Red Cross Presents Lifesaver Community Award to the Plumbers and Pipefitters Local Union No. 562
Union recognized for CPR and First Aid training, AED placement, and hosting blood drives

St. Louis, Monday, April 30, 2007 - During an onsite award presentation on Saturday, the American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter presented its new Lifesaver Community Award to the Plumbers and Pipefitters Local Union No. 562. A Red Cross Celebration Team, comprised of volunteers and staff, took part in the recognition event to celebrate the outstanding commitment of the Local 562 in helping its members, other constituents and the greater community to prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies.

The Lifesaver Community Award is an expansion of the Red Cross Lifesaver Program and is designed to honor corporations, municipalities and civic organizations for contributing to a safer community environment. Award criteria includes utilizing Red Cross health and safety training for at least three years, training employees in CPR and First Aid on a regular basis, placing Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) onsite, and conducting regular Red Cross blood drives.

"The Red Cross hopes that others in the community will follow the lead of the Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 562," said Joseph C. White, CEO of the American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter. "By preparing apprentices and other constituents to respond during an emergency situation while also encouraging the public to become regular blood donors, this dedicated community partner is saving lives and creating a safer community for us all."

Details regarding the Plumbers and Pipefitters' preparedness efforts include the following:

• Provided onsite Red Cross Health and Safety training for the past 10 years.
• Trains an average of 320 union apprentices each year in CPR, First Aid and AEDs.
• Prepared for a sudden cardiac arrest emergency by placing five AEDS throughout its facilities and training staff to use the devices.
• Hosts blood drives onsite, collecting more than 2,000 units of blood over the last seven years.

About the Red Cross Lifesaver Program:
The Lifesaver Award Program is designed to inspire others to get trained in First Aid and CPR by recognizing local citizens who prepared themselves to respond in an emergency situation. Last year, the American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter trained more than 85,000 people locally in CPR and First Aid, including more than 15,000 in the use of AEDs. Since 1984, the Red Cross Lifesaver Program has honored more than 300 St. Louis heroes. The program supports the Red Cross mission to help our communities prevent, prepare for and respond to disasters and emergencies.

In 2007, the St. Louis Area Chapter expanded the Lifesaver Award Program to include the Lifesaver Community Awards. The newly expanded program honors corporations, municipalities, and civic organizations for contributing to a safer community environment by reaching employees with lifesaving First Aid and CPR training and hosting regular blood drives.

For More Information:
To learn more about the Lifesaver Community Awards or the programs and services provided by the American Red Cross, please contact the St. Louis Area Chapter at 314.516.2800 or www.redcrossstl.org.

About the American Red Cross Missouri-Illinois Blood Services Region:
The American Red Cross is a humanitarian, non-profit organization founded in 1881. The Red Cross collects almost half of the nation's blood supply. The Missouri-Illinois Region annually distributes over 500,000 blood products to patients in need. The Region's headquarters and National Testing Lab are located in St. Louis and currently stands ready to serve over 120 hospitals in 122 counties and operates four distribution centers. The Red Cross relies on the generosity of volunteer blood donors to maintain a safe and adequate blood supply all year long. To find out more about the American Red Cross Missouri-Illinois Blood Services Region, please call 1-800 GIVE LIFE (448.3543), or log onto www.americanredcrossblood.org.

About the American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter:
Founded in 1917, the American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter celebrates 90 years of dedicated service, providing emergency relief and preparedness training more than 410,000 times each year. The Red Cross is not a government agency and depends on the efforts of thousands of volunteers and donors to provide a wide range of community support services, including disaster relief, first aid and CPR training, water safety, services to military personnel and support for blood services. The Chapter, a United Way agency, provides programs and services to St. Louis City, St. Louis County, St. Charles County and Jefferson County in Missouri, as well as Monroe, St. Clair (including Scott Air Force Base) and part of Madison County in Illinois. All disaster relief services are provided free of charge thanks to the generosity of the American people. To learn more about Red Cross programs, volunteer opportunities, and how you can help, contact the St. Louis Area Chapter at 314.516.2800 or www.redcrossstl.org.

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