0909 Newsletter

September 2009 Volume 2, Issue 1

American Red Cross of Greater Indianapolis, 441 East 10th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46202

www.redcross-indy.org

317-684-1441

September Is National Preparedness Month By Ann A. Gregson

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eptember is National Preparedness Month and the American Red Cross of Greater Indianapolis is celebrating in style! The Greater Indianapolis Red Cross is collaborating with Marion County Emergency Management, Hamilton County Emergency Management, State Farm Insurance, and WISH-TV 8 in an all-out blitz to help Hoosiers Be Red Cross Ready for disasters and other emergencies.

Patriot Day: A National Day of Service and Remembrance

On Friday, September 11, the partners will regroup for the 2009 Community Fair. This is the 8th year for the fair, which is held on Monument Circle from 11:00 a.m.– 2:00 p.m. and is co-hosted by the City of Indianapolis and the United Way of Central Indiana. The fair was established to remember the events of September 11, 2001, and invites non-profits to showcase their mission and recruit volunteers. The Red Cross, Marion County Emergency ManageIt’s Back to School for You ment, and State Farm will be out in force educating the public Getting ready to go back to school and getting ready for emergen- about disaster safety and how they can advance their personal and cies went hand in hand as the partnership kicked off early on Sat- community preparedness. A third and final Enter-to-Win an Aweurday, August 1, at the Marion County Health Department’s Back some Item for Your Disaster Supplies Kit drawing will also be to School Family Day. Ten thousand backpacks stuffed with held. As is tradition, volunteers will hand out cold bottled water school supplies including a Be Red Cross Ready pencil and from the Red Cross Emergency Response Vehicle to weary downbookmark as well as a new co-branded Be Red Cross Ready bro- town office workers. Stop by and see us at our usual spot on the chure outlining the basic preparedness actions steps were distrib- southwest quadrant of the Circle in front of the Chocolate Café. uted to school students. State Farm and Red Cross volunteers also had an opportunity to interact with hundreds of youngsters and Print This parents as they tested their EPQ—Emergency Preparedness QuoBe on the look out for partner billboards and bus ads that will tient—by giving the Be Red Cross Ready Wheel of Preparedencourage folks to…you guessed it…Be Red Cross Ready. ness a spin and answering a question. Even if it seemed to some There are 20 billboards and 20 bus ads—see if you can find all 40! of the kids that “school” was starting earlier than they thought, (No, there is no prize…) they didn’t balk, but listened intently to the questions and tried their best to come up with the right answers. Participants also Weather or Not received preparedness information and entered a drawing for items for their disaster supplies kits. Starting September 1, watch for special 30-second educational The Indiana State Fair: The Year of the Tomato…and Say It with spots featuring Meteorologist Ken Brewer on WISH-TV and LWS. Each week, Ken will focus on a different Be Red Cross Me, Be Red Cross Ready Ready action step: Get a Kit, Make a Plan, and Be Informed. During the last week, Ken will highlight a fourth step, Get Involved, On Friday, August 27, the Red Cross and Marion County Emerwhich stresses additional preparedness efforts that can have an gency Management utilized WISH-TV’s booth in the Our Land Pavilion at the Indiana State Fair to engage fairgoers from across impact in your neighborhood and the community at large. Indiana. Kids of all ages were invited to reach into the Be Red Cross Ready Mystery Box and pull out an item. Their challenge? FOR ONE MONTH ONLY, Go Red Instead of Green Decide if the item belonged in a disaster supplies kit. In many Last but not least, the good folks at Marsh have once again printed cases, the entire family got into the act, opening up a dialogue on Red Cross emergency preparedness messages on their paper groemergency preparedness and enabling volunteers to answer quescery bags. The next time you shop at Marsh, please remember to tions and provide more in-depth preparedness information. Be forget your green mesh bag in the car so that when you are asked, Red Cross Ready preparedness brochures and booklets were also “Paper or plastic?” you can respond with a resounding, “Make available for pick-up throughout the 17-day fair. Special thanks to mine paper!” Heather Starr and the Red Cross First Aid Team for helping us transport our stuff! Be Red Cross Ready information can be found at www.wishtv.com during September and year-round at www.indyredcross.org.

Emergency Services Newsletter

Thank You, Barb Scott! by The Disaster Mental Health Leadership Team

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ince 2000, much has been accomplished in the Disaster Mental Health activity. The activity has grown from six volunteers to over fifty, including two managers and three supervisors. Mental health has become a member of DAT and the chapter has 24/7 disaster mental health coverage. Disaster Mental Health has been complimented by national staff for its ability to manage local major disasters. These accomplishments are largely due to one person, Barb Scott. In early 2000, Chapter staff asked Barb if she would develop the Disaster Mental Health Activity for the chapter. Barb’s organizational skills and warm way with people made her the right person for the job. Barb’s Red Cross career began nearly 30 years ago in Ann Arbor, Michigan. As a staff person, she coordinated blood drives and worked in Health and Safety. With a move to Indianapolis, the Greater Indianapolis Chapter employed her where she again worked in Health and Safety. Though Barb retired from employment with Red Cross in 1999, she did not stop being involved. She continued to volunteer to teach Health and Safety classes and to work at First Aid Stations. With her dog, Logan, she became involved in the Pet Therapy Program. She took DAT on-call, and national disaster deployments had her traveling to Florida, Washington DC, Arizona, Louisiana, northern Indiana, and Texas. Locally she has worked at more disasters than can be counted. However, it is her accomplishments as a mental health leader that are unique. Her efforts were the energy behind the successful development of the DMH activity. Her vision, kindness and hard work attracted other mental health volunteers. Due to her leadership, the chapter has a strong DMH program. After her many years of dedication to the Disaster Mental Health Program, Barb has made the decision to retire. She will be replacing DAT on-call, working national disasters, and DMH meetings with more time for her seven children, twelve grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and husband, Dave. Words are not big enough to contain the thanks to Barb for all the time and energy she has given to the disaster mental health activity. With sincerity, we hope she knows her kindness, dedication, energy, patience, and endless giving will always be appreciated.

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Shelter “Call-Down” Activity By Adam Ansari

Emergency Services continually analyzes and works toward developing resources, including volunteers, communications, supplies, facilities, transportation, partnerships, etc. Knowing the Chapter's ability to respond to large disasters helps to determine strategies and actions to use for improving our readiness. On Thursday, August 13, 2009, the Shelter Management conducted a “Call Down” exercise which was designed to assess how many Sheltering volunteers would be able to volunteer for a given period of time within our jurisdiction. Thanks to every Sheltering volunteer that participated in the exercise by responding to email or fielding a phone call from one of our shelter managers; without your participation it would become increasingly difficult to tell how we would react in a real disaster situation. Out of the 184 volunteers on the Shelter Team Roster, 67 individuals indicated during the exercise that they would be able to respond to one or more days of the Chapter’s disaster relief operation (roughly 37%) and 23 individuals would be unable to respond (7%). Also, out of the 184 volunteers on the Shelter Team Roster, 95 individuals indicated they would like to remain on the roster (52%), and 15 individuals are no longer able to participate on the team (8%). 75 individuals were unable to be reached for a response (40%). The next Shelter Operations and Simulation class is on September 22nd and 24th from 6-10 pm. You can sign up online at the Indy Red Cross website. Space is limited so first come first serve. The course is designed for national and local responses and could prove to be a great refresher course for many of you who haven’t taken a Sheltering class for a few years. Again, thank you to all the volunteers who participated in the “Call Down” and we hope all of you continue to volunteer for the American Red Cross.

Emergency Services Newsletter

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Volunteer Spotlight: Dan Crowe and Ruth Stanley by Adam Ansari ES: What is your favorite thing to do besides volunteering? This month’s volunteer spotlight features two of the kindest and most compassionate people I have talked with at the Red Cross. Both work Dan and Ruth: We love to travel. We have been to Africa five times, as Mental Health Volunteers and do a brilliant job of talking and Australia, New Zealand, China, and Europe several times. relating with clients. They seem to have an uncanny knack for handling disaster situations and the expertise that goes into them. ES: What was your first impression of the Red Cross? I was lucky enough to sit down with Dan Crowe and Ruth Stanley this month to ask them a few questions. I hope everyone is encouraged by Dan’s and Ruth’s answers and are further encouraged in your own Red Cross endeavors. ES: How did you first get involved with the Red Cross? Dan and Ruth: Years ago, Dan started saying that he wanted to start going out to disasters and helping people, and I [Ruth] decided that he couldn’t do it alone so we started taking classes together and we have been volunteering since. We both started out our careers as psychiatric workers—Dan as a social worker and me as a nurse. We both also worked at the department of mental health; Dan was there for 32 years and I was there for 24 years. Volunteering within the Mental Health field seemed like an easy choice for the both of us.

Dan and Ruth: We thought it was a great organization. What the Red Cross does after disasters is really a great thing. ES: What is one of your most memorable experiences at the Red Cross? Dan and Ruth: Probably the spring 2008 floods and tornado that went through Central Indiana. During that time we worked in three or four different shelters. We both also stayed overnight in the shelters, which we enjoyed because we developed really strong relationships with the people staying there. ES: What would you tell someone who was thinking about volunteering with the Red Cross? Dan and Ruth: Do It! It is one of the most rewarding things you can do in your life; actually going out and meeting people is really amazing. If you can do anything to make their life easier or make them feel less alone it really is a great thing. You also are able to make a lot of really great new friends. ES: What do you find most challenging about your volunteer work?

ES: What do you do when you aren’t volunteering? Dan and Ruth: We do a lot of things with our church. Dan is a youth minister and I [Ruth] perform duties as an usher. We are both also part of the congregation’s choir. I [Dan] also serve on two boards as a psychiatric social worker: Talbot House and Sisters Place. Still, our favorite thing to do is volunteer work. We enjoy it so much and have loved meeting the people that we have. ES: What do you like most about volunteering? Dan and Ruth: We like the people. Working as Mental Health Associates you spend all of your time with people and it is always important to view these individuals as people and not clients. We enjoy just helping, talking, and finding out about each and every person we talk to. ES: What benefits do you receive through volunteering? Dan and Ruth: Well, as a Mental Health Worker you deal with a lot of underserved populations and people are not always viewed positively in these populations. It is a great reward when you can give these people some sort of advice or comfort to uplift their spirits after something bad has happened.

Dan and Ruth: There is something new every day and the energy it can sometimes take to do a good job can get a little hard. ES: If you could give one piece of advice to new volunteers, what would it be? Dan and Ruth: Be open and willing to accept people, have patience, and have compassion. Everyone that you talk to has just lost something and is reacting to what has happened. It is important when people are reacting with fear or anger that you keep a cool head and know that their frustration is not directed at you. ES: That is great advice. Well, thank you for coming in and I hope you both continue being important volunteers for the American Red Cross. I really enjoyed Dan’s and Ruth’s last point that just because you may not receive a thank you, it does not mean that the clients do not appreciate what you are doing. Everyone has been through some traumatic event and it is important to keep that in mind when talking with a client.

Emergency Services Newsletter

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Are You Prepared to Volunteer in a Disaster? By Joni McVey

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f a major disaster strikes tomorrow, are you prepared to leave home and respond? Not only is it important for you to be prepared for a disaster relief operation, but your family should also be educated and equipped to reside in your absence. As you know, the safety and health of our staff, volunteers, and clients are of utmost importance to the American Red Cross. Here are some things to consider:

Disaster Supplies Kit – Every family should have an easily accessible kit, and maybe even a smaller version in the trunk of the car.

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Plenty of water Basic tools Clothing/Shoes Radio Prescriptions Family documents Toiletries Batteries

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Ready-to-eat foods First-aid kit Bedding Flashlight Pet supplies Special needs items Entertainment!

Family Disaster Plan – Meet with your family to ensure that each member knows what to do in a disaster situation. •

Identify the disasters we can expect here in Indiana (floods, tornadoes).

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Know how to respond to each type of disaster. Education is key!

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Choose two meeting places: one close to home, one farther away.

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Designate an out-of-state friend as your family’s “check-in contact.”

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Does your family have a fire extinguisher? Test and recharge as needed.

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Learn First Aid and CPR. Visit http:// www.redcross-indy.org/ for further information on our trainings and disaster preparedness advice.

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Know how and when to shut off water, gas, and electricity safely.

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Determine the best escape routes from your home and each room in it.

Family Matters & Medical Needs •

Child care plan

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Elder care plan

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Emergency plan for pets

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30-day supply of all prescriptions

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Transportation to appointments

Economics – ATMs aren’t reliable in disasters, so keep emergency cash on hand! Vehicle Safety – Be sure your vehicle is up-to-date on all services and inspections. Don’t forget to include a Disaster Supplies Kit in your trunk! Be sure your family knows about the American Red Cross!

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Post emergency phone numbers near every phone and in every wallet.

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Chapter location

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Contact information

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Install smoke detectors on every level of your home and test monthly.

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Deployment location, if applicable

Have a Submission for the Newsletter?

ARCGI Emergency Services Newsletter Published by our Emergency Services

Send to [email protected]

Volunteer Newsletter Team Jenny Davidson and ES Staff

Emergency Services Newsletter

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Greetings from the FBCI Corner… By Kira Davad Foerster and Justin P. Gray

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reetings from the FBCI coordinators! August has been another exciting month in Emergency Services’ Faith Based Community Initiative, with visits to nine partner sites and organizations, and yet another mock disaster! As the second year of VISTA FBCI leadership moves into its third month, the program’s future looks brighter, more diverse, and even better equipped to support the community in a time of disaster.

Recognition On August 1st, the FBCI coordinators celebrated our partnership with Brandywine Community Church by presenting the Action Team with a Certificate of Recognition for successfully completing their FBCI training. Brandywine brings 33 trained volunteers to the FBCI, and gives the program its first home in Hancock County. Thank you!

Mock Disaster Plainfield Christian Church has joined the ranks of the highest level of FBCI partnership by completing its own Mock Disaster on August 15th. “Respect” was the keyword of the day as Plainfield Action Team members treated simulated clients and guests with competence, calm, and care. The FBCI coordinators thank Action Team leaders Robin and Ernie for their support in facilitating this event!

Reaching Out On Saturday, August 22nd FBCI Coordinator Kira Foerster and volunteer Jose M. Cobian went to Englewood Christian Church for a Hispanic Outreach Day. The event brought together twelve Hispanic churches in the Indianapolis area for food and festivities. Those who attended the event were given information on the American Red Cross and disaster relief. Many thanks to Jose for giving his time Saturday to volunteer and translate! Simultaneously, Justin was privileged to attend Mt. Pleasant Christian Church’s first Chin Festival. Numbering over 4000 members in the Greater Indianapolis area, the Chin community originates in Myanmar (formerly Burma). We hope to continue to work with Mt. Pleasant to ensure that this special community is wellprepared for the possibility of disasters in their new home country. The FBCI coordinators have been working hard to develop meaningful outreach into the Greater Indianapolis community. We would like to thank our friends at Grace Missionary Church, Horizon Christian Fellowship, Esperanza, and Al-Fajr Masjid for their hospitality this month!

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Red Cross Links and Resources American Red Cross Blog http://blog.redcross.org/

Learn More About Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces http://www.indyredcross.org/Services/ArmedForces.aspx

Stay Up to Date on the H1N1 Virus (Swine Flu) http://www.cdc.gov/H1N1Flu/

Disability.gov—Preparing for Emergencies for People with Disabilities and Their Families http://www.disability.gov/emergency_preparedness

Fundamentals of Disaster Assessment Upcoming Course By Lin Lopez

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his year has been a relief for our local DA volunteers. It's a good time to recover, learn from the past, re-train and prepare. Speaking briefly of preparation, make sure you build a kit for local work including the latest Central Indiana Road Map. This is apparently the replacement for the 50-mile map, and it reaches as far out as Bloomington, Muncie, Kokomo, and Lafayette. Make sure you mark your name on your map and keep an eye on it, because it's really handy to have your own map if something happens. You can find them at CVS, but they'll probably turn out in other stores soon. This doesn't replace street maps for each city, but at least you have a chance of finding your way to the city if you get detoured.

Special thanks to everyone who has taken the extra time to sit through the Disaster Assessment Basics courses this spring and summer. You are qualified to support our function in local disasters. The "Fundamentals" course, however, is required for anyone who wishes to work as a DA volunteer on a declared disaster (an official Disaster Response, or DR) through the DSHR. Fundamentals of Disaster Assessment is a blended course. The online portion reviews and expands upon the "Basics." Unlike "Basics," the online course has a test at the end. It would be a good idea to sign up for the online course as soon as possible in order to go through at a leisurely pace before taking the September 30 classroom session. Some students tear through the online material in a couple hours, but it will be to your advantage to take your time and really study the material. The classroom session extends into the management of a local disaster and assisting with a national disaster. The material is more abstract and the problems a little more fuzzy than the simple procedures we carry out as rank and file volunteers. The class lets you get "into the heads" of the large disaster managers. It turns out larger scale disasters require greatly simplified and summarized information in order to make decisions. The "Fundamentals" course begins to bridge the gap between detailed assessment, where most of us "live," and the information a large disaster manager needs. The classroom session also has a test at the end, but it's not hard. For those who wish to supervise or manage the Disaster Assessment function, Fundamentals of Disaster Assessment is a must-have course. It's no substitute for experience, but the experience is a little less stressful once you internalize some of the training. See you in September!

Emergency Services Newsletter

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Basic Food Safety OVERVIEW

HOW TO GET STARTED

For First Time Users 1. Go to http://arc.safefoodsolutions.com. 2. Type in your Activation Code when prompted: RedCross (this code is space & case sensitive) and click the “Submit” button. 3. Read the instructions under “Is this your first time here?” Click the “Create a new account” button. 4. Enter your DSHR # as your User ID (or create your own if you do not have a DSHR number). Next you will need to create your unique Password and then confirm your PARTICIPANTS WILL LEARN TO Password. The User ID and Password that you create will • Describe food-borne illnesses, including the type and exbe the information that you will use to login for subsetent of contaminants, their causes, and how to help prevent quent training sessions. them from occurring. 5. Enter the requested information and complete the Captcha • Explain personal hygiene, hand washing, proper glove and then click on the "Create a new account" button. use, and relevant health issues. 6. Click “Continue” on the next page to confirm your enroll• Describe time, temperature, food flow process, and the ment. importance of maintaining proper temperatures. 7. Click the Basic Food Safety course title in either English or Spanish to begin the training. • Describe contamination and sanitation—proper food handling and preparation, how contaminants move and grow, For Returning Users (already registered) and key sanitation issues. 1. Go to http://arc.safefoodsolutions.com. 2. Type in the Activation Code when prompted: RedCross AUDIENCE (this code is space and case sensitive) and click the “Submit” button. This course is required for all employees and volunteers of the 3. Enter the User ID and password that you created the first Red Cross and other agencies who may serve or handle food time you entered the Basic Food Safety Training under on a disaster relief operation, including: “Returning to this web site?” 4. Click the Basic Food Safety course title in either English • Emergency response vehicle crew members. or Spanish to review or complete the training. Questions • People who work in the canteens at shelters, service cenduring this process or technical problems with the training ters, or relief operation headquarters. should be emailed to [email protected]. • Disaster Health Services and Staff Health workers who Basic Food Safety™ from FoodHandler is a basic, online course designed to introduce the participants to the principles of safe food handling. It is divided into four segments and uses video, high resolution photographs, Flash animations, an extensive food safety-related glossary, and remediation questions to build a comprehensive knowledge base. The program concludes with a graded quiz and a personalized printable certificate of achievement.

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might interact with local health departments. Partner Services workers who might interact with partner agencies engaged in feeding. Community leaders who wish to serve in or work with food service activities on a disaster relief operation.

Upon completion, participants will need to print copies of the course completion certificate and take them to the chapter’s LMS and DSHR administrators to update training records. This course certificate is not recognized by government health departments.