My Life in Disaster: Couch Commerce Can Ease Holiday Shopping Stress!

With Thanksgiving behind us and the holidays not too far into the future I start to feel the pressure. From the beginning of last week we have been bombarded with "incentives" to get to the stores ASAP, or else the deals would pass us by.

According to this morning's online news sites Black Friday sales this year have broken records, with 226 million shoppers spending an average of $398.62 versus last year's 212 million shoppers who spent $365.34. Retail sales went up 6.6 percent. Apparently we don't even want to wait until the brick and mortars open up at midnight after Thanksgiving day anymore - with Turkey day online sales up almost 40 percent.

My best friend, Margaret, and I used to be two of those shoppers who woke up Friday morning--the shops opened up at 6:00 am back then--braving the chaos. We would take turns waiting on line as the other shopped for the latest toys on our kids' list to Santa. We made sure every wish their little hearts desired was fulfilled--only to watch them throw the toys aside a month later, to play with the packaging they came in.

Now that Black Friday is behind us, full steam ahead we barrel through to Cyber Monday. Here's where I breathe a sigh of relief. With just a few clicks on my keypad, I can put a dent in my Christmas shopping list.

Today, not only are major retailers offering huge deals, but so is the Red Cross at redcrossstore.org. They are offering free shipping today only as well as discounts on some best-selling items. I bought a Red Cross track jacket at 50 percent off with free shipping. That is a pretty good deal! Not only can I check off one person off my gift list, I can do so feeling good about where my money is going.

The Red Cross Holiday gift catalog is the place to shop for gifts that mean something. As you browse the catalog you not only see how you can help, but you also become informed of exactly what the Red Cross does. The global scope of their service is inspiring.

One line of gifts centers around those currently serving in the armed forces. You can send a military comfort kit to a wounded service member. The kit provides them with a robe, shower shoes, a phone card to call home and an MP3 music gift card. Another way to give back to our brave service members is by buying a Hygiene Kit for homeless vets. A staggering one third of homeless adults are veterans. This kit provides them a toothbrush, shaver, washcloth and other hygiene essentials.

For $75.00 you can buy a bicycle to help a Red Cross volunteer across the globe reach remote villages. You can help provide support for first responders, as they battle against disaster. You can provide food and shelter for victims of disaster worldwide, or right here in your own neighborhood.

However you want to help -- the choice is personal, but the benefit will be universal.

My Life in Disaster is a series of blog posts by Maha Awad, who is volunteering with the Red Cross and finding out first-hand what it means to be prepared for life’s many disasters.

“Dad, you saved my life.”

I have been a Red Cross employee for about sixteen years, serving primarily as a community affairs agent for the Atlanta Chapter. From 1994 until 2003 I was a Red Cross Community CPR instructor, teaching others how to manage choking, breathing and cardiac emergencies. In short, I wasn’t one of those people who needed to be convinced that CPR training was effective; I lived it for a good part of my Red Cross life.

Fast forward to August 2011 when my family—yours truly, wife Donna, 18-year-old daughter Ashley and 14-year-old son Chris—were dining in a southwest Atlanta steakhouse. This particular outing was no different than any other. We were eating our meals and engaged in light conversation when it happened. My son Chris grabbed his throat, stood up and started to gasp. The look in his eyes could best be described as a death glare: eyes wide open, fixed and looking straight ahead as if he were gazing at the Grim Reaper, black cloak, boney fingers, sickle and all. At that moment time stopped, and other restaurant patrons faded into the background.

Chris continued to grab his throat and everyone, and I mean everyone, in the restaurant looked on, but oddly, no one moved to help. I then remember whizzing past my wife—she says that I knocked her out of the way—picking Chris up and applying abdominal thrusts for conscious choking victims. After two or three thrusts, the steak came out, Chris started to cough and I came back down to earth. Everyone looked on nervously but happy that they’d just witnessed a life-saving event. Chris thanked me, hugged me, kissed me and said, “Dad, you saved my life.”

The American Academy of Pediatrics estimates that "Choking on food causes the death of approximately one child every five days in the United States. Hot dogs accounted for 17 percent of food-related asphyxiations among children younger than 10 years of age. . . ." (The Washington Post, February 22, 2010). I thank my lucky stars that Chris didn’t become part of that number.

So the moral of my story is that everyone should make time to learn CPR. The life you save may be the life of someone near and dear. I love my family more than life itself and I’m glad that I knew what to do.

Ruben Brown is the media relations specialist for the Atlanta Red Cross

My Life in Disaster: The New York City Marathon 2011

Six member of Team Red Cross on Staten Island before the race.

 The ING New York City Marathon took place yesterday on a perfect autumn day. I was lucky enough to witness first-hand the enthusiasm of these athletes. I volunteered to take pictures for the Red Cross and woke up at five in the morning. My husband was kind enough to drop me off a block before Fort Wadsworth, in Staten Island, at six in the morning. It was my second time as an eyewitness to this momentous event.

Years ago as part of Lambda Chi sorority, at St. John’s University, I volunteered to hand out hot drinks and bagels to the runners. It was cold and dark that November morning, and my sorority sisters and I were recovering from Halloween parties from the night before. So maybe we weren’t as enthusiastic as we should have been. Well that was our loss! Despite waking up at the crack of dawn on a Sunday, and searching for the Red Cross team of runners, among the over 40,000 participants for about an hour and half, I would do it again in a heartbeat.

It was a record-breaking race. The winner of the men’s category Kenyan Geoffrey Mutai broke the previous record by more than two minutes, finishing at 2 hrs 5 min and 6 sec. The women’s favorite and lead runner of the female contenders, Mary Keitany, could not hold on and lost her lead in the last mile of the race to Ethopian natives Firehiwot Dado and Buzunesh Deba, who came in first and second in the women’s category.

Runners from all over the United States and one hundred and ten countries came to participate in this iconic marathon. Of the 43,741 starters, 43,475 runners finished, including the oldest runners of the race Yolande Marois, 84 and Peter Harangozo, 88, who came in at 7:41:04 and 7:53:02 respectively.

I was privileged to meet and interview some of the runners on Team Red Cross. Raising money for the Red Cross were 45 runners from seven states and four countries.

Michael Curtin

 One of those runners is Michael Curtin of Brewster, N.Y. Michael’s story is so compelling and his enthusiasm so contagious that you find yourself drawn to him, as well as inspired to maybe one day run/walk the race yourself.

Michael is a veteran of the Armed Forces, and his first encounter with the American Red Cross took place in 1994. Michael was about to be deployed to Somalia when his mother called with the devastating news that his father had unexpectedly died. Stunned, Michael wanted desperately to get home for his father’s funeral. He was in Fort Bragg, N.C about to leave for Somalia when two Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces (SAF) workers arrived and escorted him back to base.

They helped him pack, drove him to the airport and handed him a roundtrip ticket home to Brewster. After the funeral, Red Cross SAF representatives met Michael at the airport and drove him back to base. What the SAF division of the Red Cross did for Michael and his family is forever etched in his heart. This is his third time running the NYC Marathon for the American Red Cross. "I will run the marathon for the Red Cross till they day I die,” Michael says. “They had my back.”

Simon Curtis

 Another runner raising money for the Red Cross is Simon Curtis who came all the way from Auckland, New Zealand. Simon says "If you want to run for a charity, this is the one." Simon was impressed with the response that the Red Cross had in New Zealand after the devastating earthquake that shook Christchurch, NZ, earlier this year. It’s Simon’s first time running; he’s been training for three months. Good on you Simon!

Marina Kanes

 Brendan Quinn and Marina Kanes were also running for the American Red Cross. Brendan is from across the river in Hoboken, N.J., and just wanted to raise money for a worthy cause. Marina, who lives in Manhattan, is raising money because her life was also touched by the Red Cross. In 2002 there was a fire in her building. Marina says the first people to knock on her door to see if she needed any assistance or a place to stay were the Red Cross. Luckily she had friends and family to turn to. But she remembers being "impressed" with the Red Cross response and has been looking for a way to repay the Red Cross ever since.

Rob Sell came all the way from Fort Worth, Texas. His brother inspired him to run the race for the Red Cross and so he did.

As an eyewitness to the Marathon you become caught up in the enthusiasm of these athletes. As you get to know their stories, you are not only impressed, but you find yourself rooting for them. I’m waiting to find out how they finished, and what their experiences were as they completed that 26.2 mile leg of their journey.


Rob Sell

  

My Life in Disaster is a series of blog posts by Maha Awad, who is volunteering with the Red Cross and finding out first-hand what it means to be prepared for life’s many disasters.

My Life in Disaster: I'm dreaming of a White ... HALLOWEEN?

It's Halloween, a day that thousands of kids look forward to all year long. It’s also the day after a weekend of record-breaking snow fall—in October.

Imagine the look on kids’ faces when mom wakes them up and says it's a Snow Day. Imagine the jubilation, the joy, the bouncing on beds, the squeals of delight as they ponder their luck.

Once the holidays have passed, a Snow Day is the only beacon of hope that gets kids through the winter doldrums. And to have a Snow Day to fall on the second-best day ever—Halloween—is like winning the lottery.

Now imagine the look on their faces as mom breaks the news: "Halloween will have to wait."

“WHAT?! NO!!”

Yes. And you can't blame this on your mother. On Mother Nature—yes. On Mom—no!

"But why?!”—a refrain heard across the Northeast.

Well, this weekend’s snowstorm downed trees and power lines, and caused major havoc. Thousands of people don't have power, so many streets will be dark. Trees have fallen and have yet to be cleared, so navigating in the dark will be hazardous. Most importantly, downed power lines will be a DANGER.

What is a mom to do? Well for one thing, heed the warnings. If your community has asked that Halloween activities be postponed, then postpone them. It's for your own safety and your children's.

You can go out in the yard and build a Snow-Jack-O-Lantern. You can stay in and tell ghost stories. And when the coast is clear—follow these Red Cross tips in order to have a safe Halloween—even if it is a few days late!

My Life in Disaster is a series of blog posts by Maha Awad, who is volunteering with the Red Cross and finding out first-hand what it means to be prepared for life’s many disasters.

CPR at Sea

The following story was submitted by James Kelly, a deckhand on tugboat when a medical emergency unexpectedly struck.

No matter how careful or well trained one may be, it is impossible to fully prepare for the unexpected; however, it is imperative that we all try. Recently I was working as one of two deckhands on a tugboat contracted to move oil barges along the East Coast when tragedy struck.

We were pushing a barge from New York to Virginia and were far offshore when the captain unsuccessfully tried contacting the bargeman on watch. He sent the other deckhand to find the attendant, who was unconscious in the barge's maintenance room. The deckhand reported back over the radio that the bargeman had been left with a scarcely perceptible breath and heartbeat due to the exhaust of a gas-powered generator. We were all stunned and knew not to move without the captain's orders.

The captain radioed the emergency to the Coast Guard. He put the mate in charge of the boat, then he and the engineer climbed onto the barge, hoping to resuscitate the unconscious bargeman.

Meanwhile the other deckhand and I were responsible for ensuring that each crewmember had what he needed during this emergency so that nobody would have to stop what they were doing for a second. This included providing supplies and relaying messages. Deckhands, being the least experienced onboard, generally carry out only what they are told to do and wait for orders, which we did as best we could, trying to put aside our uneasiness.

The U.S. Coast Guard requires all licensed seamen to be CPR certified. As a deckhand I am required to learn only basic CPR. With those who are more experienced always nearby, deckhands seldom put CPR into practice.

The captain and engineer took turns doing sets of chest compressions and intermittently breathing air into the man’s lungs before the coast guard arrived, but nothing more could be done.

Though we are taught to be aware that such accidents do occur, we were all deeply affected. However, I feel it was very important that we were properly trained. Each of us knew what our role was and how to carry it out level headedly. Because of our Red Cross training we were able to walk away from that experience with the feeling that we had done everything that was within our power.

They can’t all be home, but we can bring a touch of home to them

By Sam Kille

 “Reveille, reveille, reveille. All hands heave out and trice up. Give the ship a good sweep down, forward and aft. Now reveille.”

That was the rude awakening I’d endure for six months while deployed as a Marine aboard the USS Newport, in the Mediterranean Sea, from 1991-92. But one morning I didn’t mind, as it was Christmas and we were docked in Barcelona, Spain.

Despite being an ocean and a continent away from home—I couldn’t wait for liberty call. Christmas in Spain, how cool was that going to be!

Or so I thought. My platoon-mates and I walked the famed Las Ramblas. Normally packed with tourists and locals alike, the mile long hub of vendors and street performers was eerily empty. And imagine our surprise to find all of the pubs closed—at home, there always seemed to be at least one place open for business!

But alas, different country, different culture and with nothing to do, we returned to the cold comfort of our ship and the realization that you just can’t beat being home for the holidays.

I missed a lot of holidays and family events while in the Marine Corps. Even stateside, there were the times that I was stuck on guard duty; joking about what I’d do if Santa tried to get past me.

Despite the camaraderie of my fellow Marines, and our best efforts to maintain morale, it could be downright depressing at times. Yet there were two words that almost always snapped us out of any funk: “Mail call!”

It’s hard to describe what it means to get a letter from home—and quite often, at least for me, it didn’t matter who the letter was from. Somehow, mail was a validation that what I was doing was important and recognized. This was especially true when receiving letters addressed “Any Service Member,” often from kids.

Sadly the events of September 11th, and the anthrax scare that followed, put a halt to unsolicited mail for security concerns. So when I found myself at sea on the USS Portland in 2002, any mail was restricted to family and friends. I was in Public Affairs at this point, so I constantly had to explain the policy and head off all the false emails about sending cards to places like Walter Reed Army Hospital, knowing that they would just be discarded.

Fast forward to 2007, my boots and utilities traded in for a Red Cross vest. The holidays were approaching and my chapter was getting calls from organizations and schools looking to send cards to the troops. I hated rehashing the policy but then it happened—an announcement was made about Holiday Mail for Heroes!

Now in its fifth year, Holiday Mail for Heroes is a joint effort between the American Red Cross and Pitney Bowes to enable all Americans to send greeting cards during the holiday season to members of our U.S. Armed Forces, veterans and their families—many of whom will be far away from home and serving in harm’s way.

The cards are initially sent to Pitney Bowes which has the means to screen them for hazardous materials. The Red Cross then mobilizes hundreds of volunteers to sort and box cards for delivery.

Knowing firsthand what it means to be far from home, I hope all of you can join in this effort. Please visit www.redcross.org/holidaymail to read the guidelines, and then mail your cards by Dec. 9th to:

Holiday Mail for Heroes
PO Box 5456
Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456

Additional ways to become involved with the campaign include connecting with fellow card senders through Facebook at www.facebook.com/redcross and Twitter at www.twitter.com/redcross using the hashtag #holidaymail.

Now, I’m betting the words “reveille, reveille, reveille” are just as unwelcomed in the military ranks as ever and there is nothing we can do about that; however, through Holiday Mail for Heroes, let’s heave to and make mail call better than ever!

Sam Kille is the Regional Director of Communications for the American Red Cross in Greater New York. He served in the Marine Corps from 1990 to 2003.

Burning Down the House

By Anita Salzberg

Are you out of your minds? You’re going to burn the house down! (Or, at the very least, the movie set.)

Long before I joined the Red Cross, this was my typical reaction to any scene in a movie or a TV show that featured a bubble bath, three dozen candles and a romantic liaison amid said bubble bath.

Kevin Costner and Susan Sarandon in Bull Durham? Yes, that was a hot scene (pun intended).

But as I watched, I couldn’t quite tear my mind away from the practicalities of how they were going to get into the tub and have a wild and crazy time without knocking over a half dozen or so candles and causing a fire. Yes, bathrooms are full of tile and porcelain. Still, towels, curtains and walls are plenty flammable.

And think about it—there were probably six guys with fire extinguishers standing on that movie set, just outside the frame, in case the wrong kind of sparks started to go flying.

Since this is Fire Safety Week, that’s my point. Many people think candles are exactly the right thing to reach for during a power outage (to say nothing of an amorous assignation). Turns out, they’re exactly the wrong thing.

Red Cross urges everyone to use only flashlights for emergency lighting, and to never use candles due to extreme risk of fire during a power outage. If Red Cross had thought of it, it would probably say the same about a romantic tryst in a tub.