The American Red Cross consists of volunteers, employees and people who donate all working together to help those who are suffering in the US and in other countries around the world. It provides emergency help, education and help for regions that are hit by disaster. The American Red Cross not only offers support and relief to people in need they also train people with the skills in health and safety, they also contribute to supporting military families and even go further in helping to reunite long lost families.
News and Events
Creating a disaster app
December of last year students came up with the idea to create an app for storing important information such as; insurance cards, proof of residency and driver licence information in case a disaster happened such as a hurricane as such information could get lost. This way people can store information on the app so that they still have access to it electronically. These students are now working along with the American Red Cross to make the app a reality. This actually takes preparing for a disaster to a new level as this is more about the service it can provide after the disaster. The Red Cross are helping the students look for funding so the app can be implemented and used so that people who are unfortunate enough to be caught up in a disaster can make a better quicker recovery with the use of the app.
Tips to stay safe as cold weather arrives
During December last year America was hit with one of the coldest months on record. The freezing temperature and ever falling snow which has covered much of the country has caused major disruption which has led to a knock on affect regarding many industries almost bringing some of the economy to a standstill. Apart from transportation being the most disrupted as many roads airport and other means of transport was either closed or cancelled, power too many regions had been affected also. The Red Cross already working in areas to help those badly affected by the weather made a list to help those not only function in such conditions but to actually survive them and bring them out the other end unharmed. These tips included how to eat your home safely avoiding at all costs heating your home with stoves and ovens as these can cause their own disasters, keep warm by adding extra clothing and blankets, how to stop pipes from freezing and seeking medical attention if you experience symptoms connected with hypothermia. You can visit the Des Moines Red Cross site here www.redcross.org/ia/des-moines
Volunteering training in Iowa
The Red Cross are offering courses from January through to March for volunteers who would like to train. Once a Volunteer Connection profile is completed applicants will then be invited to join the Red Cross to have volunteering training.
Heroes of the Heartland
Heroes of the Heartland is a competition announced in January set up for people who would like to nominate a person who they believe have gone out of their way unselfishly to offer kindness and have an impact of the person’s life. The person nominated should have shown courage, be caring and above all deserve the award. To enter an essay of about 400 words was needed to describe why such a person should be awarded.
Poster Contest
March is the Red Cross poster contest where students form specific areas can enter a poster contest. For more info on Des Moines visit www.dmgov.org.