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| One Minute Update |
| Receive news, safety tips and disaster updates from the American Red Cross through e-mail. |
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| Become A First Aid, CPR/AED Instructor Today! |
Volunteer as an American Red Cross instructor and teach others the skills they need to save lives.
You can help the American Red Cross reach people in your community with lifesaving training, including CPR, first aid and automated external defibrillation.
For more information contact the Berkshire County chapter of the American Red Cross chapter at (413) 442-1506 or complete the application to teach health & safety courses and submit it to the chapter via email, fax (413-448-6051) or in person at 480 West Street in Pittsfield.
Together, we can save a life.
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Welcome to the American Red Cross of Berkshire County
Response to the Swine Flu
The following message is from Suzy DeFrancis, National American Red Cross Chief Public Affairs Officer:
With the increasing news coverage of the swine flu outbreak, we wanted to provide an update on Red Cross efforts. Over the weekend, we were in close coordination with federal, state and local government authorities and we will continue that effort. We also are in communication with the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in Geneva, Switzerland. Our priority right now is to maintain the blood supply, educate the public on ways to stay healthy and continue to provide vital disaster relief services.
Talking Points:
- The American Red Cross is monitoring the developing situation with this new strain of human swine flu and is in close contact with federal and state officials, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Department of Homeland Security.
- As health experts across the world seek to get more information and a better understanding of the scope and severity of the swine flu outbreak, this is a good time for families, businesses and organizations to review and update their preparedness plans.
- The recent news reports may be causing public concern, with people wondering what they can do. In addition to updating their preparedness plans, people should also follow common sense basic public health practices, such as covering your cough/sneeze with a tissue, frequent hand-washing, visiting a doctor for flu-like symptoms and staying home when sick.
- While Red Cross organizations in Mexico and other nations provide basic medical care to the public as part of their ongoing mission, the American Red Cross and its chapters have different responsibilities, and focus more on providing shelter, food and mental health counseling.
- The American Red Cross and its chapters will continue to work with government officials on the swine flu issue and stand ready to help as appropriate. The American Red Cross is committed to maintaining the blood supply for the public, to educating the public on preparedness and safety, and to ensuring that we can continue to provide disaster services to those in need.
- For people seeking information on human swine flu, the CDC Web site provides the latest information, which can also be obtained by calling 1-800-CDC-INFO. For general information on seasonal flu and how to stay healthy, please refer to the Seasonal Flu Checklist (English PDF, 322KB | Spanish PDF, 203KB) or www.RedCross.org.
Can Drive to benefit the Armed Services
People all over the county are helping collect recyclable cans and
plastic bottles to benefit Services for the Armed Forces And Their
Families at your Berkshire Red Cross. "The economy is tough right now," said Kathleen Phillips, Executive Director of the Berkshire Red Cross, "and we wanted to find an easy way for people to help out that didn’t necessarily require them to reach for their wallets."
Simply collect as many recyclable cans and plastic bottles as possible
and then you can either:
- Deliver them to your Red Cross Office at 480 West Street in
Pittsfield
- Take them to a can and bottle processing center (at your
local supermarket or beverage store) and then mail the
receipt or proceeds to your Red Cross Office at 480 West
Street in Pittsfield, 01201
All proceeds support Services for the Armed Forces And Their
Families at your American Red Cross of Berkshire County.
For more details, please call (413) 442-1506.
Please help.
"The neat thing about this promotion," Phillips added, "is that recycling is great for the whole world and now it helps the Red Cross too."
The American Red Cross is where people mobilize to help their neighbors - across the street, across the country and across the world - in emergencies. The Red Cross helps thousands of U.S. service members separated from their families by military duty stay connected. Each year, in communities large and small, victims of some 70,000 disasters turn to neighbors familiar and new - the nearly 1 million volunteers and 35,000 employees of the Red Cross. Through almost 900 locally supported chapters, more than 15 million people gain the skills they need to prepare for and respond to emergencies in their homes, communities and world. Some 4 million people give blood - the gift of life - through the Red Cross, making it the largest supplier of blood and blood products in the United States. As part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, a global network of 181 national societies, the Red Cross helps restore hope and dignity to the world's most vulnerable people. An average of 91 cents of every dollar the Red Cross spends is invested in humanitarian services and programs. The Red Cross is not a government agency; it relies on donations of time, money, and blood to do its work. The American National Red Cross is headquartered in Washington, Gail J. McGovern is President and CEO, and Bonnie McElveen-Hunter is Chairman of the Board of Governors.
The American Red Cross of Berkshire County is proud to now offer the life saving services of Link to Life through its new alliance. This Personal Emergency Response System will allow you or a loved one to get the help they need with the touch of a button. By simply pressing the water-resistant Help Button, Subscribers can summon the help of the police, ambulance or fire department, or even a family member or neighbor. Link to Life also maintains a complete list of medications and medical conditions on each Subscriber to help ensure the best medical attention possible.
As a kick off for this exciting new service, Link to Life will be offering friends of American Red Cross free installation (a savings of $25). The monthly cost of service is $34.95 (plus state tax) and may be covered by Mass Health.
Link to Life provides help when you need it and peace of mind when you do not.
Give yourself or a loved one the gift of safety and independence in 2007
For more information or to order service, please call
Link to Life-American Red Cross
1.877.434.9871
or
visit us at www.linktolife.com
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