Communities

by Melissa LaScaleia Along our coast, hurricane season starts June 1 and ends November 30. American Red Cross recommends creating an emergency kit in advance and storing it in your home, as storm development and travel can be notoriously unpredictable. And when the threat of a storm is imminent, store shelves are just as notoriously unpredictable in terms of the supplies that are available to purchase.  In building your kit, think in terms of three. You want to have enough non-perishable food items for every person in your home to subsist on for three days. In the event of a power outage, you need foods that don’t rely on electricity.  In addition, you should plan on one gallon of water per person per day. You’re also going to need a flashlight, and a battery-powered or hand-crank radio. Cell phones are our life-lines nowadays, but if a big storm comes through, you may not be able to rely on it. If your phone dies and your internet isn’t working, weather radios can keep you abreast of the storm’s status, as well as evacuation status and routes.  Learn what your evacuation zone is in advance so you can plan your strategy if you do need to leave. In some cases, the major interstates are changed to become one way roads to allow for more efficient evacuations.  Another essential part of preparedness is to know where all of your important personal documents are—like birth certificates, passports, and home insurance policies— those things that we all know are so difficult to replace and very important after a disaster strikes. Make sure they are grouped together, ready for a grab and go. If you have damage to your home, you’re going to need your insurance policy readily available, right away.  It’s very important that you have at least a seven-day supply of the medications you need, because pharmacies could close. Think about your pets needs with the same level of care, and same adherence to the rule of three.  The Red Cross Emergency app, (also available in Spanish), a free downloadable app in your App Store or Google Play, is an all-encompassing preparation and information resource for any sort of severe weather or disaster— and an especially great resource to help ensure that you’re prepared for a storm like a hurricane.  You can customize it to send push alerts to your phone notifying you if you’re under a hurricane watch or warning. It also has information about available shelters and proximity to your location— if and when they are opened. All Red Cross shelters are non-discriminatory safe spaces, open to all. If you need to go to a shelter, be sure to bring things with you like reading materials, blankets, pillows, and toys for your children— to make the shelter feel more like home during what can be a stressful time.  If an evacuation is ordered, Red Cross will open evacuation shelters as a refuge for those who have nowhere else to go. These are temporary abodes, typically open for 24-48 hours, and so may not have cots (be sure to bring air mattresses or pads). Red Cross will provide hot meals, water, snacks, and volunteer nurses for medical emergencies.   As hurricane season approaches, Red Cross is always looking for volunteers. There are 3000 volunteers throughout the state, and more than 400 active volunteers from Horry County over to Chesterfield County.  Volunteer opportunities encompass a variety of roles— from helping to run shelters; to the gathering and sorting supplies; to being part of the team that looks for damage after the storms; or delivering hot meals to people in the community.  Training is an integral part of Red Cross, and is conducted for volunteers regularly throughout the year so that people feel confident about stepping up in the event of a emergency situation.   Visit www.redcross.org/volunteer to get involved and learn more. 

by Melissa LaScaleia One of the functions the American Red Cross is most known for is their blood drives. And for good reason— they act as one of the main suppliers of blood for hospitals around the country. In South Carolina, the American Red Cross needs to collect 200 units (roughly one pint) of blood daily, to meet the blood demand of the state’s hospitals.  To put into perspective the importance of donating blood, here is some information provided by the American Red Cross: Every two seconds, somebody in this country needs to receive blood. An individual involved in a car accident could need as much as 100 units of blood to survive. When you donate blood, it is separated into three components: red blood cells, platelets, and plasma. One blood donation can save up to three lives, because one patient may need the plasma, another the red blood cells, and another the platelets.  Lifesaving blood is used for transfusions for trauma victims. Platelets are vital for cancer patients when they’re going through chemotherapy, as it helps to clot the blood. Plasma is needed to help burn victims and trauma patients recover. Red blood cells have to be used within 42 days or less; platelets have to be used within 5 days; plasma can be frozen, and has a shelf life of one year.  “We like to have a five-day supply of blood on the shelves because if there’s an accident, we don’t know how much blood we’ll need,” says Cuthbert Langley, director of communications for American Red Cross Palmetto South Carolina Region. “Blood is being used as quickly as it’s being put on the shelves.”  May is trauma awareness month. Trauma accounts for 41 million emergency room visits across the nation. Small businesses or companies looking for ways to give back to the community should think about hosting a blood drive. It’s a great way to bring employees together as a team, as well as save lives.  About 38% of the population is eligible to give blood, but only 3% does; American Red Cross is always looking for donors.  Blood drives held at high schools and colleges account for 20% of American Red Cross’s blood donations. Summer is a challenging time to collect blood with schools out of session and many regular donors traveling. The American Red Cross invites not only locals who are remaining in town, but also tourists, to stop by today and help support our community through a donation of life-saving blood. You don’t need to know your blood type in order to give; American Red Cross will test it for you. If you do know what it is, they are always looking for type O negative, because that type is the universal donor and very helpful in emergency situations when there’s no time to find the exact blood type match. But all blood types are needed. Making an appointment in advance, to save time is recommended, but walk-ins are always welcome. To inspire more people to give blood, American Red Cross has simplified the process with a downloadable app for your phone called the Rapid Pass, which enables donors to save time by filling out a health questionnaire in advance. You must be in good health, and share information about your lifestyle and recent travel experiences— factors which may impact your ability to donate.  Minors sixteen years of age or older can give with parental permission. You must weigh at least 110 pounds. Anybody eighteen years of age or younger may need to meet certain height requirements. To ensure that you’re strong enough to give blood, Red Cross volunteers will check your temperature and iron levels in person. And of course, they still give out cookies and juice to help you recharge after the blood donation.  If you have specific questions, or to check your eligibility visit www.redcrossblood.org.

by Melissa LaScaleia Swimming is a popular summer activity, and here in Myrtle Beach, swim season is underway. Many residents take to the beaches this month, as do visitors arriving to celebrate spring break. There’s a variety of things to consider before going for a swim in the pool or ocean to ensure that you, and your family and friends, maximize your fun while staying safe.         At the beach, it’s wise as a precautionary measure, to swim in a place supervised by a lifeguard. Additionally, always swim with or have a buddy watching close by, even if there’s a lifeguard present. Jellyfish and other stinging sea creatures live in our oceans. If you’ve been injured while swimming, you may need help getting back to the shore.  Rip currents, long, narrow, powerful currents, can form in any large open water area, near sandbars or structures like jetties or piers. If you are caught in one, it will pull you further out to sea, away from the shore, and can elicit a sense of panic.  If you believe you are caught in a rip current, remain calm, and swim parallel to the shore until you feel you are out of the current. You’ll know you are when you don’t feel a pull anymore; then turn and swim to the shore. Always swim at least 100 feet away from any jetties or piers, because permanent rip currents can exist around those structures. If you feel you can’t make it to the shore, then draw attention to yourself by waving and calling for help.  Teach your children not to swim out further than a designated point, and create a swim safety plan with your family in advance. Pay attention to the flags at the beach indicating the current ocean conditions. If you’re not confident and comfortable swimming, then you can wear a U.S. coastguard approved life jacket. There will be a symbol on the life jacket itself that shows it meets their standards for safety.  Learning how to swim is always a great skill to have at any stage in life. The Red Cross is renowned for their swim classes; they’ve been teaching them for decades. They offer age-appropriate swim lessons for everyone ages six months to adults, and are constantly improving their swim programs.  The Pepper Geddings recreation center in Myrtle Beach offers discounted swimming lessons. Or, call your local aquatic center to inquire if they offer Red Cross swim classes.  One of the tenets of swim safety, is if it looks like someone is struggling in the water— reach or throw, don’t go. Jumping into the water to offer assistance can result in having two victims, as you never know how a drowning, panicked person will respond. So the Red Cross teaches— reach out to someone if they’re close enough and you feel confident. Pools have shepherd hooks on the side to use as an extension aid, and if you have a life ring or a life jacket, you can throw it as well.  The Red Cross teaches a variety of swim and lifeguard classes for all ages. —Photo Connie Harvey/American Red Cross To stay safe at home, ensure that pool barriers are at least four feet high with gates that close automatically. Securing the area around the pool so your children can’t go in unattended is very important. And you want to ensure that you have the proper equipment like a life ring or a hook in case somebody is drowning. If you have inflatable pools or above ground pools, make sure that you remove ladders from the pool so that children cannot go in unattended.  Even when you’re at a public pool and lifeguards are present, it’s important to pay attention to your children. It takes little time for accidents to happen, and the more eyes that you have on your children, the better— especially when dealing with crowded pools.  The Red Cross has a free emergency app with information from swim safety to hurricane preparedness. It’s the one stop shop for making sure you and your families are safe, whether you’re heading to the pool to swim or preparing for a natural disaster.

Opioid Overdose Awareness by Melissa LaScaleia Drug overdose is the leading cause of accidental death in the United States, with opioids being the number one cause of those deaths.  In South Carolina, the number of opioid overdoses has increased three consecutive years in a row. According to the South Carolina Emergency Management Division, 57 people died in 2014 of a heroin-involved overdose. 616 people died from an opioid overdose in 2016, and in 2017, that number rose to 748.  In response, the American Red Cross launched a First Aid for Opioid Overdose course in November 2018. This information is particularly important for those in Horry County, as drug overdoses in South Carolina continue to increase.  “The statistics emphasize the importance of the Red Cross to be in those communities to offer this education and show people what to do in the event that they are around someone experiencing this overdose,” says Cuthbert Langley, director of communications for the Palmetto, SC region.  The 45-minute online course is a combination of audio and video components that helps people to identify the signs of opioid overdose, so they can spot what the problem is, and secondly, how to care for the person who has overdosed.  It shows how to administer Narcan, a nasal spray that temporarily reverses the effects of an opioid overdose and brings the person to consciousness. It’s available from a pharmacist directly without a prescription.  Because an opioid overdose can lead to cardiac arrest, the Red Cross encourages people to take a CPR and AED course (also available through Red Cross).  In North Carolina, during hurricane Florence, an individual in one of the shelters was going through an opioid overdose, and a Red Cross volunteer was able to save their life because of this training.  “It’s important for people to know that we’re working to support the military, to prevent home fires, and to collect blood, but it’s also important for people to know that the Red Cross is there to empower communities with lifesaving information,” says Cuthbert.  On a national level, the Red Cross is working with the White House to address the mounting opioid epidemic. The president of the training services division was invited along with twenty-one other organizations like pharmaceutical and insurance companies, to an opioids event at the White House late last year to brainstorm ideas and solutions to help. The American Red Cross spoke about their course and what they have planned, to try to address what has become, a public health crisis.  Amazon was present, showing how they programmed Alexa to answer questions about opioids and opioid overdose. Google is working with Walgreens to show on maps where people can safely dispose of unused prescription medications thereby preventing them from falling into the hands of recreational drug users.  “We want to be at the table and part of the conversation to help alleviate human suffering and the opioid overdose is part of that,” says Cuthbert.  Visit www.redcross.org to take the Opioid Overdose Course, sign up for CPR, AED, and visit the many other courses the Red Cross teaches as part of their well-rounded training platform.

by Melissa LaScaleia Statistically, American Red Cross sees the highest number of home fires during the winter months, especially January, than at any other time of the year.  “It’s cold, and people are trying to build warmth, and many of their techniques pose safety risks,” says Amy Brauner, executive director for American Red Cross, Southeast Division.   The Red Cross responds to every home fire in our community to offer comfort in times of crisis, but wants the community to know that home fires are preventable.     Here are some things you can do to keep home fires at bay: If you use a space heater, only use it when you’re present in the room, and make sure it’s plugged directly into a wall, and not a power strip or extension cord. A space heater uses more energy and electricity than the power strip was meant to hold. When it’s overstressed, it will explode— it’s just a matter of time. Don’t ever fall asleep with a space heater running, as a fire could ignite long before you awaken and notice.  If you put something in between the heater and the wall, like an extension cord, it’s going to act like a third party generator. It interferes with the direct transfer of energy between the energy source and what’s being powered, and there’s more room for error, increasing the risk of a fire starting.  Don’t heat your home with your stove.  A gas operated stove will emit carbon monoxide when lit. When you open the stove door to act as a heater, the oven has to keep working to generate heat, emitting more of the gas than you otherwise would.  This gas depletes the oxygen in the air. People often warm themselves in front of their stove, and as the oxygen levels are depleted their brain begins to shut down. Add to this an increase in the temperature, and they fall into a coma from carbon monoxide; it causes serious injury and sometimes death, especially in the young and elderly. Additionally, a nearby dishtowel, or remnants in the stove can catch on fire from the heat.  Avoid running extension cords under your carpet, rugs, or other furniture.  Extension cords can become overloaded, or the wires can get frayed under the weight of furniture or a rug, or the friction caused from walking over it, causing a fire.  Never smoke in bed.  It takes less than two minutes for an entire house to fill with smoke and for people to become so obfuscated that they can’t exit. Most newer homes have an open layout as opposed to individual rooms. There’s nothing that’s stopping a flame, so fires are able to move much faster.  Double check to ensure you have a fire extinguisher in your kitchen. The leading cause of fires in the kitchen is unattended cooking.

Preventing Home Fires by Melissa LaScaleia According to statistics, more people die every year in home fires than in any other natural disaster combined across the United States, including California wildfires, tornados, and earthquakes.  In the Horry and Georgetown areas, the American Red Cross responds to a home fire approximately three times per week. Volunteers provide care and support for the family displaced from the event.   “We want to make sure they have a safe place to stay, a warm blanket, and financial assistance to cover their immediate needs, to bridge the gap to the next day,” says Amy Brauner, the executive director for the American Red Cross Southeast division. “It could be as simple as a toothbrush or a pair of socks.”   Several months ago, an apartment fire in Barefoot Landing, North Myrtle Beach, spread throughout the attic of eighteen units, destroying most. Eleven adults and one child were affected. Red Cross volunteer Roger Keally was one of the first volunteer responders. He was at home when he heard fire engines, and ran the two blocks to the scene to offer assistance, beating the second fire engine there.  The Red Cross wants to assist our community in staying safe this winter. In addition to responding to home fires when they happen, they also work to help prevent them.   In October 2914, they implemented the Home Fire Campaign, in which volunteers conduct a home visit to check smoke alarms. If the alarms are not working properly, they will replace them free of charge.  They help you build an evacuation plan to escape your home in two minutes, the time it takes for your house to burn down, so that no matter where you are in your house, the second floor, up higher, or in the back, you know how to escape.  They also provide home fire safety checks, assessing what in your home is a potential fire hazard and how to fix it, as well as a checklist on how to stay safe.   “We call home fires the everyday disaster because it can happen to anyone anytime,” says Amy.   In the past year, a total of 184 homes in Horry and Georgetown counties were made safer; 318 smoke alarms were installed; 176 escape plans were made; and 514 people were served.   Since the inception of the Home Fire Campaign through September of 2018, the Red Cross and their volunteers have been directly responsible for saving fifty-four lives in South Carolina— seven in Horry and Georgetown counties.  (The statistic comes from verifying that the Red Cross installed the fire alarm or built an evacuation plan and the family escaped safely afterwards.)     To learn more about their program, and request a Red Cross home safety inspection visit:  www.soundthealarm.org.   Join Us at Our January Events: CPR/AED/First Aid at 3531 Pampas Drive – Myrtle Beach January 12: 1:30pm – Adult & Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED January 19: 900am  – Adult First Aid/CPR/AED January 26: 9:00am Adult CPR/AED January 30 – Adult & Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED – 1:30pm Blood Drives: January 10 – Trinity United Methodist Church – North Myrtle Beach – 9:00am – 2:00pm January 13 – St Andrews Catholic Church – Myrtle Beach – 8:30am – 1:30pm January 17 – WBTW Blood Drive – Coastal Grand Mall – 11:00am – 7:00pm January 19 – Palmetto Point Church of God – Myrtle Beach – 9:00am- 2:00pm January 23 – Coastal Carolina University- 10:00am – 4:00pm Become a Volunteer: Register now at RedCross.org/sc