Red Cross Offers Safety Tips as Nation’s Students Get Ready to Go Back-to-School

Summer vacation is quickly coming to an end for many Tennessee students. While making your list for all those school supplies, the American Red Cross wants to make sure your student is safe as they head back-to-school for the upcoming 2022-2023 school year.

“There are easy safety steps parents of younger students can take as children head to school for the first time,” said Joel Sullivan, regional executive for the American Red Cross of the Tennessee Region. “It is important that young children know their phone number, home address, how to get in touch with their parents at work, how to get in touch with another trusted adult and how to dial 9-1-1.” 

SCHOOL BUS SAFETY

· If children ride a bus to school, they should plan to get to their bus stop early and stand away from the curb while waiting for the bus to arrive. Cross the street at the corner, obey traffic signals and stay in the crosswalk. 

· Never dart out into the street or cross between parked cars. 

· Teach your student to board the bus only after it has come to a complete stop and the driver or attendant has instructed them to get on. 

· Kids should board their bus only, never an alternate one. 

· Make sure your student always stays in clear view of the bus driver and never walks behind the bus. 

GETTING TO SCHOOL BY CAR, BIKE, ON FOOT

· If children go to school in a car, they should always wear a seat belt. Younger children should use car seats or booster seats until the lap-shoulder belt fits properly (typically for children ages 8-12 and over 4’9”), and ride in the back seat until they are at least 13 years old. 

· If a teenager is going to drive to school, parents should mandate that they use seat belts. Drivers should not text or make calls use their cell phone and should avoid eating or drinking while driving. 

· Some students ride their bike to school. They should always wear a helmet and ride on the right in the same direction as the traffic is going. 

· When children are walking to school, they should only cross the street at an intersection, and use a route along which the school has placed crossing guards. Parents should walk young children to school, along with children taking new routes or attending new schools, at least for the first week to ensure they know how to get there safely. Arrange for the kids to walk to school with a friend or classmate. Teach children not to talk to strangers or accept rides from someone they don’t know. 

DRIVERS, SLOW DOWN!

Drivers should be aware that children are out walking or biking to school and slow down, especially in residential areas and school zones. Motorists should know what the yellow and red bus signals mean. Yellow flashing lights indicate the bus is getting ready to stop and motorists should slow down and be prepared to stop. Red flashing lights and an extended stop sign indicate the bus is stopped and children are getting on or off. Drivers in both directions must stop their vehicles and wait until the lights go off, the stop sign is back in place and the bus is moving before they can start driving again. 

PREPARE FOR EMERGENCIES

Know what the emergency plan is at your child’s school in case a disaster or an unforeseen event occurs. Develop a family emergency plan so everyone will know who to contact and where to go if something happens while children are at school and parents are at work. Details are available at redcross.org/prepare. 

TAKE A FIRST AID CLASS

The Red Cross First Aid App provides instant access to information on handling the most common first aid emergencies whether it be before, during or after school. Download the app for free by searching for ‘American Red Cross’ in your app store or at redcross.org/apps. Learn and practice First Aid and CPR/AED skills by taking a course (redcross.org/takeaclass) so you can help save a life.

Nashville Songwriter Helped by Red Cross Volunteers Following House Fire

By Briana Phillips, Red Cross volunteer 

NASHVILLE, Tenn., July 28, 2022 - While home fires are the most common disaster the Red Cross sees, Alissa Moreno’s story is anything but common. 

In 2008, Alissa wrote lyrics for the song “Every Day” sung by Rascal Flatts, which caught the Red Cross’ attention. The Red Cross partnered with the band and volunteers were featured in the music video for the song. Notably, the video had a scene depicting a woman being assisted by a Red Cross volunteer after a home fire. The video garnered over one million views on YouTube and the song went on to earn a Grammy nomination. At the time, Alissa had no idea that the Red Cross scene in the music video would be foreshadowing future events. 

Fast forward to June 2022 and Alissa, along with her parents, husband, and three kids, were awakened to a home fire in the middle of the night. “It was actually my husband, Jason, that heard a loud noise on our deck outside first,” she recalled. “I had a sound machine on and my parents didn’t hear from their room, so I’m so thankful that he heard it and got up to check.” 

Jason found out that the source of the noise came from their hot tub which had started a fire. As Jason tried to put out the flames, the smoke alarms came on and finally woke Alissa up. “I could feel that the danger was so obvious, that I needed to grab my kids and parents and get out of there as quickly as possible,” she said. “I didn’t grab the cash that was sitting on the table right next to me. I didn’t even get dressed and I just ran outside in my underwear.” It was fortunate that she did because the fire soon got out of control and their house quickly went up in flames. 

Their fire only took a mere ten minutes to engulf the home. After going through the experience, Alissa strongly felt that not stopping to grab personal items was the key to her and her family’s survival. “If I had to give any advice, I would tell people to get out of the home as quickly as you can,” Alissa stated. “One of my neighbors joked about the fact that I was only in my underwear after the fire. But then someone brought up the fact that if I had decided to take the time to get dressed, I might not be here anymore!” 

As the firefighters arrived to put out the fire, she got a call from the Red Cross asking how they could help. It was like the Red Cross scene in the “Every Day” music video was being played out in real life. “It was so weird being on the other side at that point,” Alissa said. “I was involved with the Red Cross all those years ago with my music and now I was getting help after a home fire. It was a very full circle moment, and they were so awesome to work with.” 

While Alissa’s story is unique, home fires are unfortunately a very common occurrence in every community. To help assist those who have experienced a home fire, or to learn more about fire safety, visit redcross.org/tennessee for more information. 

A Birthday Gift: Blood donation helps save young mother’s life

By Kayla Beamon, Red Cross volunteer

The saying goes, “You never know when you are going to need blood, until you really need blood.” On April 6, 2021, blood donations meant life and death for Maecy Traughber.  

Traughber was delivering her son Walker when she suffered a serious medical emergency. During delivery, the young mother lost 2.2 liters of blood. Doctors knew she would need multiple blood transfusions to save her life. With the help of the Red Cross and its blood donors she was given the chance to celebrate Walker’s first birthday a year later.  

“When I was thinking how we should celebrate his first birthday I knew I would have mixed emotions, but I wanted to celebrate his birth story,” says Traughber. After receiving the life-saving blood, she went on to partner with the Red Cross and host a blood drive for Walker’s first birthday.  

“When I discovered the ability to host a blood drive it just fit,” she said. “The blood drive was an enormous success. I went for it with everything I could think of. We had about 40 businesses donate products and gift cards for us to hand out to the donors. We also had food trucks and special treats for those who showed up to donate.”  

 

Hosting a blood drive has made a lasting impact on her family. “It was the perfect way to share our story, raise awareness and give back to others,” she added. “I will forever be grateful to blood donors because I’m here to be present for my children. Because someone decided to donate that day. That’s truly the most selfless gift to give.”  

How to donate blood 

Simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enable the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are needed at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also must meet certain height and weight requirements. 

Blood and platelet donors can save time at their next donation by using RapidPass® to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, before arriving at the blood drive. To get started, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Blood Donor App. 

Amplify Your Impact − Volunteer! 

Another way to support the lifesaving mission of the Red Cross is to become a volunteer blood donor ambassador at Red Cross blood drives. Blood donor ambassadors help greet, check-in and thank blood donors to ensure they have a positive donation experience. 

Volunteers can also serve as transportation specialists, playing a vital role in ensuring lifesaving blood products are delivered to nearby hospitals. For more information and to apply for either position, visit redcross.org/volunteertoday. 

Memories of Caring Strangers

How disaster recovery encouraged a Northeast Tennessee woman to volunteer with Red Cross  

By Mariwyn Evans, American Red Cross volunteer

When Katie Robinson moved to Johnson City, Tennessee in January 2020, she began volunteering with Northeast Tennessee Chapter of the Red Cross. This was her way of contributing to the community and meeting people in her new home.  

Encouraged by her friend and Red Cross chapter director Heather Carbajal, Katie soon moved onto the chapter’s board of directors. “I thought you had to be a mover and shaker to serve on a board,” says Robinson. “Now I realize that it’s just people who are passionate about helping people.”  

What drew her to the Red Cross went deeper than her move or her friendship; it went back to one life-changing memory in her life.  

Robinson was 12 years old when Hurricane Katrina hit her hometown of Pascagoula, Mississippi. “I’m not even sure I realized that the strangers in town helping with the recovery efforts were from the American Red Cross,” she said. “I just remembered kind people who would bring you a turkey sandwich and a bottle of water after working with us for hours in the August heat.”  

“At the time, I just associated the Red Cross with blood drives, where my Dad donated regularly. It wasn’t until years later that I understood who these strangers were and all they’d done.” 

Now as a board member she has a fuller understanding and appreciation of the broad scope of the Red Cross’s mission. Current Northeast Tennessee chapter initiatives include a sickle cell blood drive, smoke alarm installation, responding to disasters both near and far, and outreach programs for veterans.  

“So often people think of the Red Cross only about blood drives or a big national disaster like Katrina, but it’s the local response of finding a family a bed after a 2:00 a.m. fire or holding a veteran’s hand that has impact,” she says.   

The wide scope of services that the Red Cross provides also means that there is role for anyone who wants to volunteer. “Whether you want to serve in a leadership role or just hand out cookies at a blood drive, you just have to walk into your local Red Cross office, and they would be ecstatic to see you,” she added.   

If you would like to find out more about volunteering with the American Red Cross, go to RedCross.org/Volunteer or call 1-800-RED CROSS, or contact your local Red Cross Chapter.  

Blood Donor Hosts Blood Drives for Red Cross in Memory of His Wife

By Briana Phillips, American Red Cross volunteer 

Rick and Michelle Mitchell

Rick Mitchell was always aware of the need for blood donations, but his perspective shifted when his wife, Michelle, was diagnosed with cancer. Donating blood for the Nashville citizen is more than a routine act of kindness, it is about paying it forward to patients and honoring his wife. 

In 2018, Michelle was diagnosed with Stage 4 Melanoma. Mitchell describes her illness as coming out of nowhere. “I remember she felt fatigued, but it didn’t seem like anything serious,” he said. “We went to the doctor and were surprised to find out that she was extremely anemic and was actually rapidly losing blood.” 

After more tests, they found cancerous masses in her liver, lungs, stomach, and brain. It was devastating news for the couple. “We knew that the odds did not look good,” he remembered. “But the doctors were going to do everything they could to give Michelle more time.” 

To combat the blood loss, Michelle received frequent blood transfusions as part of her treatment. Mitchell believes that having those blood transfusions helped extend her life. “By the time everything was said and done, Michelle lost 20 pints of blood,” he recalled. “There is no way she would have survived as long as she did without blood donations.” Even with the help of blood transfusions, Michelle’s condition deteriorated, and she passed away shortly after Mitchell’s first blood drive in her honor, hosted at the game store they owned together. 

Mitchell started to look for more opportunities to host blood drives of his own. As a Pokémon expert, his role takes him all around the world to gaming conventions. He began to set up blood drives in honor of Michelle at these events and the drives were all successful. He has hosted five blood drive events so far and plans to continue this outreach in the future. 

“It’s extremely important that donors realize that donating blood shouldn’t be a one-time thing,” he said. Red Cross would like for donors to give whole blood every 56 days to keep the supply available on hospital shelves when needed. Without steady donation, there is always a risk of a blood shortage. 

“I have donated 13 to 14 units of blood so far,” he said, “My goal is to donate 22 units in total.” He hopes that his commitment to donating blood, as well as hosting blood drives in Michelle’s memory, encourages people to donate more frequently. 

 

To find a blood drive near you go to RedCrossBlood.org, download the Red Cross Blood smart app to your phone, or call 1-800-RED CROSS to schedule your blood donation.