1208 Newsletter
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December 2008 Volume 1, Issue 4
American Red Cross of Greater Indianapolis, 441 East 10th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46202
www.redcross-indy.org
COO Craig Widener Retiring
DSHR News
By Jonathon R. Cook
By Kadi Best
A
s many of you know, our current Chief Operating Officer, Craig Widener will be retiring at the end of this month. While teaching some 38 years ago Craig was told by a friend about a Youth Director opening at the American Red Cross of Greater Indianapolis. Craig enjoyed working with youth and thought this job would be a good fit for him, so on December 21, 1970 he accepted the position as the Youth Director. In 1972, when the Office of Volunteers combined with the youth program, he took the position of Director of the Office of Volunteers and Youth. After serving five years as the Director of the Office of Volunteers and Youth he was hired as a National Field Representative, which he held from 1977 to 1982. While serving as a National Field Rep., Craig spent a lot of his time on disaster relief operations. It was during this time that Craig experienced some of his most memorable Red Cross experiences. From 1978 to 1983, Indiana experienced many harsh winter storms, including the blizzard of ’78. During one winter, he recalls the chapter having to open shelters four weekends in a row due to snowstorms shutting down bus travel stranding some 250 people here in Indianapolis. In 1982 Craig decided to bring his knowledge of disaster services back to the chapter level by taking the job of Emergency Services Administrator. This was a newly formed department as the Armed Forces Emergency Services Department combined with the Disaster Services Department. He held this position until 1990 when he became the chapter’s first financial development director. It was at this time that the chapter underwent a major expansion, adding 24,000 square feet to the building forming the 54,000 square foot building we know today. Finally in 1995 he took over as the chapter’s COO. Although Craig is retiring, he will not be gone for long. After a three-month vacation, he will return to work part-time at the chapter on special projects.
317-684-1441
W
ow, what a hurricane season we had this year! Several members deployed to the various hurricanes. Some even went from one to the next! A great big THANK YOU to all those who deployed for doing such a great job helping others and representing our chapter! Now we are in the California Wildfire and Winter Storm season. Please go into the DSHR site and update your availability dates. If you have forgotten (or did not receive) your logon and self serve instructions, please let me know and I will get them to you. With this year being one disaster after another, I have fallen behind in getting out the annual updates. I am working on them now. If it has been a year since you joined or did an update, you should be receiving them in the mail within the next two weeks. Good news! Getting a doctor’s signature is no longer required! When you receive your profile, please carefully check the courses that you have taken and disaster jobs you have been on. If some are missing, please make note of them on the profile and I will correct your records. THANK YOU FOR BEING RED CROSS VOLUNTEERS!!
Happy Holidays. We are grateful for all you do!
Emergency Services Newsletter
2
Thank You, Vicki By
Debbie Taylor
I
t’s time to say good-bye to Vicki Ingersoll as the Emergency Services Department Vista volunteer. While here, Vicki has taken the concept of a Disaster Volunteer Management Program and made it happen. Through this program, Vicki has been instrumental in the increase and development of many new disaster volunteers. Vicki has developed a team of paid and volunteer staff that make up the Disaster Volunteer Management Team (DVMT). Vicki has streamlined many departmental processes, thus increasing the efficiency of the department. In addition, Vicki took on the role of Staffing Manager during Red Cross relief operations this past year. Her willingness to take on this role came with no prior experience and with minimal instruction. Vicki’s efforts and skills given to these operations were extremely crucial to the success of the operations. Overall, Vicki’s contribution to the Emergency Services department has been a positive influence to both paid and volunteer staff. She has added a level of professionalism and structure that has been very much appreciated and will have a lasting impact on the American Red Cross of Greater Indianapolis. Vicki will still be around, however. She has been appointed to work on the Emergency Services Executive Committee and will continue to work as a member of the DVMT. Who knows, you may even see her running the Staffing function of our next disaster relief operation. Vicki’s positive outlook and enthusiasm will greatly be missed. Personally, I will miss her because I not only consider her a co-worker, but also a friend. Thank you Vicki for everything that you have done for the volunteers, for the Emergency Services Department, for the chapter, and for me.
Volunteer Needed to Help Build Capacity as DVMT Member The Disaster Volunteer Management Team has made significant strides since its implementation a year ago. Much work still needs to be done to continually improve our volunteer management program and to sustain the work already begun. We are looking for a new member who can commit some time to actively participate in our monthly meetings, to be a part of the Staffing function during local disasters, to follow-up with volunteers, and to help our program move forward. The new member should have taken Fulfilling Our Mission, have great communication skills, and ideally have human resources or other management background. If you are interested and able to commit your time to the DVMT, email or call Kate Ayers for a full description and more information. [email protected] 317-396-9417
Emergency Services Newsletter
3
Holiday Mail for Heroes By Katie Burkhardt
T
Our Heroes’ Holiday Tree By Kara M. Mitchell
he American Red Cross and Pitney Bowes Inc. are teaming up to send holiday cards to members of the military and their families in the United States and anywhere in the world.
From Tuesday, November 11, until Wednesday, December 10, holiday cards with messages of thanks and cheer can be sent to a single P.O. Box where they will be screened by Pitney Bowes for hazardous materials and then distributed to host chapter sites for sorting. Once sorted, the cards will be distributed to military bases, military hospitals, and veteran’s hospitals during the holidays. Last year, National Headquarters collected more than 600,000 cards for wounded service men and women. With the expansion of the program to include fourteen additional Red Cross sorting sites, the Red Cross hopes to collect more than one million cards and holiday greetings. The Greater Indianapolis chapter is a designated sorting site responsible for card distribution throughout Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin.
Our Annual “Charlie Brown Christmas Tree” has been transformed into “Our Heroes’ Holiday Tree” in support of the “Holiday Mail for Heroes” program. If you have a moment, we welcome Red Cross volunteers and staff to create and hang ornaments in honor of the contributions and sacrifices of service members and military veterans, both past and present. Your ornaments will be viewed by volunteers and other visitors throughout the month who come to “work” on Our Holiday Mail for Heroes program, which will close on Dec. 20th.
Chapter Headquarters in Indianapolis will be hosting sorting parties on The tree is located in the South Dining November 21 from 9 am - noon and on December 6, 13, and 20 from 9 am - 3 pm, with the added opportunity for community members to arRoom Annex. range additional sorting parties any time during the workweek. Volunteers will sort the incoming greeting cards and be given a chance to make one of their own. These sorting parties are a great opportunity to enjoy holiday music and refreshments with family and friends while providing a valuable service to our community. The Red Cross would like to encourage volunteers to join us in our efforts by participating in a sorting party, composing greeting cards, or simply by encouraging others to do so. For more information, please contact Katie Burkhardt at [email protected] or 317-684-4346.
Services to Armed Forces News
T
By Sheila Conrad
he American Red Cross of Greater Indianapolis is proud to announce that Diane Nelson–Roberts is our first instructor to be certified by National Red Cross to teach the Service to Armed Forces “Coping with Deployment” course. The course is a new program started by National. Family members and loved ones of service members who have been deployed are taught ways of dealing with the separation and the stresses that come with it. Diane has been a Disaster Mental Health volunteer for over five years. She is active as a DAT DMH volunteer, serves as an instructor for Psychological First Aid & Foundations of Disaster Mental Health, and is a DSHR member. Everyone who knows Diane knows what a special lady she is. She helps everyone around her and is always there when needed. If you are a DMH volunteer and interested in teaching the course, contact Sheila Conrad at 684-4322.
Emergency Services Newsletter
4
Winter Response Preparedness By Teresa Cummings
O
ur wonderful volunteers respond to fires and other local emergencies in all kinds of weather, and winter in Indiana presents its own challenges. This article is aimed at preparing our volunteers for field response, but also applies to everyone who may find themselves standing on the curb while their home is consumed by fire or flood. Certainly snowstorms bury the Midwest several times each winter, but snow is not all we face. Last January, snow pack melt-off and heavy rains combined to create widespread flooding throughout Indiana. Then in February, we saw our second flood disaster response in as many months when the swollen White, Tippecanoe, and Wabash Rivers rolled south through the state and dozens of counties were pulled into the response. It may seem obvious to say you need to dress for the weather and be prepared for any contingency, but here are some suggestions that you may find useful. First, keep that cell phone charged and in your pocket. It’ll be a short response for you if you never get the call-out because the battery is dead or you left the cell phone at home on the charger. It’s a good idea, every time you enter your home, to put your car keys on the charging station so you can’t forget to pick up the phone before you leave the house. You might also consider putting your night worker, DAT leader, and supervisor’s phone numbers on your speed dial, and include your DAT team members in your cell phone’s address book. It’s easier to call them up on your phone than to seek the current schedule and look them up. Don’t have a cell phone? As a disaster responder, you need to get one. Picture this: The weather is evil outside, and everyone with any sense is home under the covers. But you are on-call, and at 4 am you are called out to respond to a house fire. There’s no one on the road but you and the snow plows. You hit a patch of black ice and go careening down the embankment. You and your car cannot be seen from the road and the falling snow is fast covering the tracks your car left as it flew past the guardrail into the ditch. The best you can do if you can get out of the car is to climb back up to the road and hope someone comes by who has a cell phone, so you can call your supervisor to find someone else to take the fire call. If you can’t get out of the car, you’ll be very happy for that blanket or sleeping bag that you left in the backseat where you can get to it. If you do make it to the response site, you may find that you do not have access to a phone, and questions may arise that a fast call to the supervisor could answer promptly. So get a cell phone. The life you save might be your own.
While we’re talking about getting ditched, a good pair of moreno wool socks and waterproof boots can be the best “too much money” you’ve ever spent when you have to dig your car out of the slop. You’ll also be very glad for the snow shovel and bag of kitty litter you had the foresight to put in the trunk of your car. Some people prefer rock salt, but inexpensive, simple clay kitty litter provides the needed traction, is environmentally safe, and won’t rot out the carpet in the trunk of your car once the bag gets opened and the contents spilled. Flip-top mitten gloves are great for response calls, when you find yourself filling out client casework forms on the hood of a car while the fire department works to save the house. These gloves have open fingertips and a mitten top that flips open to leave your fingers free to write, hold a child’s hand, or pet the family pooch while keeping your hands warm and dry. You should also keep a well-stocked first-aid kit in the trunk of your car. You never know what you may encounter at a response site and you may be able to offer simple aid before the EMTs arrive. First-aid kits, and while we’re at it, CPR and first-aid classes, are available at your American Red Cross chapter. Bring a water bottle, because you never know until you get there how involved the response will be or how long you may be out in the field. Lip balm or chapstick is always a necessary part of any Midwest winter, along with a good moisturizing lotion. Dress in layers that can be peeled off once you find an indoor venue to complete the paperwork. Think thermal long johns or Under Armour under a medium-weight shirt, sweater, or coat. Remember that in the winter, your Red Cross Disaster Services vest needs to be big enough to go over everything, since all your logos will likely be under your coat. Don’t forget your DAT manual, extra pens, CAC cards, hotel DOs, comfort kits, and a soft huggable toy for the kids at the scene. Now you’re all set to get out there and make a difference for your community and neighbors.
As the team with the most DAT members present at the DAT Meeting on Tuesday 11/18, the Wednesday Night DAT Team won the coveted Midnight Super Troopers award. It’s posted at the entrance to the Emergency Services Department until the next DAT meeting, when all DAT teams will have the chance to try for it again.
Emergency Services Newsletter
5
Local Red Crossers Attend Homeland Security Training By Chris Gilbert
Red Crossers Debbie Taylor and Chris Gilbert, both managers from the Indianapolis Red Cross office, recently completed Homeland Security training at the Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP), located in Anniston, Alabama. The CDP is operated by the United States Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency and is the only federally-chartered Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) training facility in the nation. Taylor and Gilbert attended the four-day Incident Command System 300 and 400 course alongside 34 other emergency responders from across the country. “It was nice to be at a training facility away from the distractions of home and in an atmosphere of other responders for the whole week,” Gilbert said. “The environment of the facility was great and really added to the training experience,” Taylor added. Both Gilbert and Taylor plan on returning to the CDP for classes in the future.
The CDP provides federally-funded, interdisciplinary training for emergency responders from across the United States and U.S. Territories, for ten responder disciplines: Emergency Management, Emergency Medical Service, Fire Service, Governmental Administrative, Hazardous Materials, Healthcare, Law Enforcement, Public Health, Public Safety Communications, and Public Works. Healthcare and Public Health training is conducted at the CDP’s Nobile Training Facility, the nation’s only hospital facility dedicated to training hospital and healthcare professionals in disaster preparedness and response. Many training courses culminate the CDP’s Chemical, Ordnance, Biological, and Radiological Training Facility, the nation’s only facility featuring civilian training exercises in a true toxic environment, using chemical agents. The advanced handson training enables responders to effectively prevent, respond to, and recover from real-world incidents involving acts of terrorism and other hazardous materials. Responders attending CDP training are selected from the nation’s 11 million emergency responders. Training at the CDP ensures that responders gain critical skills and confidence to be better prepared to effectively respond to local incidents or potential WMD incidents.
From the FBCI Corner… By Jillian L. Luttrell
I
n this month of Thanksgiving, the FBCI would like to take a moment to thank our partners for your enthusiasm. In November, we have been traveling around, talking with and visiting many of you, and we are ever-surprised at the momentum and energy we find. Your excitement about preparedness and service motivates us even more as we go forward in this program. Coming to work each day is worth it because we know our partners are just as dedicated as we are to serving the community. The FBCI is built on partnerships and pooling of resources. As the program continues to grow, these partnerships do not have to exist only between your individual group and the Red Cross, but can also develop between your group and other FBCI partners. Each of you brings your own unique ideas, experiences, and creativity to this program. Sharing ideas and resources with other FBCI partners is a great way to keep your program energized and fresh. When we train, partners often ask, “Are we the only ones in the program?” The answer is no; while the FBCI is a targeted program, there are several faith-based groups in the program and more coming! We would like to recognize each of you now so that you can be aware of who your fellow FBCI partners are: First Church of the Nazarene (Indy), Horizon Christian Fellowship (Indy), Grace Missionary Church (Mooresville), Mooresville First UMC (Mooresville), Plainfield Christian Church (Plainfield), Second Baptist Church (Indy), Second Presbyterian Church (Indy), Speedway UMC (Indy), St. Luke’s UMC (Indy), and Traders Point Christian Church (Zionsville). In the coming months, we look forward to bringing even more partners from the greater Indianapolis area into the FBCI! Finally, if you are looking for more ways to get involved with the Red Cross over the holiday season, read the article about Holiday Mail for Heroes! This would be a great project for your group, and you could even stop by and see where Justin and I do all of our hard work. A big thanks to all of our Faith-Based Partners, and we wish you a great holiday season! Best, Jillian & Justin
Emergency Services Newsletter
It’s a Dirty Job… By Debbie Taylor
N
o one likes to clean cots, but Joan Marsden knows how to get it done! Thanks to Joan and groups of volunteers from Marion County Community Services, hundreds of cots were cleaned after returning from shelters opened during the June floods in South-Central Indiana. This picture shows some of the cots lined up to dry in the Chapter’s parking lot. Thanks, Joan!
Carl Bishoff and Steve and Rita Thomas provided canteen services during the memorial service for the three crewmembers of the Air Evac Lifeteam who died in a helicopter crash on August 31st. This is a letter from Seth Myers, Lifeteam President, thanking the Red Cross for their services. Thank you to Carl, Steve, and Rita.
6 Clinton County DAT News By Kristi Marcinko
W
e are happy to announce the addition of two more members to the “On-Call” team. Angie Hirsch and Rob McKibben have completed the required training and will be going on-call in December and January.
Henry County DAT News By Kelly Sare
P
lease welcome two new DAT members to the mix. Becky Petersen and Karen Burke have joined the Henry County DAT.
Emergency Services Newsletter Red Cross Seeks New, Enthusiastic INSTRUCTORS Put your skills and knowledge to work by becoming a disaster course instructor! If you have Red Cross experience and love to share your passion and knowledge with others, now is the time to become an instructor. We are offering the Disaster Instructor Specialty Training (DIST) course on Friday, January 30 and Saturday, January 31 from 9 am to 5 pm each day. New, enthusiastic instructors are needed to help teach all of the basic courses throughout ARCGI and the State.
Disaster Instructor Specialty Training…prepares knowledgeable and experienced workers to teach basic-level disaster training courses, thereby ensuring uniform and quality disaster training consistent with Red Cross policies and the regulations and procedures of Disaster Services.
7
Volunteer Participates in Pandemic Avian Flu Exercise Matt Carr took part in the Indiana Department of Homeland Security (IDHS) pandemic flu exercise on November 14th and 15th. Actors and professional responders “responded” to an outbreak of the avian flu.
Have a Submission for the Newsletter? Send to [email protected]
Prerequisites:
Fulfilling Our Mission: Translating Your Compassion Into Community Action or Introduction to Disaster Services Mass Care Overview (or Community Services Overview) Fundamentals of Instruction and Facilitation* Three other basic-level disaster training courses, to include the one the candidate intends to teach Sufficient operations knowledge and experience to be able to convey accurately the concepts, principles, and procedures contained in the course the candidate intends to teach and to be able to answer participants’ questions.
*Self-study materials available from the Emergency Services Dept.
Form 5898h must be submitted 30 days prior to the date of the course. Please be sure to list all the prerequisites on the form. For more information, email Kate Ayers at [email protected]
ARCGI Emergency Services Newsletter Published by our Disaster Volunteer Newsletter Team Jenny Davidson and Brian Thomason
American Red Cross of Greater Indianapolis, 441 East 10th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46202
www.redcross-indy.org
COO Craig Widener Retiring
DSHR News
By Jonathon R. Cook
By Kadi Best
A
s many of you know, our current Chief Operating Officer, Craig Widener will be retiring at the end of this month. While teaching some 38 years ago Craig was told by a friend about a Youth Director opening at the American Red Cross of Greater Indianapolis. Craig enjoyed working with youth and thought this job would be a good fit for him, so on December 21, 1970 he accepted the position as the Youth Director. In 1972, when the Office of Volunteers combined with the youth program, he took the position of Director of the Office of Volunteers and Youth. After serving five years as the Director of the Office of Volunteers and Youth he was hired as a National Field Representative, which he held from 1977 to 1982. While serving as a National Field Rep., Craig spent a lot of his time on disaster relief operations. It was during this time that Craig experienced some of his most memorable Red Cross experiences. From 1978 to 1983, Indiana experienced many harsh winter storms, including the blizzard of ’78. During one winter, he recalls the chapter having to open shelters four weekends in a row due to snowstorms shutting down bus travel stranding some 250 people here in Indianapolis. In 1982 Craig decided to bring his knowledge of disaster services back to the chapter level by taking the job of Emergency Services Administrator. This was a newly formed department as the Armed Forces Emergency Services Department combined with the Disaster Services Department. He held this position until 1990 when he became the chapter’s first financial development director. It was at this time that the chapter underwent a major expansion, adding 24,000 square feet to the building forming the 54,000 square foot building we know today. Finally in 1995 he took over as the chapter’s COO. Although Craig is retiring, he will not be gone for long. After a three-month vacation, he will return to work part-time at the chapter on special projects.
317-684-1441
W
ow, what a hurricane season we had this year! Several members deployed to the various hurricanes. Some even went from one to the next! A great big THANK YOU to all those who deployed for doing such a great job helping others and representing our chapter! Now we are in the California Wildfire and Winter Storm season. Please go into the DSHR site and update your availability dates. If you have forgotten (or did not receive) your logon and self serve instructions, please let me know and I will get them to you. With this year being one disaster after another, I have fallen behind in getting out the annual updates. I am working on them now. If it has been a year since you joined or did an update, you should be receiving them in the mail within the next two weeks. Good news! Getting a doctor’s signature is no longer required! When you receive your profile, please carefully check the courses that you have taken and disaster jobs you have been on. If some are missing, please make note of them on the profile and I will correct your records. THANK YOU FOR BEING RED CROSS VOLUNTEERS!!
Happy Holidays. We are grateful for all you do!
Emergency Services Newsletter
2
Thank You, Vicki By
Debbie Taylor
I
t’s time to say good-bye to Vicki Ingersoll as the Emergency Services Department Vista volunteer. While here, Vicki has taken the concept of a Disaster Volunteer Management Program and made it happen. Through this program, Vicki has been instrumental in the increase and development of many new disaster volunteers. Vicki has developed a team of paid and volunteer staff that make up the Disaster Volunteer Management Team (DVMT). Vicki has streamlined many departmental processes, thus increasing the efficiency of the department. In addition, Vicki took on the role of Staffing Manager during Red Cross relief operations this past year. Her willingness to take on this role came with no prior experience and with minimal instruction. Vicki’s efforts and skills given to these operations were extremely crucial to the success of the operations. Overall, Vicki’s contribution to the Emergency Services department has been a positive influence to both paid and volunteer staff. She has added a level of professionalism and structure that has been very much appreciated and will have a lasting impact on the American Red Cross of Greater Indianapolis. Vicki will still be around, however. She has been appointed to work on the Emergency Services Executive Committee and will continue to work as a member of the DVMT. Who knows, you may even see her running the Staffing function of our next disaster relief operation. Vicki’s positive outlook and enthusiasm will greatly be missed. Personally, I will miss her because I not only consider her a co-worker, but also a friend. Thank you Vicki for everything that you have done for the volunteers, for the Emergency Services Department, for the chapter, and for me.
Volunteer Needed to Help Build Capacity as DVMT Member The Disaster Volunteer Management Team has made significant strides since its implementation a year ago. Much work still needs to be done to continually improve our volunteer management program and to sustain the work already begun. We are looking for a new member who can commit some time to actively participate in our monthly meetings, to be a part of the Staffing function during local disasters, to follow-up with volunteers, and to help our program move forward. The new member should have taken Fulfilling Our Mission, have great communication skills, and ideally have human resources or other management background. If you are interested and able to commit your time to the DVMT, email or call Kate Ayers for a full description and more information. [email protected] 317-396-9417
Emergency Services Newsletter
3
Holiday Mail for Heroes By Katie Burkhardt
T
Our Heroes’ Holiday Tree By Kara M. Mitchell
he American Red Cross and Pitney Bowes Inc. are teaming up to send holiday cards to members of the military and their families in the United States and anywhere in the world.
From Tuesday, November 11, until Wednesday, December 10, holiday cards with messages of thanks and cheer can be sent to a single P.O. Box where they will be screened by Pitney Bowes for hazardous materials and then distributed to host chapter sites for sorting. Once sorted, the cards will be distributed to military bases, military hospitals, and veteran’s hospitals during the holidays. Last year, National Headquarters collected more than 600,000 cards for wounded service men and women. With the expansion of the program to include fourteen additional Red Cross sorting sites, the Red Cross hopes to collect more than one million cards and holiday greetings. The Greater Indianapolis chapter is a designated sorting site responsible for card distribution throughout Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin.
Our Annual “Charlie Brown Christmas Tree” has been transformed into “Our Heroes’ Holiday Tree” in support of the “Holiday Mail for Heroes” program. If you have a moment, we welcome Red Cross volunteers and staff to create and hang ornaments in honor of the contributions and sacrifices of service members and military veterans, both past and present. Your ornaments will be viewed by volunteers and other visitors throughout the month who come to “work” on Our Holiday Mail for Heroes program, which will close on Dec. 20th.
Chapter Headquarters in Indianapolis will be hosting sorting parties on The tree is located in the South Dining November 21 from 9 am - noon and on December 6, 13, and 20 from 9 am - 3 pm, with the added opportunity for community members to arRoom Annex. range additional sorting parties any time during the workweek. Volunteers will sort the incoming greeting cards and be given a chance to make one of their own. These sorting parties are a great opportunity to enjoy holiday music and refreshments with family and friends while providing a valuable service to our community. The Red Cross would like to encourage volunteers to join us in our efforts by participating in a sorting party, composing greeting cards, or simply by encouraging others to do so. For more information, please contact Katie Burkhardt at [email protected] or 317-684-4346.
Services to Armed Forces News
T
By Sheila Conrad
he American Red Cross of Greater Indianapolis is proud to announce that Diane Nelson–Roberts is our first instructor to be certified by National Red Cross to teach the Service to Armed Forces “Coping with Deployment” course. The course is a new program started by National. Family members and loved ones of service members who have been deployed are taught ways of dealing with the separation and the stresses that come with it. Diane has been a Disaster Mental Health volunteer for over five years. She is active as a DAT DMH volunteer, serves as an instructor for Psychological First Aid & Foundations of Disaster Mental Health, and is a DSHR member. Everyone who knows Diane knows what a special lady she is. She helps everyone around her and is always there when needed. If you are a DMH volunteer and interested in teaching the course, contact Sheila Conrad at 684-4322.
Emergency Services Newsletter
4
Winter Response Preparedness By Teresa Cummings
O
ur wonderful volunteers respond to fires and other local emergencies in all kinds of weather, and winter in Indiana presents its own challenges. This article is aimed at preparing our volunteers for field response, but also applies to everyone who may find themselves standing on the curb while their home is consumed by fire or flood. Certainly snowstorms bury the Midwest several times each winter, but snow is not all we face. Last January, snow pack melt-off and heavy rains combined to create widespread flooding throughout Indiana. Then in February, we saw our second flood disaster response in as many months when the swollen White, Tippecanoe, and Wabash Rivers rolled south through the state and dozens of counties were pulled into the response. It may seem obvious to say you need to dress for the weather and be prepared for any contingency, but here are some suggestions that you may find useful. First, keep that cell phone charged and in your pocket. It’ll be a short response for you if you never get the call-out because the battery is dead or you left the cell phone at home on the charger. It’s a good idea, every time you enter your home, to put your car keys on the charging station so you can’t forget to pick up the phone before you leave the house. You might also consider putting your night worker, DAT leader, and supervisor’s phone numbers on your speed dial, and include your DAT team members in your cell phone’s address book. It’s easier to call them up on your phone than to seek the current schedule and look them up. Don’t have a cell phone? As a disaster responder, you need to get one. Picture this: The weather is evil outside, and everyone with any sense is home under the covers. But you are on-call, and at 4 am you are called out to respond to a house fire. There’s no one on the road but you and the snow plows. You hit a patch of black ice and go careening down the embankment. You and your car cannot be seen from the road and the falling snow is fast covering the tracks your car left as it flew past the guardrail into the ditch. The best you can do if you can get out of the car is to climb back up to the road and hope someone comes by who has a cell phone, so you can call your supervisor to find someone else to take the fire call. If you can’t get out of the car, you’ll be very happy for that blanket or sleeping bag that you left in the backseat where you can get to it. If you do make it to the response site, you may find that you do not have access to a phone, and questions may arise that a fast call to the supervisor could answer promptly. So get a cell phone. The life you save might be your own.
While we’re talking about getting ditched, a good pair of moreno wool socks and waterproof boots can be the best “too much money” you’ve ever spent when you have to dig your car out of the slop. You’ll also be very glad for the snow shovel and bag of kitty litter you had the foresight to put in the trunk of your car. Some people prefer rock salt, but inexpensive, simple clay kitty litter provides the needed traction, is environmentally safe, and won’t rot out the carpet in the trunk of your car once the bag gets opened and the contents spilled. Flip-top mitten gloves are great for response calls, when you find yourself filling out client casework forms on the hood of a car while the fire department works to save the house. These gloves have open fingertips and a mitten top that flips open to leave your fingers free to write, hold a child’s hand, or pet the family pooch while keeping your hands warm and dry. You should also keep a well-stocked first-aid kit in the trunk of your car. You never know what you may encounter at a response site and you may be able to offer simple aid before the EMTs arrive. First-aid kits, and while we’re at it, CPR and first-aid classes, are available at your American Red Cross chapter. Bring a water bottle, because you never know until you get there how involved the response will be or how long you may be out in the field. Lip balm or chapstick is always a necessary part of any Midwest winter, along with a good moisturizing lotion. Dress in layers that can be peeled off once you find an indoor venue to complete the paperwork. Think thermal long johns or Under Armour under a medium-weight shirt, sweater, or coat. Remember that in the winter, your Red Cross Disaster Services vest needs to be big enough to go over everything, since all your logos will likely be under your coat. Don’t forget your DAT manual, extra pens, CAC cards, hotel DOs, comfort kits, and a soft huggable toy for the kids at the scene. Now you’re all set to get out there and make a difference for your community and neighbors.
As the team with the most DAT members present at the DAT Meeting on Tuesday 11/18, the Wednesday Night DAT Team won the coveted Midnight Super Troopers award. It’s posted at the entrance to the Emergency Services Department until the next DAT meeting, when all DAT teams will have the chance to try for it again.
Emergency Services Newsletter
5
Local Red Crossers Attend Homeland Security Training By Chris Gilbert
Red Crossers Debbie Taylor and Chris Gilbert, both managers from the Indianapolis Red Cross office, recently completed Homeland Security training at the Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP), located in Anniston, Alabama. The CDP is operated by the United States Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency and is the only federally-chartered Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) training facility in the nation. Taylor and Gilbert attended the four-day Incident Command System 300 and 400 course alongside 34 other emergency responders from across the country. “It was nice to be at a training facility away from the distractions of home and in an atmosphere of other responders for the whole week,” Gilbert said. “The environment of the facility was great and really added to the training experience,” Taylor added. Both Gilbert and Taylor plan on returning to the CDP for classes in the future.
The CDP provides federally-funded, interdisciplinary training for emergency responders from across the United States and U.S. Territories, for ten responder disciplines: Emergency Management, Emergency Medical Service, Fire Service, Governmental Administrative, Hazardous Materials, Healthcare, Law Enforcement, Public Health, Public Safety Communications, and Public Works. Healthcare and Public Health training is conducted at the CDP’s Nobile Training Facility, the nation’s only hospital facility dedicated to training hospital and healthcare professionals in disaster preparedness and response. Many training courses culminate the CDP’s Chemical, Ordnance, Biological, and Radiological Training Facility, the nation’s only facility featuring civilian training exercises in a true toxic environment, using chemical agents. The advanced handson training enables responders to effectively prevent, respond to, and recover from real-world incidents involving acts of terrorism and other hazardous materials. Responders attending CDP training are selected from the nation’s 11 million emergency responders. Training at the CDP ensures that responders gain critical skills and confidence to be better prepared to effectively respond to local incidents or potential WMD incidents.
From the FBCI Corner… By Jillian L. Luttrell
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n this month of Thanksgiving, the FBCI would like to take a moment to thank our partners for your enthusiasm. In November, we have been traveling around, talking with and visiting many of you, and we are ever-surprised at the momentum and energy we find. Your excitement about preparedness and service motivates us even more as we go forward in this program. Coming to work each day is worth it because we know our partners are just as dedicated as we are to serving the community. The FBCI is built on partnerships and pooling of resources. As the program continues to grow, these partnerships do not have to exist only between your individual group and the Red Cross, but can also develop between your group and other FBCI partners. Each of you brings your own unique ideas, experiences, and creativity to this program. Sharing ideas and resources with other FBCI partners is a great way to keep your program energized and fresh. When we train, partners often ask, “Are we the only ones in the program?” The answer is no; while the FBCI is a targeted program, there are several faith-based groups in the program and more coming! We would like to recognize each of you now so that you can be aware of who your fellow FBCI partners are: First Church of the Nazarene (Indy), Horizon Christian Fellowship (Indy), Grace Missionary Church (Mooresville), Mooresville First UMC (Mooresville), Plainfield Christian Church (Plainfield), Second Baptist Church (Indy), Second Presbyterian Church (Indy), Speedway UMC (Indy), St. Luke’s UMC (Indy), and Traders Point Christian Church (Zionsville). In the coming months, we look forward to bringing even more partners from the greater Indianapolis area into the FBCI! Finally, if you are looking for more ways to get involved with the Red Cross over the holiday season, read the article about Holiday Mail for Heroes! This would be a great project for your group, and you could even stop by and see where Justin and I do all of our hard work. A big thanks to all of our Faith-Based Partners, and we wish you a great holiday season! Best, Jillian & Justin
Emergency Services Newsletter
It’s a Dirty Job… By Debbie Taylor
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o one likes to clean cots, but Joan Marsden knows how to get it done! Thanks to Joan and groups of volunteers from Marion County Community Services, hundreds of cots were cleaned after returning from shelters opened during the June floods in South-Central Indiana. This picture shows some of the cots lined up to dry in the Chapter’s parking lot. Thanks, Joan!
Carl Bishoff and Steve and Rita Thomas provided canteen services during the memorial service for the three crewmembers of the Air Evac Lifeteam who died in a helicopter crash on August 31st. This is a letter from Seth Myers, Lifeteam President, thanking the Red Cross for their services. Thank you to Carl, Steve, and Rita.
6 Clinton County DAT News By Kristi Marcinko
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e are happy to announce the addition of two more members to the “On-Call” team. Angie Hirsch and Rob McKibben have completed the required training and will be going on-call in December and January.
Henry County DAT News By Kelly Sare
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lease welcome two new DAT members to the mix. Becky Petersen and Karen Burke have joined the Henry County DAT.
Emergency Services Newsletter Red Cross Seeks New, Enthusiastic INSTRUCTORS Put your skills and knowledge to work by becoming a disaster course instructor! If you have Red Cross experience and love to share your passion and knowledge with others, now is the time to become an instructor. We are offering the Disaster Instructor Specialty Training (DIST) course on Friday, January 30 and Saturday, January 31 from 9 am to 5 pm each day. New, enthusiastic instructors are needed to help teach all of the basic courses throughout ARCGI and the State.
Disaster Instructor Specialty Training…prepares knowledgeable and experienced workers to teach basic-level disaster training courses, thereby ensuring uniform and quality disaster training consistent with Red Cross policies and the regulations and procedures of Disaster Services.
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Volunteer Participates in Pandemic Avian Flu Exercise Matt Carr took part in the Indiana Department of Homeland Security (IDHS) pandemic flu exercise on November 14th and 15th. Actors and professional responders “responded” to an outbreak of the avian flu.
Have a Submission for the Newsletter? Send to [email protected]
Prerequisites:
Fulfilling Our Mission: Translating Your Compassion Into Community Action or Introduction to Disaster Services Mass Care Overview (or Community Services Overview) Fundamentals of Instruction and Facilitation* Three other basic-level disaster training courses, to include the one the candidate intends to teach Sufficient operations knowledge and experience to be able to convey accurately the concepts, principles, and procedures contained in the course the candidate intends to teach and to be able to answer participants’ questions.
*Self-study materials available from the Emergency Services Dept.
Form 5898h must be submitted 30 days prior to the date of the course. Please be sure to list all the prerequisites on the form. For more information, email Kate Ayers at [email protected]
ARCGI Emergency Services Newsletter Published by our Disaster Volunteer Newsletter Team Jenny Davidson and Brian Thomason
