Local Volunteers Help Illinois Disaster Relief Operation

Red Cross volunteers Charlotte Surratt, Joe Baird, Carrie Smith and Mike Sewell.

This past weekend, as most Kentuckiana residents prepared for “the greatest two minutes in sports,” four local American Red Cross volunteers were on their way out of the Commonwealth. In the midst of Kentucky Derby madness, Carrie Smith, Mike Sewell, Joe Baird and Charlotte Surratt traveled to Illinois where they will assist with the Midwest flood response in Arlington Heights and Peoria.

The four volunteers collectively have more than 15 years of disaster response experience with the Red Cross. For this disaster operation, each of them will help provide client casework services to people affected by flooding. Client caseworkers work one-on-one with families and individuals to determine what kind of help they need to get back on their feet following a disaster.

Charlotte Surratt is a retired EMT/CNA/Cake Decorator. A jack of all trades, she began volunteering at the Fort Knox Red Cross a few years ago. She assists the Fort Knox office with everything from the Helping Hands program which provides household furniture and goods for soldiers, to meeting with military families before oversea deployments. Along with her weekly responsibilities in Fort Knox, she tries to serve on at least two disaster operations each year.

“This is my heart, going out on disasters,” Charlotte said. “This is what I was supposed to do.”

Charlotte is trained in several disaster response areas. Following Superstorm Sandy, she traveled to West Virginia where the storm dumped 2-3 feet of snow before moving on to the northeast. In West Virginia, she was in charge of ERV (Emergency Response Vehicle) dispatch. Drifts of snow along with icy roads and fallen tree limbs prohibited driving in much of the mountainous area, so it was important for Charlotte to send ERVs to central locations that people could travel to on foot.

Charlotte knows it’s important to remain flexible on disaster operations, but she will say that casework is her favorite as she gets to meet people (and pets!) and be there for them when they need it most.

“A lot of times they’re so grateful to see you they burst into tears. They all have a story and they want you to listen to them.”

A total of 15 volunteers from throughout the Kentuckiana Region are in Illinois helping provide food, supplies, emotional support and health services. The Red Cross will be there to support affected communities until well after the flood waters recede. To support Red Cross disaster efforts, please make a donation to Red Cross Disaster Relief at redcross.org or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS. People can also text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

Sit and Stay With Us a While at the Pegasus Parade

The Red Cross continued its long-standing tradition yesterday of providing reserved seating for senior adults and individuals with functional and access needs during the Pegasus Parade. This was the 38^th year the organization has been providing this service.

Hours before the parade, Red Cross volunteers roped off 200 feet of prime Broadway street side territory, beginning at the corner of Preston and Broadway, and set up more than 400 chairs. The area was specially designated as seating for senior adults and individuals with functional and access needs to give them a great view without needing to jostle for a spot.  Nearly every seat was full Thursday.

Clockwise from left: Robert McNeal, Richard Mart, Sharon Angel and Linda Roberts were the first to take their seats Thursday.

All of the attendees seemed excited for the parade, although everyone had their own reasons.

“I was born and raised in New Albany, and I haven’t been back in over 47 years to go to the Derby Parade,” said Robert McNeal, who came from Panama City, FL for this weekend’s festivities. “There were no celebrities back then. It was mainly bands and horses, so it will be interesting to see what has changed.”

McNeal’s cousin Linda Roberts, a Louisville resident, had a different reason for going.

“I want to see Russ Smith,” said Roberts. “I want to see the whole UofL team. We shot off fireworks after they won the championship. We had all the neighbors over, even though they were UK fans.”

The University of Louisville’s men’s and women’s basketball teams were the grand marshals of the event. Other attractions included marching bands, celebrities and creative booths from local businesses, but there was no doubt that the two teams riding by in fire trucks raised the most cheers from the crowd.

The Red Cross has already committed to continue its seating tradition for next year.

Red Cross Mascots Turn Out for a Day of Fun at the 2013 Derby Mascot Party!

Scrubby Bear posed for many a photo at the 2013 Derby Mascot Party

This past Sunday the Louisville Area Chapter mascots had the pleasure of participating in the 2013 Derby Mascot Party at Kroger Fest-a-Ville at Waterfront Park. Sunday’s theme was Family Day, and the Red Cross mascots were energetic and ready to give hugs and high fives and pose for photos.

However, with a temperature in the low-60s and occasional drizzles, there weren’t that many little ones out and about, but those that were received VIP attention from the mascots. The Red Cross was represented by Sudsy Sam, Scrubby Bear and Buddy Blood Drop.

More than 25 mascots were at the event, representing Louisville’s various organizations and businesses. In the absence of large groups to entertain, Sam, Scrubby and Buddy took to dancing and riding rides with the other mascots in between crowds. The public seemed to enjoy the silliness of seeing the three tumble down the Super Slide side by side and take turns on the carousel.

The day showcased mascot camaraderie and fun at its finest.

Sudsy Sam took a nasty spill on the wet grass while playing soccer with a group of kids. Watch out, Sam!

Volunteer Instructor Teaches Life-Saving Skills

Red Cross volunteer instructor Bob Dawson teaches First Aid, CPR and AED once a month at the Louisville Area Chapter. His most recent class took place last Tuesday, just one day after the Boston Marathon. While features on those who lost their lives in the explosions and reports of potential suspects flooded news broadcasts, another story crept into the spotlight. The first responders and law enforcement officials who acted quickly to help those injured. Trained officials were joined by everyday bystanders who rushed to help.

Bob has been teaching everyday people or “lay responders” as we call them at the Red Cross, since 1998 when he retired from LG&E. As a safety specialist, his job was to reinforce rules and regulations, but his ultimate goal was to motivate people to take charge of their own safety, much like he does now at the Red Cross.

“When we teach people to do First Aid and CPR, we encourage them to take charge of a scene—to step up and do something,” Bob said.

In all his years of being certified, Bob has never had to use CPR in his personal life but he knows that he could if needed. Even while working for LG&E, he was fortunate to not encounter a catastrophic injury. He attributes this to the availability of improved safety equipment and the fact that people are better informed and trained.

“The more people trained, the better chance everyone has to survive an incident,” he said. “There is a better chance of the emergency being recognized and care being given until EMS arrives. I think it saves lives.”

The Red Cross offers a variety of courses at various times during the week and on weekends making it easy for people to enroll or even teach as Bob does. Once monthly class schedules are released, he can choose which courses he is available to instruct based on his personal schedule.

 “When we teach people to do First Aid and CPR, we encourage them to take charge of a scene—to step up and do something.”

 As a retiree, Bob says volunteering offers personal fulfillment and helps give structure to his life. He recommends the role to others with a background in safety.

“If you’re going to be retired, you need to stay active,” he said. “One thing you can do is give back.”

Bob also enjoys having an opportunity to meet new people and learn from his students. He encourages them to ask questions and share personal experiences of instances when they needed to use First Aid, CPR or AED skills.

 “I’ve always enjoyed training,” Bob said. “It’s fun. When it stops being fun, I’ll stop doing it.”

To become a volunteer instructor, you need to be currently certified in First Aid, CPR and AED—adult and pediatric and complete a two-day Red Cross instructor course. Instructor training is offered at the Louisville Area Chapter every other month and in Lexington and Elizabethtown on the months in between. At the end of the course, participants take an exam to acquire Red Cross instructor certification. The cost of the course is $500, a fee that can be waived if a volunteer commits to teaching one class per month.

The next instructor training course is scheduled for 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. on May 9-10 at the Louisville Area Chapter. To register or to learn more, visit www.redcross.org/take-a-class.

Retiree makes a career in volunteer disaster response

Disaster Action Team Volunteer Joe Baird

When I met with Joe Baird late last year, he had just returned to the chapter from assisting families affected by an apartment fire. As a Disaster Action Team (DAT) member, Joe is a Red Cross first responder for disasters such as floods, tornadoes and winter storms. But the disasters he sees most are home fires.

“No one is prepared for disaster,” Joe said. “People seem to forget—it’s not if a disaster happens, it’s when.”

He recalled his first DAT run in 2011 which involved an apartment fire and affected multiple families. Upset and in shock, the residents aired their frustrations to him. Using the skills he learned in Red Cross Psychological First Aid, Joe listened and let the residents know it was OK to let out their feelings.

“Being a DAT member is challenging, but very, very rewarding,” Joe said. “You get there and you’re overwhelmed, but they are too. You let them know life doesn’t end today. It will get better.”

In seven months, Joe attended all disaster response courses offered in the Louisville Area and became a certified course instructor. In addition to volunteering with the disaster department anywhere from 2-7 times a week, he has made time to serve on five major disaster operations including the response to Hurricane Isaac. On his next disaster deployment, he hopes to get practice in a supervisor role.

“It’s addictive,” Joe said of responding to disasters. “It makes your heart feel tremendous knowing that you’ve been able to help somebody. It makes you feel good about yourself.”

During the winter, Joe and other DAT members see a rise in the number of home fires oftentimes caused by the use of alternate heating sources—space heaters, candles or ovens. The chapter, now more than ever, is looking for volunteers to serve on the Disaster Action Team.

If you are interested in becoming a Red Cross DAT volunteer, please call (502) 561-3601.