The Haiti and Japan Earthquakes

Our friends (and partners) at OMSI have piqued our collective Red Cross interest again with February 22nd's Science Pub Portland topic! "Scientific and Humanitarian Lessons from The Haiti and Japan Earthquakes" promises to be an elucidating and relevant lecture, held in the comfort of the Mission Theatre.  For more information and the address, visit: http://www.omsi.edu/node/1007. 

Grab a drink and a snack and get ready for a discussion about the scientific processes that led to these disasters as well as an overview of the overwhelming global humanitarian response. 
Dr. Wayne Pennington will also discuss how lack of public awarenesss or disaster preparedness magnified the Haitian earthquake's and Japanese tsunami's effects - and how this danger lurks globally for ill-prepared areas. 

Pretty relevant stuff, given that we are due for an enormous earthquake and ensuing tsunami in our little corner of the world! 
Red Cross also has a wealth of information on disaster preparedness; you can visit oregonredcross.org to learn about preparedness, schedule a class or presentation, buy safety products and print materials, and learn about blood donation.  As always, we love to remind you to "Be prepared for anything!" 

Photo courtesy of mcmenamins.com

Can You Save a Life by Singing?

A couple of days ago, I posted a funny blog entry regarding chest compressions as demonstrated in a Superbowl ad by Hyundai. On a more serious note, I ran across an interesting study, also regarding chest compressions.

Picture the scene: the man in front of you has collapsed, his heart has stopped and only you can save him by performing CPR (cardio-pulmonary resuscitation). Is now the time to start sifting through your mental musical jukebox for an up-tempo number?

Up until recently, the answer would probably have been yes. For a while now, potential life-savers have been encouraged to mentally follow certain songs in order to keep up a steady rate of CPR compressions. In the US, people have been advised to follow the beat of the Bee Gees’ Stayin’ Alive song. (In the UK, Nellie the Elephant was evidently the preferred track.)

But a study, published in the British 'Emergency Medicine Journal' a few months ago, has shown that such musically-themed interventions often aren’t effective. Sing-song life-savers tend to concentrate so much on keeping the right rhythm that they don’t compress the victim’s chest deeply enough.

The American Red Cross recommends a rate of 100-120 compressions per minute during CPR – but also stresses that the chest should be compressed by 2 or 3 inches. Correctly performed, CPR is life-saving and can triple survival rates – but unless the compressions are deep enough, the study concluded, you’re essentially using someone as a drum kit while singing Stayin' Alive.

The study measured responses using a number of ‘recommended’ songs (including, inevitably, Achy Breaky Heart by Billy Ray Cyrus) and found that more than a third of compressions were too shallow, regardless of the piece. The study concluded: “We are unconvinced that music provides any benefit in improving the quality of CPR…and suggest that this interesting but unproductive area of resuscitation research should be discontinued.”

Music or no, the key thing is to try to help. As a spokesperson at the Red Cross put it: “It’s important not to get too distracted by the mechanics and rules of applying CPR. Dial 911, and start giving steady chest compressions until emergency help arrives.”

And consider taking a refresher course in CPR, to learn the latest techniques. Sign up for a local course at the American Red Cross website.

Worldwide Wednesday Wrap-Up

Welcome to the Worldwide Wednesday Wrap-Up, in which we consolidate the international Red Cross and Red Crescent news into one list of bite-sized links for you. It's a non-comprehensive sampling of the larger and/or more intriguing aspects of our global work...

AUSTRALIA: Thousands of Australians have been forced to abandon their homes, and many towns have been left isolated as heavy rainfall has caused flood waters to rise in south-western Queensland and northern New South Wales. The Australian Red Cross has more than 150 Red Cross people assisting with the relief effort, managing evacuation centers, and assisting people on their return.

SOUTH SUDAN: After six months as an independent country, South Sudan still faces humanitarian challenges. With a history of 30 years of conflict, the northern regions of today's South Sudan remain particularly volatile. The ICRC is working with the new South Sudan Red Cross to ensure civilians are respected, the wounded are protected, and to provide aid in conflict-affected communities.

MALI: Fighting in the Northern Mali since mid-January has led to a massive number of displaced people living in dire conditions. The ICRC is assisting 26,000 displaced people in and around Ménaka, 4,000 around Aguelhoc and 15,000 others displaced in neighboring Niger. Together with the Mali Red Cross, the ICRC is distributing millet, rice, oil, salt, tarpaulins, blankets, sleeping mats, buckets, kitchen utensils and hygiene items.

MADAGASCAR: Last week a plague-prevention campaign was launched at places of detention in Madagascar with support from the ICRC. In all, more than 3,600 people will benefit at two facilities in Antanimora and Tsiafahy, which have severely overcrowded conditions and limited opportunities for maintaining hygiene. Madagascar is one of the few places where the plague is still prevalent, with between 300 and 600 cases occurring in recent years.


GLOSSARY:

ICRC = International Committee of the Red Cross
IFRC = International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

PHOTO:
Red Cross volunteer Lynette Tyler provides personal support for Mary Stanton, a Kamilaroi Aboriginal elder, who had to evacuate her home along with 3,000 others from the town of St. George. Australian Red Cross/Jack Tran

How the Red Cross Responded to January's Storm, and How They Will Respond in the Future

Two weeks ago, the Oregon Red Cross set up an Emergency Disaster Relief Shelter at the Newport Fairgrounds for victims of the recent storms and floods. The shelter was only operating for 24 hours before it was removed, and did not serve any clients during that time. However, before it was removed, the Red Cross wanted to open it up to anyone curious to learn more about how an Emergency Disaster Relief Shelter would operate.

Oregon Coast Daily News was there to learn from Red Cross Emergency Education Coordinator, CiCie Pratt.

Filmed by Kiera Morgan, edited by Guy Leech