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FAQ'S
How can the Red Cross help
me?
The American Red Cross is committed to saving lives and easing suffering. This
diverse organization serves humanity and helps you by providing relief to
victims of disaster, both locally and nationally. The American Red Cross is
responsible for half of the nation's blood supply and blood products.
The American Red Cross provides health and safety training to the public and emergency social services to U.S. military members and their families. In
the wake of an earthquake, tornado, flood, fire, hurricane or other
disaster, it provides relief services. The Red Cross is America's most
trusted charity, and it needs the support of compassionate Americans to
succeed.
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Who founded the Red Cross?
The Red Cross idea was born in 1859, when Henri Dunant, a young Swiss
man, came upon the scene of a bloody battle in Solferino, Italy, between
the armies of imperial Austria and the Franco-Sardinian alliance. Some
40,000 men lay dead or dying on the battlefield and the wounded were
lacking medical attention. Dunant organized local people to bind the
soldiers' wounds and to feed and comfort them. On his return, he called
for the creation of national relief societies to assist those wounded in
war, and pointed the way to the future Geneva Conventions.
In October 1863, The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement was
created in Geneva, Switzerland, to provide nonpartisan care to the wounded
and sick in times of war. The Red Cross emblem was adopted at this first
International Conference as a symbol of neutrality and was to be used by
national relief societies. In August 1864, the representatives of 12
governments signed the Geneva Convention Treaty. The extraordinary efforts
of Henry Dunant led to the eventual establishment of the International Red
Cross. Today, the Red Cross Movement incorporates the Geneva-based
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the International
Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (the International
Federation), as well as National Societies in 175 countries, including the
American Red Cross of the United States. For more information on Henri
Dunant look up "A Memory of Solferino" by Herni Dunant 1959.
More:
http://www.redcross.org/museum/history/organizations.asp
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Who founded the American
Red Cross?
Clara Barton (1821-1912) dominates the early history of the American
Red Cross, which was modeled after the International Red Cross. She did
not originate the Red Cross idea, but she was the first person to
establish a lasting Red Cross Society in America. Her inspiration came
from her exposure to Civil War battlefields where she went behind battle
lines to aid soldiers from both the north and south. She successfully
organized the American Association of the Red Cross in Washington, D.C.,
on May 21, 1881. Created to serve America in peace and in war, during
times of disaster and national calamity, Barton's organization took its
service beyond that of the International Red Cross Movement by adding
disaster relief to battlefield assistance. She served as the
organization's volunteer president until 1904.
More:
http://www.redcross.org/museum/history/claraBarton.asp
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What is the Mission of the
American Red Cross?
The American Red Cross, a humanitarian organization led by volunteers,
guided by its Congressional Charter and the Fundamental Principles of the
International Red Cross Movement, will provide relief to victims of
disasters and help people prevent, prepare for, and respond to
emergencies.
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What are the fundamental
principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement?
Humanity: The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement was
created to aid those in need on the battlefield without discrimination.
Its purpose is to protect life and health and to ensure respect for the
human being. It promotes mutual understanding, friendship, cooperation and
lasting peace amongst all peoples.
Impartiality: It makes no discrimination as to nationality, race,
religious beliefs, class or political opinions. Its goal is to relieve the
suffering of individuals in need and to give priority to the most urgent
cases of distress.
Neutrality: In order to continue to enjoy the confidence of all, the
Movement may not take sides in hostilities or engage at any time in
controversies of a political, racial, religious or ideological nature.
Independence: The Movement is independent, not governed by its nation in
times of hostility, so as to ensure neutrality.
Voluntary Service: It is a voluntary relief movement not prompted in any
manner by desire for gain.
Unity: There can be only one Red Cross or one Red Crescent Society in any
one country. It must be open to all.
Universality: The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is
worldwide.
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Why won't the Red Cross
accept small, individual donations or collections of items such as
clothing, food or cleaning supplies-doesn't every little bit help?
The Red Cross does not accept individual donations of material items
(called "in-kind" donations) because receipt of such items can
actually hamper relief efforts. The financial and personnel cost of
receiving, sorting, transporting goods and ensuring the quality and
cleanliness of items donated by individual households is very high. It
does not allow for individuals and families to receive what they uniquely
need in their own size and shape.
The traditional method of providing Red Cross assistance is with a
special card, redeemable at local stores and paid for with donation dollars,
that enables victims to purchase what they need in the correct sizes and
in accordance with their own taste. Making even these small decisions
helps individuals begin to take control of their lives and their recovery.
In addition, this process helps channel money into the local economy and
thus aids the community in recovery from disaster.
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What can people expect from
the American Red Cross during times of disaster?
Red Cross disaster relief focuses on meeting the emergency
disaster-caused needs of individuals and families. When a disaster
threatens or strikes, we provide shelter, food, and health and mental
health services, which address basic human needs.
The Red Cross may also help those needing long-term recovery assistance
when all other available resources, including insurance, government,
private, and community assistance, are either unavailable or inadequate to
meet the needs. All assistance is based on verified disaster-caused needs
and all assistance is free-literally a gift as a result of the generous
support of the American people.
The Red Cross also feeds disaster victims and emergency workers, handles
inquiries from concerned immediate family members outside the
disaster-affected area, provides blood and blood products to disaster
victims, and links disaster victims to other available resources.
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What health services does
the American Red Cross provide during a disaster? Isn't this the
government's responsibility?
Primary responsibility for the general health of a community following
a disaster rests with the local public health authorities and local
medical, nursing, and health resources. Ill or injured persons normally
look to their own physicians or the usual community health facilities for
the type of care they need. The Red Cross supplements the existing
community health care system when disasters threaten or strike.
Red Cross Disaster Health Services staff deliver first aid and attend to
other health-related matters. Based on a person's needs, the Red Cross may
also help pay for certain medical needs, including prescription medicines,
medical supplies, and emergency medical treatment.
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Why does the Red Cross
provide disaster mental health services after disasters?
The American Red Cross Disaster Mental Health Services staff are
licensed mental health professionals trained to recognize the emotional
impact of a disaster on those affected-both victims and workers. They help
people recognize, understand, and cope with the specific feelings they
experience after a disaster. They work with the local mental health
community to ensure both short-term and long-term assistance is available.
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How quickly is the American
Red Cross able to respond to disasters?
Red Cross chapters across the country are required to
respond with services to an incident within two hours of being notified.
These local chapters conduct disaster training as well as planning and
preparedness, to help them respond quickly and effectively when a disaster
occurs.
Human and material resources, such as disaster specialists and disaster
relief supplies, are located in high-risk areas. This helps to ensure a
quick response when a disaster occurs. Immediately after a disaster
incident is reported, we begin to mobilize personnel and other resources
to provide services such as sheltering and feeding survivors. The local
chapter with the help of other chapters in the state quickly assesses the
size and scope of the incident. If help from beyond the state will be
needed, a request goes immediately to national headquarters so that
supplies can be sent and people recruited as soon as possible.
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Who governs the American
Red Cross?
The American Red Cross depends on the generosity of its financial donors to provide the funds
that support its budget. It is governed by a volunteer Board of Governors,
which in turn charters our chapters and blood regions to deliver
services at the local level.
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How many volunteers work at
the Red Cross?
Ninety-six percent of American Red Cross staff are volunteers.
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What roles do volunteers
play at ARC?
As the largest humanitarian organization in the United States, the Red
Cross depends on volunteers to accomplish the organization's mission:
providing relief to victims of disasters and helping people prevent,
prepare for, and respond to emergencies. To prepare volunteers for this,
we provide training for most volunteer positions, with the level of
training varying according to the requirements of the position and the
qualifications of the individual. Volunteers serve at all levels of the
Red Cross, including:
- Serving on the national Board of
Governors and boards of local chapters and Blood Services regions.
- Serving in management positions such as
leaders of youth councils, supervisors on disaster relief operations,
and chapter (local unit) managers.
- Performing direct services such as
Service to Armed Forces casework; disaster response; training in CPR,
first aid; and supporting bloodmobiles.
- Performing support activities such as
volunteer recruitment, marketing and public relations; fund raising;
human resources management; and fiscal management.
- Serving on advisory groups, task forces
and committees at the local, state and national levels.
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What is the definition of a
volunteer?
A Red Cross volunteer is an individual who, beyond the
responsibilities of paid employment, freely and without expectation or
receipt of compensation, and for personal, humanitarian, or charitable
reasons, contributes time and service to assist the American Red Cross in
the accomplishment of its Mission.
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How can a company arrange
for first aid training for its employees?
Contact the Pioneer Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross. The Red
Cross offers a variety of training programs for your workplace. Select
from our core courses including Workplace Training: Standard First Aid and
Adult CPR/AED.
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