 American Red Cross Partners With City of Florissant
to Host Third-Annual Community Heroes Day
Local residents can become a hero by preparing themselves to save a life
St. Louis, May 7, 2008 - The American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter and the City of Florissant are partnering to host the third-annual Community Heroes Day on Saturday, May 17. The event will occur at the James J. Eagan Community Center, located at One James J. Eagan Drive, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Anyone can be a City of Florissant community hero. Being a hero means that you’re ready to save a life. Residents can take any of three steps: register for CPR training, donate blood, and prepare for emergencies.
Thanks to the generosity of Edward Jones, Enterprise Rent-A-Car Foundation and the United Way of Greater St. Louis as sponsors, Red Cross CPR training is only $10 for Community Heroes Day. Normally the registration fee is $46. Pre-registration for the CPR class is required. Seating is limited. Those interested in getting their CPR certification should register now before it’s too late. To register, call the St. Louis Area Chapter at 314.516.2740 or do it online at www.redcrossstl.org.
“The American Red Cross first partnered with the City of Florissant for Community Heroes Day in 2006. It was the first municipality in the St. Louis area to host this event, which has triggered others to join the cause including the City of St. Louis, City of Belleville, St. Louis County and St. Charles County,” said Joseph C. White, chief executive officer of the American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter. “Since the beginning, Mayor Robert Lowery and the City of Florissant have worked hard to grow this event year after year with the goal of training 100 people in CPR in 2008.”
For the past two years, the Red Cross has trained and certified 93 people in CPR for this one-day event. Participants also donated 41 units of blood. Since one unit of blood can save up to three lives, this means the blood collected for the previous two events had the potential of saving 123 lives. “We anticipate a larger turnout this year. When more people in the City of Florissant are prepared to save a life and be a hero, the community can be a safer place to live for all residents,” said Mary Beth Ohlms, American Red Cross manager of health and safety.
A new feature for this year’s event is Disaster Education for children. While parents are donating blood, young children can learn to prepare themselves for emergencies such as fires and severe weather through interactive games and activities. Parents must be available to pick up their children at the end of the presentation. Training is free and no registration is required.
Urgency for CPR Training:
Training is an essential step toward preparing for the unexpected. Each year, approximately 325,000 Americans die as a result of sudden cardiac arrest suffered outside the hospital setting – that’s about 900 American deaths every single day. Time is of the essence in life-threatening situations. The chance of survival can be increased by having at least one person in each household trained in CPR and the use of an AED. Administering CPR during the critical time between a 911 phone call and the arrival of paramedics can make the difference between life and death, or the quality of life:
- At 0 minutes: Breathing stops. The heart will soon stop beating.
- At 4-6 minutes: Brain damage is possible.
- At 6-8 minutes: Brain damage is likely.
- Over 10 minutes: Irreversible brain damage occurs
Urgency for Disaster Preparedness:
With recent earthquake scares, flooding situations and tornado warnings in the St. Louis area, combined with daily house fires and medical emergencies, we know that the unexpected can happen anytime, anywhere. Being ready for an emergency – by knowing how to do CPR, by giving blood, or by knowing what to do in an earthquake—significantly impacts your ability to help yourself, your family and your neighbors. And you really could end up saving a life.
Urgency for Blood Donations:
Blood is needed in times of emergency, but the ongoing demand is also great. Every two seconds someone in America needs blood. One blood donation can save up to three lives. You can donate as many as six times per year. Just 38 percent of the population is eligible to give blood, but only six percent take the time to donate.
About the American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter:
Founded in 1917, the American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter celebrates 91 years of dedicated service, providing emergency relief and preparedness training more than 446,600 times each year. The Red Cross is a charity, 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. |