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Hurricane Season is Here

Prepare Now

Thanks for coming to the 2009 Hurricane Expo on Saturday, June 6.
We were there
to help people get ready.
Your Red Cross is ready.    Are you?
Be
Red Cross
Ready

Before.
During.
After.
 

What's in your Disaster Supplies Kit?
Prepare a portable disaster kit in 12 steps

Cash strapped? Prepare on a budget

Get a WaterBOB™ to store fresh water, or get an
Etón Microlink Red Cross radio / light / phone charger

Get Ready for cold weather with 12 Days of Disaster Preparedness

A Mother’s Guide to Preparedness
Amanda Christopher/American National Red Cross
    Predictions for an active hurricane season leave many families wondering what they can do to help protect their loved ones from a hurricane and the high winds, flooding and tornadoes that accompany them.
    Even if you don’t live in the direct path of a hurricane, severe winds, lightning, and tornadoes can affect you. By taking three basic preparedness actions you can get “Red Cross Ready” for disasters and other emergencies 1) Get a kit, 2) Make a plan and 3) Be informed. Read more....
RedCross.org — A Mother's Guide to Preparedness
American Red Cross Hurricane Safety Tips

 Frequently-asked Questions
Click here for severe weather safety tips.
¿Está preparado para un huracán?Preguntas con frecuencia hechas

Related news:
BayNews9 — First responders test skills during hurricane drill
The Ledger — Unflappable Emergency Chief Lets State Sleep Better
Sign up on 'Safe & Well' before the storm
CLICK BELOW to tell family you are 'Safe and Well'
The American Red Cross
    If you make one call to family before, during, or after a disaster, have them register you on the American Red Cross "Safe and Well" web site: disastersafe.redcross.org. Click the graphic above to visit the site.
If you don’t have internet access, you can call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to register yourself and your family.Follow the prompts for disaster information.

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Welcome Home, 356th! Families, Friends, and Polk Red Cross volunteers welcome home National Guard soldiers from Iraq

American Red Cross volunteers were on hand to thank the troops as they arrived home.
Read all about it.

Bay News 9 — Families welcome their soldiers home from Iraq
10Connects - Back from Iraq: Soldiers celebrated in Lake Wales The Ledger — Unit Based in Lake Wales Returns from Iraq

 

Help prevent Swine Flu
Follow Simple Tips to Prevent Spread of Disease

Swine flu is still active, with cases in the United States and the world.
The American Red Cross recommends individuals, families and businesses follow basic safety tips to prevent the spread of illness.

  •  Wash hands frequently with soap and water or a hand sanitizer.
  •  Avoid or minimize contact with sick people (a minimum 3 feet distancing is recommended.)
  •  Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
  •  Cover your mouth and nose when you cough/sneeze. If you don’t have a tissue, cough/sneeze into the crook of your elbow.
  •  Stay away from others as much as possible when you are sick.
  •  Adopt good business policies that encourage employees/students to stay home when sick and get a flu shot every year.
  •  Follow health and travel recommendations from your local health authorities and the CDC.
    As health experts across the world seek to get more information and a better understanding of the scope and strength of swine flu, this is also a good time for families, businesses and organizations to review and update their preparedness plans.
Read Red Cross Swine Flu Prevention Tips
Use the Red Cross Seasonal Flu Checklist

Lea y utilice por favor: Seguridad contra la gripe
    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 educating the public on preparedness and safety and ensuring that we can continue to provide disaster services to those in need.


Change a Life — Yours!
Two women saved a Winter Haven toddler from drowning
Avon Park Middle School staff saved students from choking
Near-drowning incident highlights need for CPR training
Red Cross honors lifesaving teachers

Whether using CPR or First Aid, you can change a life, especially yourown, by saving a life. Being able to respond to an emergency can make ordinary people into extraordinary heroes. Get trained in life-saving skills by your local American Red Cross today.
Look up Classes for First Aid, CPR, Babysitting, and Water Safety:   http://polkcountyfl.redcross.org/schedule.htm.

   News Chief: Two Women Help Save Boy
   News-Sun: Near-drowning incident highlights need for CPR
   News-Sun: Red Cross honors lifesaving teachers
   RedCross.org: Another life saved through Red Cross training

Red Cross President and CEO Gail McGovern has released a video proclaiming her appreciation for all that Red Crossers do locally and around the world.
http://www.redcross.org/flash/MarchGailVideo.htm(video should start playing automatically by clicking above link).

News Chief — "Disaster Big or Small, Red Cross has 'gotta be there.'"
Read story in the News Chief (html).
Download PDF.



Help Prevent Home Fires

    Fires kill more Americans and affect more households each year than all natural disasters combined. Help us prevent home fires.
   Check and maintain smoke alarms, Keep working fire extinguishers in your home and learn how to use them. Develop and practice a home fire escape plan, to get every family member out quickly and safely.

Get Red Cross safety tips to prevent most causes of fires:
Download a free copy of Adobe Reader to view PDF files on our web site.

 Fire Safety fact sheet  Smoke Alarms
 Escape Planning  Cooking Fires
 Children and Fires  Candle Safety
 Carbon Monoxide Poisoning  

n Español:
 Sabria que hacer en un incendio
 Planes de como escapar un incendio
 Niños y Incendios Hogares  Detectores de Humo
 Monoxido De Carbono  Incendios en la Cocina
   Fuegos con Velas

se Red Cross fire safety tips to prevent fires
Preparación para un incendio
http://www.cruzrojaamericana.org
.

House Fires reach all-time high (BayNews9 - July 6, 2008)
Fires are most common disaster (News Ch. 8 - Oct. 8, 2008)

Holiday awareness can prevent a tragedy (News Chief - )

How many fires does the Red Cross respond to?
Check out the total on Google maps.
Click here for American Red Cross wildfire safety tips, or
Click here for American National Red Cross wildfire tips.

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This Could Be You....
Stories from Hurricane Ike

   The Red Cross is not a government agency, and relies on individual donations to run its chapters. Any help you can give in these difficult times will be appreciated. If you have given to the Red Cross before r have never donated to the American Red Cross, now is the time. We need you.
   Please help your Red Cross, so we can be there to help you.
Donate.

Visit RedCrossChat.org to learn about the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, complete with Diagram.

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Please help the Disaster Relief FundYour continued support is needed to raise enough money to pay for relief for future disasters.
    The American Red Cross hopes to refill the depleted Disaster Relief Fund. The fund was exhausted in 2008 by a record number of tornadoes, the worst Midwest flooding in 15 years, an early wildfire season and active hurricane season.
     The Disaster Relief Fund enables the Red ross to provide free shelter, food, and counseling, and distribute emergency supplies to people who need it, whenever and wherever disasters occur. The services are possible through generous donations from individuals, foundations and corporations.



We have tremendous thanks to all donors.
Look at what we've done this year: 2008 in Pictures

    Anyone can help by making a donation. Here’s how: • Visit www.redcross.org in English or
          www.cruzrojaamerican.org in Spanish
• Call 1-800-RED CROSS or 1-800-257-7575 for Spanish.
• Text keyword GIVE (4483) to 2HELP (24357) to donate $5.
• Contact your local chapter.

Learn more....

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Thank You for Supporting your American Red Cross at the
Red, White, & Blue Bash!

Saturday, May 2, at Bartow Civic Center
People came dressed in their best patriotic outfits. Some signed on as General, Colonel, or Captian sponsorships, or as a Private (single ticket). Tour of duty included dancing, music, a cash bar, and both silent and live auctions.

To continue supporting your local Red Cross, call (863) 294-5941.
See our flyer or see how much fun we had!


Have Coffee & Help Us!
You can't have the Red Cross without coffee, and now you can help the Red Cross with every cup!
   Through a partnership with Fazzini's Blend coffees and Numi Teas, a portion of every purchase made of Polk County Chapter and Highlands Red Cross marked coffees and teas will go to support that local Red Cross office. All you have to do is order it online, and enjoy when it arrives!

Enjoy a cup of coffee while helping your Red Cross!
Read all about it in the News Chief — Sunday, Jan. 25, 2009

Download a copy of our Polk Red Cross Coffee flyer (pdf).

'The Best Cup of Coffee
I Ever Had'
Allan Richards of Auburndale recalls a cup of Red Cross coffee on a cold morning after the 1997 flood in North Dakota.

Read on...


Highlands Red Cross Wants Your Help
Service Center has 'wish list' for donors

To help the Highlands County office to stay efficient at serving the people of Highlands County, the Red Cross has a wish list of items:
  • A dependable smaller-size vehicle, that doesn't use much gas and that doesn't need repairs first;
  • A Global Positioning System (GPS);
  • A couple of laptop computers with air cards to operate outside — in the field;
  • A small trailer that can haul furniture, equipment or disaster supplies;
  • ."
  • Volunteers for day-to-day operations
    Volunteers are the life-blood of the Red Cross. They staff local shelters during hurricanes and provide all types of disaster relief throughout the year both locally and nationally, as well as answer telephone calls and other help in the office.
   For more information, call (863) 386-4440. To make a local donation, write a check to the American Red Cross, write "Highlands County," in the memo line, and send it to 106 Medical Center Ave., Sebring, FL 33870 or drop it off. The office is located behind Highlands Regional Medical Center.


Read the full article by Joe Seelig in Highlands Today.

News Log:

Also, read Polk Red Cross news at our other blogs:
    PolkRedCross.PolkVoice.com (Polk County, Events)
    polkarcinfo@wordpress.org (General News)

Read more news at PolkARCInfo.WordPress.com, PolkRedCross.PolkVoice.com, or in our Archives.

Are You Ready?

   Be ready for an emergency and prepared for disaster.
   Your American Red Cross has items for sale that can prepare you for a disaster, help you save a life, and let you lend support through a financial contribution to your local American Red Cross Programs and Services.
   Get equipped, and help support your local Red Cross.
Product List (pdf)

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Get your community ready with Disaster Assessment Workshops
   Polk Red Cross' Community Disaster Assessment Workshops are open again for mobile home and other residential communities wanting to prepare their neighborhoods and each other for the hurricane season.
   The Community Disaster Assessment Program has won an award at the 2009 Governor's Hurricane Conference for helping prepare communities for disaster. It gives free training to community representatives on making a disaster plan for their residents, assessing storm damage, and phoning in a damage report to the Polk County Chapter, which can help speed disaster assistance.

It's FREE. The next Community Disaster Assessment workshops is June 9, 10 a.m. to noon.

For more information, download our press release, call (863) 294-5941, or e-mail linda@polkredcross.org.

WMFE 90.7 FM
Mobile Homes Polk's #1 Concern

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Are you prepared to help your pet in a medical emergency?
Be certain. Take an American Red Cross Pet CPR/First Aid course!
Read our course listing.

Read about the class...


Get American Red Cross CPR & First Aid training
Would you know what to do
in an emergency?
Learn now.

American Red Cross Polk County Chapter Health & Safety Department
— (863) 294-5941 or visit the main office at 147 Ave. A, NW, Winter Haven.
Highlands County Service Center
— (863) 386-4440, or visit 106 Medical Center Drive in Sebring.
See our course listings

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Babysitting Boot Camp

Learn now to use life-saving skills and help your community with child care.
   The next Babysitting Boot Camp is just around the corner. Whether you live in Polk or Highlands County, there is a camp serving you. Sign up now.


  Call (863) 294-5941 or e-mail dbermudez@polkredcross.org

Learn more about Red Cross Babysitting Training or download our press release (PDF).

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Do you donate? 

   The American Red Cross collects 50 percent of America's blood supply.
    In Florida, however, most local chapters do not collect blood, but work with local blood banks to promote blood drives to ensure a supply for disasters.
    Four blood banks cooperate with the American Red Cross Polk County Chapter and Highlands County Service Center. For information, contact your local blood bank.
    And if you are able, please give.

BloodNet Lakeland/west Polk Co.
Florida's Blood Centers
Highlands Co.
Florida Blood Services
Lakeland RMC
Blood Banks of Mid-Florida Medical Services
Winter Haven/east Polk Co.

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Severe Weather Information

Florida' s Hazardous Weather Outlook
Learn more at WFLA News Channel 8 (Feb. 13, 2008) — National Weather Service watching storms

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Homeland Security Advisory System

Since March 2002, the United States has lived under one of five levels of possible terrorist threat. To answer citizens' questions about what each one means, the American Red Cross has developed a set of guidelines:

Individuals  Schools 
Families  Businesses 
Neighborhoods  Terrorism

Download a free copy of Adobe Reader to view
  PDF files on our web site.

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Beware of scams
  During a disaster, plenty of people will solicit donations in the name of the American Red Cross.
  Sometimes, they aren't actually working with us.

  Don't fall victim to a scam.

  To avoid scams completely, donate at www.redcross.org or contact your local chapter.
  Click the link below to learn about some of the most recent scams.

Read more...
http://polkcountyfl.redcross.org/scams.htm



Since 1881, the American Red Cross has helped people who suffered from warfare, natural disasters, or emergencies. Learn about our History from our National Web site -- www.redcross.org.

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Learn about your Polk Red Cross chapter through our publications and related articles:

Annual Reports (pdf)
:
2007-2008 Annual Report
2006-2007 Annual Report
2005-2006 Annual Report

Newsletters (html):
Winter 2009 e-Newsletter
Spring 2009 e-Newsletter

Newsletters (pdf):
Highlands County August 2008
Polk County August 2008

Highlands County May 2008
Polk County May 2008

Highlands County Jan. 2008
Polk County Jan. 2008

Highlands County Sept. 2007
Polk County Sept. 2007

Highlands County May 2007
Polk County May 2007

Highlands County Jan. 2007
Polk County Jan. 2007

Download a free copy of Adobe Reader to view
  PDF files on our web site.


Non-Profit News (Blog Entry 35):
American Red Cross, Polk County style

How well do you know the American Red Cross & your local Polk County Chapter?
   Find out here.

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Be Red Cross Ready

The American Red Cross

CLICK THIS LOGO to learn how to Be Red Cross Ready for any disaster: Tornado, Hurricane, Earthquake, Tsunami, Wildfire, Flood, or a House Fire.

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Pledge to Prepare!

The American Red Cross

 

Premeto Prepararme

  So many things compete for our attention each day, it's often hard to prioritize what's good for us.
   It may seem overwhelming, but we know from experience that preparing ahead of time can help you respond and stay safe in an emergency.

  Learn the three recommended preparedness actions to "Be Red Cross Ready" for emergencies, take the Pledge to Prepare, and get involved today!

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Remember to order your blend of Red Cross Coffee!

Get authentic Ride for the Red gear right here!

Are You Ready?

   Be ready for an emergency and prepared for disaster with official Red Cross Disaster Supplies.

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We Thank You!

Polk Red Cross receives
American Red Cross Award at 2009 Governor's Hurricane Conference

Read more.... WordPress  PolkVoice  News Chief  PDF

Libby King honored by Junior League of Greater Winter Haven with 2009 Golden Gloves Award
Read more.... WordPress  PolkVoice  News Chief  PDF

Don Tompkins awarded
2009 Hulda Glass Award

News Chief    Read more....

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Support your local Red Cross
Is your family ready
for a disaster?

  Tag!
  You're It - with us!

Show your support for the American Red Cross everywhere you go. Visit your Florida Department of Highway Safety & Motor Vehicles office or your local Tax Collector's Office to register your vehicle with an official American Red Cross supporter tag.

Create a Legacy of Compassion
Legacy Society
members help ensure the future financial stability of this chapter by including their local Red Cross in their estate plan. To find out how you can become a Legacy Society member, please call our Gift Planning Officer Ken Fagan, toll-free, at 866-262-2755.

Send Direct Local Donations to:    

   Polk County Chapter

   147 Avenue A, NW,  

   Winter Haven , FL 33881
    
(863) 294-5941

   Highlands County Service Center

   106 Medical Center Avenue

   Sebring, FL 33870
     
(863) 386-4440

 

    Credit Cards (please call the numbers listed above):  

    When calling, please give your name; address; phone number; credit card type, credit card number, and expiration date; and please specify whether you want funds to support the Polk County Chapter, the Highlands County Red Cross, or the National American Red Cross Disaster Fund.

The Polk County Chapter is one of four in the Mid-Florida Region, which includes:

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If you can't find what you need, please e-mail us.
Your input is welcome.


  Florida is known for hurricanes, but wildfires, floods, and tornados strike far more often.  Home fires are the most common disaster.  Learn how to keep your family safe and secure by making and practicing disaster plans.

  Your Family Disaster Plan
  Your Family Disaster Supplies Kit
  Emergency Preparedness Checklist
  Food & Water During an Emergency

Download a free copy of Adobe Reader to view
  PDF files on our web site.

Is your neighborhood Disaster Resistant?
Contact American Red Cross Emergency Services to schedule a free presentation: (863) 294-5941.

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