Thanks
for Giving
90th Year
Open House
Red Cross Urges:
Practice Your Home Escape Plan
90th Annual Meeting of the Southeast Minnesota Chapter
After the Flood
Culver's Day
of Giving
Southeast
Minnesota Chapter Deploys Volunteers to Assist With 35W Bridge Collapse
Southeast
Minnesota Chapter Holds
91st Annual Meeting
[Rochester,
MN, June 3, 2008]
The Southeast Minnesota Chapter of
the American Red Cross held their 91st
Annual Meeting to elect new board members and honor and
recognize volunteers for their years of service and commitment to the
chapter.
Board
Members elected for their first three year term: Peter Moehnke
and Ray Ventura
Board Member
elected for a second three year term:
John Brockman, Mary Cummins, Jan Hoag, and Aaron Ratz.
Board Member
elected for a third three year term: Jan Larson
Board Member of the Year Award: John
Brockman
Beyond the
Chapter Award: Sharon Kueker
The Lois
Hamilton Lifetime Achievement Award: John
Pagelkopf
Volunteer
of the Year Award: Mary
Eversman
Thanks
for Giving
The
Southeast Minnesota
Chapter has helped more than 30,000 people this past fiscal year. This
lifesaving work was made possible by over 300 Red Cross volunteers who
donated thousands
of hours, helping and comforting people during their time of need.
Nationwide,
volunteers make up 97 percent of the American Red Cross workforce,
allowing the
Red Cross to operate with great efficiency.
“The
generosity of our donors has enabled the Red Cross to help change and
save
lives everyday,” said Colette Gallagher,
Communications & Development Coordinator of the Southeast Minnesota
Chapter. “We are incredibly grateful for the compassion and support of
our
donors, put into action through the work of our dedicated
volunteers.”
The Southeast
Minnesota
Chapter responds 24/7 to local disasters and emergencies affecting
Dodge,
Fillmore, Olmsted, and Wabasha Counties– making our
communities a safer place to live. This past fiscal year, the Southeast
Minnesota Chapter has-
- responded to an
unprecedented number of fires in our four county area and assisted 65
families
- trained over 6,625
individuals in lifesaving skills like CPR, first aid and how to use an
automated emergency defibrillator.
- trained 3,863 individuals,
including school groups and businesses, in community disaster education
– empowering people with the skills and confidence to be ready for
disasters and life’s emergencies
- provided 217 emergency
messages, referrals and related services to U.S. service members,
veterans and their families through our Services to the Armed Forces
department.
- Collected 2,126 units of
blood and registered 89 potential donors in the National Marrow Donor
Program
- Sent 10 Red Cross
international messages to help reconnect families
“The
lifesaving mission of the Red Cross is possible because of gifts of
time, blood
and money from the people of Southeast Minnesota,”
said Gallagher. “We are committed to being good stewards of the gifts
and trust
that our donors place in us to help our community.”
All
American Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by
voluntary donations of time and money from the American people. You can
help
the victims of disasters in your community by making a financial gift
to the Southeast
Minnesota Chapter which enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food,
counseling and other assistance to victims of disaster.
Contributions may be sent to the Southeast
Minnesota Chapter, 310 14th Street SE, Rochester,
55904. Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting
www.redcross-semn.org.
90th
Year Open House
The Southeast
Minnesota Chapter of the American Red Cross will
celebrate its 90th Anniversary of serving the community. The general public is invited to attend an
Open House on Wednesday, November 14, from 3:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. at the
Chapter, 310 14th
Street SE, Rochester.
The 35 West Bridge Memorial Wall will be at the
local chapter on November
14 for the public to view. It is traveling throughout Minnesota
with a brief stop in Rochester.
The I35 West Bridge Memorial Wall was created by the Twin Cities Red
Cross. The
8 foot by 144 foot wall was on display at the State Fair. In the twelve
days of
the fair, it was seen by thousands of people and covered with their
written
messages. Local Red Cross disaster volunteers who responded to the
bridge
collapse, the MN-WI Floods, and the California Wildfires will be on
hand to
share their role in the relief efforts.
The chapter will also have displays showcasing
disaster,
volunteer, blood,
international, health and safety, and armed forces emergency services.
The Emergency
Response Vehicles which are used in responding to disasters will also
be open
for viewing.
Red
Cross Urges: Practice
Your Home
Escape Plan
Fire
Prevention Week, October 7-13
[Rochester, MN,
October 3, 2007] - Fires kill
more Americans each year than all
natural disasters combined. For that reason, the American Red Cross
urges
families to develop a fire escape plan and to actively practice it.
Practicing and knowing your escape plan is
the essence of this year’s Fire Prevention Week set for October
7-13.
The American Red Cross responded to more than 73,000
disasters across the
United
States last year, with over 90 percent
fire
related. Only a quarter of families have actually developed and
practiced a
home fire escape plan.
Research shows that Americans have not practiced the fire
escape plan they have in place. And three-quarters of Americans believe
they
have 10 minutes or less until a fire turns deadly, according to the
National
Fire Protection Association (NFPA).
“Ever
year in Southeast
Minnesota, home fires are the single most common disaster
threat,”
said Melanie Tschida, Executive Director, of the Southeast Minnesota
Chapter. “In fact, the Southeast
Minnesota Chapter
responded to more than 50 home fires last year here in Dodge, Fillmore,
Olmsted
and Wabasha
Counties,
and provided 58 families with
immediate emergency assistance.”
Nearly one out of every 10 days
the Southeast Minnesota Chapter responds to a fire and provides fire
victims
with assistance for food, clothing, prescription medications, temporary
shelter
and other special needs an affected family might have.
This relief is made possible by generous
donations from people throughout Southeast
Minnesota.
“Preparing for a home fire
doesn’t
require a lot of expensive equipment or training, and Fire Prevention
Week is a
great time for families to practice their way out of a potential fire,”
said Tschida.
The Red Cross suggests that a
fire
escape plan include at least two escape routes for every room in the
home, and
a convenient meeting place at a safe distance from the fire. Families are encouraged to pay particular
attention to developing and regularly practicing escape plans for
children and
the elderly because of their increased risk of injury or death from
fire. According to the NFPA, children and
adults 65
and older are twice as likely to die in a home fire as the American
population
at large.
Simple Steps to
Prevent
Fires
• Keep
all sources of fuel (paper, clothing, bedding, and
carpets or rugs)
at least three feet away from all heat sources when cooking, or when
using
alternative heating like a space heater.
• Provide
constant adult supervision during cooking or in
rooms with lit
candles or fireplaces. Do not leave
burning candles unattended.
• Keep
matches and lighters away and out of reach of
children.
Simple Steps to
Make Your
Home Safer
•
Smoke
alarms save lives. Install a smoke alarm
outside each sleeping
area and on each additional level of your home. Use the test button to
check
each smoke alarm once a month
•
Determine
at least two ways to escape from
every room of your home.
•
Select
a location outside your home where
everyone would meet after escaping.
Safety Tips During
a Home
Fire
•
Once you are out, stay out! Call
the fire department from a neighbor’s
home.
The Red Cross depends on the
generous support of area residents to respond to our neighbors who are
affected
by home fires. You can help the Red Cross continue to help fire victims
by
making a financial donation to the Southeast Minnesota Chapter today.
Call
(507) 287-2200 or visit www.redcross-semn.org.
For more information on fire
preparedness, please visit www.redcross-semn.org
or the National Fire Prevention Association at www.nfpa.org
.
90th Annual Meeting of the Southeast
Minnesota Chapter
The
Southeast Minnesota
Chapter of
the American Red Cross held
their 90th
Annual Meeting on September 25 recognizing several volunteers for their
commitment to the local chapter.
Newly
Elected Officers: Paul
Nelson, Chair; Bill
Brown, First Vice Chair; Danae
Ostern, Treasurer; Mary Cummins, Secretary.
Board
Members elected for their first three year term: Chris
Beckmann, Diana
Bryant-Sendek,
Michelle Dodd, Bill Doucette, Dave Kruger, Gary
Peterson, and Ann Sand.
Board
Member elected for a second three year term: Paige
Jehnke and Paul
Nelson
Retiring
Board
Members who completed their term on the Board of Directors:
Julie
Autry and Sharon Kueker.
Board
Member of the Year Award: Jan Larson
The Partner
Award: PossAbilities
of Southern
Minnesota, and Mike Currie and Jerry Zubay of Creative Cuisine
Restaurant
Management Group.
Extra
Mile
Certificate: Phyllis
Jacobs
Lois
Hamilton Lifetime Achievement Award: Chuck
Kaun
Volunteer of
the Year Award: Steve
Ptaszynski
Safety and
Cleaning
Recommendations
Okay, the floodwaters have begun to recede
and it’s now time
to begin reclaiming your home. The
following are a few things to keep in mind as you start the cleanup
process:
Be sure
it is
safe to return to
your home. Check with local authorities
to confirm that your area has been cleared for homeowners to return to
their
houses.
Wear protective
clothing. Flooding leaves mud and silt
that usually
contains dangerous contaminants and mold. Rubber boots, gloves, safety
goggles
and dust masks will help protect you.
Any standing water
may be
contaminated. Do not walk through it
without protective footwear.
Tap water may be
contaminated. Do not drink tap water
without first checking with local health authorities.
Make sure your home
is
structurally sound. Flooding may have
caused the foundation or support walls to be weakened.
Shut off the
electricity. Live electric wires in damp
situations can be
dangerous. Find the main breaker box,
stand on a dry spot and use a wooden stick to push the main breaker
switch to OFF.
Shut off the gas
line.
Sometimes flooding causes ruptures in gas
lines. This in turn may cause a gas leak
and the danger of an explosion and fire. Find
the main gas valve (usually near the gas meter) and
turn it to the OFF position.
Check the ceilings
for
sagging. There may be water trapped in
the ceiling that could result in a collapse.
Rescue the most
valuable items
first (money, photos, heirlooms). Rinse
mud off the items before they dry.
Before the house
dries, shovel out
and rinse out as much mud as possible.
Dry the house
out.
Open windows and use fans to get the air
moving.
Don’t be too quick to
drain the
water from your basement. There may
still be a lot of water pressure pushing back from outside the basement
walls. If so, draining the basement may
cause the walls to collapse.
Heat and
air-conditioning ducts
probably will contain contaminated mud. Remove
registers and thoroughly hose out the ducts.
If the wallboard got
wet it is
usually best to tear it out and replace it. Likewise,
wallpaper is a favorite home to mold and mildew. Remove
and replace wet wallpaper.
If your sofas,
mattresses or other
overstuffed furniture appear decayed or odorous, it is usually best to
throw
them out and replace. Wooden furniture
can be cleaned.
If throw rugs became
wet, hose
them off then wash with strong detergent and hot water. If
possible let them dry in the sun.
Prevent mold.
Mold can be dangerous, especially to persons
with allergies or asthma.
For inside painted
moldy surfaces
scrub with 1 cup of chlorine bleach to 1 gallon of water. Do not
mix bleach with cleaners containing ammonia. Then rinse surface.
A carpet that was
submersed in
sewage contaminated water for more that a couple of days may need to be
discarded.
To clean a soaked
carpet, roll it
up and take outside onto a flat hard surface like a driveway.
Hose with strong spray nozzle. Pour on an all-purpose liquid
ammonia or
pine based cleaner and let soak a few minutes. Rinse
thoroughly, otherwise toxic fumes may result. Finally,
dry as quickly as possible.
Have all electric
appliances
inspected by experts before plugging in and using.
Clean surface of
appliances with a
heavy-duty cleaner and hot water. Follow-up
with a rinse of two tablespoons chlorine bleach
to 1 quart of
water.
Clean wood floors
with nonabrasive
brush and non-sudsing detergent.
Do not start
rebuilding until the
wood in your home has dried out. This
may take several weeks. Rebuilding too
quickly can result in mold growth, insect infestations and
deterioration of the
wood.
Wood should have a
moisture
content of less than 15% before drywall or other covering are placed
over the
wood.
Sources:
Repairing Your
Flooded Home,
created by the American Red Cross and Federal
Emergency Management Agency
Flood Recovery Answers,
created by South Dakota State University Extension Service.
CULVER’S
N
& S OF ROCHESTER
WILL HOLD “DAY OF GIVING”
The
Southeast Minnesota Chapter
of the American Red Cross will benefit
From 10% of sales donations on Wednesday,
September
12 at Culver's N & S of Rochester.
In
conjunction with National Preparedness Month, Jim & Steve
Wernimont, franchise owners of
Culver’s N & S of Rochester are among the Culver’s® restaurants
in 16 states donating 10 percent of their sales that day to the
participating local American Red Cross® chapters on a system wide
‘Day of Giving’ fund-raising event. In addition, guests will also be
able to
give personal donations in canisters. Culver’s estimates the one-day
event will
raise a combined $150,000 for Red Cross chapters where Culver’s
restaurants are
located.
RED CROSS
DEPLOYS VOLUNTEERS TO ASSIST WITH 35W BRIDGE COLLAPSE
[August
9, 2007, Rochester,
MN] The
Southeast Minnesota Chapter of
the American Red Cross deployed four volunteers on August 5 to
Minneapolis to
assist with the bridge collapse.
Dave Peterson of
Rochester is serving
in Partner
Services, Horace Hallman of
Rochester
is serving
in Mass Care, Sharon Kueker or
Rochester
is in
Staffing, Beverly Stone, of
Lake
City is serving in
Financial & Statistical
Information Management, and Fred Stone of
Lake City
is serving in Material Support Services.
Claire Abbott of Wabasha and Steve Bailey of
Rochester
were
deployed August 8 to be
drivers for the Emergency Response Vehicle. Additional volunteers
are on
stand-by to be deployed as needed.
Brooks
Hofer of
Stewartville
was deployed to
Rockford,
Illinois
to assist with flooding.
You can help the victims of
thousands of disasters across the country each year, disasters like the
Minneapolis Bridge Collapse
by
making a financial gift to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief
Fund.
This Fund enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling
and other
assistance to victims of disasters. The American Red Cross honors donor
intent.
If you wish to designate your donation to a specific disaster please do
so at
the time of your donation.” Call 1-800-REDCROSS or 1-800-257-7575
(Spanish).
Contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund may be sent to the Southeast
Minnesota Chapter, 310 14
th SE,
Rochester, 55904 or to the
American Red Cross,
P.O. Box 37243, Washington,
DC 20013. Internet users can
make a
secure online contribution by visiting
www.redcross.org.