A publication of the American Red Cross Bay Area Chapter

Around the Bay

Inside

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Bay Area Chapter

Winter 2014

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P6 Red Cross Apps: 1 Year, 3 Million Downloads

P4 Blood Donors Support Boy for Six Years

P2 Superstorm Sandy Update Available

Red Cross to Honor CEO Paula Downey at 2014 Red Cross Gala

The American Red Cross Bay Area Chapter has selected Paula Downey, the President and Chief Executive Officer of CSAA Insurance Group, a AAA insurer, as the 2014 Humanitarian CEO of the Year. Paula is being recognized for embodying the visionary qualities of a humanitarian by being a leader, an advocate, and a philanthropist,

who has made a significant contribution to the Bay Area community. She is the first woman to receive this honor.

No one is more deserving of this award than Paula, beamed Mark Cloutier, Regional CEO of the American Red Cross Bay Area Chapter. Through Paulas leadership, CSAA Insurance Groups partnership with the Red Cross is empowering everyday people to make their communities safer and more resilient and able to rebuild their lives after tragedy strikes.

As the CEO of one of the nations largest providers of personal insurance, Paula has a unique understanding of the impact of disasters and strongly believes in disaster preparedness, aligning her companys values with those of the Red Cross. As part of the companys response team, she traveled to Oklahoma following the series of devastating tornadoes this past spring where she personally witnessed AAA and Red Cross teams working tirelessly side by side to help the residents.

Paula shared that she was honored and humbled to be

selected for the prestigious award. I am inspired by our generous and caring AAA employees, by all who provide financial support for lifesaving Red Cross programs and by the selflessness of Red Cross employees and volunteers, who accomplish so much with every dollar raised.

Over the past 14 years, the company has hosted 170 blood drives and delivered 6,800 pints of blood. Since 2008, 337 employees have participated in Red Cross Ready When the Time Comes Preparedness courses and Red Cross Disaster Drills. The company also offered CPR training to all employees.

CSAA Insurance Group also funds the Community Safety Foundation, a major contributor in the area of emergency preparedness, response, and recovery through a $2 million grant to the Red Cross.

Paula will formally accept the award at the 2014 Red Cross Gala, the years premiere fundraising event held on April 5, 2014, for 750 attendees at the Great Lawn on Treasure Island. Last years Red Cross Gala raised more than $1.3 million for local disaster preparedness, response, and recovery in addition to raising awareness of the vital role the Red Cross plays in local and global communities.

2014 Red Cross Gala April 5, 2014 from 6 p.m. to midnight

Great Lawn on Treasure Island

Cocktails, Dinner, Dancing, Auction

Presenting Sponsors: AAA, Deloitte, and Saama Technologies

Gala Co-Chairs: Gwyneth Borden & Lillian Phan

Honorary Co-Chairs: Mary Cranston & Alexander R. Mehran

Tickets: $425 until February 2014, $495 thereafter. Purchase tickets at redcrossbayareagala.org or by calling Donna Souza at (415) 427-8170.

Paula Downey

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Letter from the CEOAs the New Year begins, I challenge you to resolve to be Red Cross Ready. Individuals that achieve this level of preparedness will be the ones leading the way when an emergency or disaster occurs.

Below are some ways to become Red Cross Ready:

1. Take Time to Prepare Check out our Local Programs & Services page at redcross.org/bayarea to increase your community preparedness level. Printable materials including tips and a wallet card are available in 14 languages.

2. Take a Class The Bay Area Chapter trains thousands of individuals every year in skills like CPR, water safety, and how to be Red Cross Ready. Go to redcross.org to find classes close to your home or work. Business owners, schools, and organizations can join the Ready Rating Program at readyrating.org.

3. Become a Red Cross Volunteer Everyone should experience the reward of helping others in need. Adult, corporation, and youth volunteers are always needed. E-mail arcbav@redcross.org or call 1-888-4-HELP-BAY to find out how to volunteer.

4. Give Blood This involves lying down in a relaxed state for around 45 minutes. Anyone feeling capable of that? If so, go to redcrossblood.org to find a blood drive or donation location near you.

5. Download Red Cross Mobile Apps Keep preparedness information readily available by downloading our free apps to your smartphone. See page six for more information about the apps.

Happy New Year and I wish you a happy, healthy, and safe 2014!

Best Regards,

Mark Cloutier, CEO American Red Cross Bay Area Chapter

Chapter Sends Holiday Mail to Heroes

The American Red Cross 2013 Holiday Mail for Heroes program, which ran from September 30 to December 6, enabled Americans to provide a touch of home by sending a holiday card to a service member. The American Red Cross Bay Area Chapter sent a message of thanks and holiday cheer, and signed more than 12,000 cards to service members, veterans, and their families at more than 20 events.

One successful card-signing event was held at VISA where 100 Bay Area employees signed more than 3,500 cards in one half day event.

Since the program began in 2006, the Red Cross has received and distributed more than 6.5 million cards. Though the holiday season is over, we continue to provide service to those who serve our country. Visit redcross.org to learn more about the services we provide and how you can help.

Superstorm Sandy Report AvailableA one-year Superstorm Sandy report is now available. The report details the extraordinary measures taken by more than 17,000-trained American Red Cross disaster workers, including 97 members of the Bay Area Chapter. Some local individuals deployed four times.

The response included:

Serving more than 17.5 million meals and snacks in a huge feeding operation.

Handing out more than 7 million relief items such as cold weather items and clean-up supplies.

Providing nearly 113,000 health services and emotional support contacts for people who have been living in very tough conditions.

Providing 74,000 shelter stays.

The report and other information on the Red Cross Sandy relief and recovery efforts can be found at redcross.org/sandy-response.

American Red Cross volunteer Maireid Steina provides a blanket to Gaby Rautenstrauch at the Red Cross Distribution Center in Staten Island, New York, on November 4, 2012. Photo by Talia Frenkel/American Red Cross

Bay Area Youth volunteers created hundreds of cards at the Holiday Mail for Heroes card signing event.

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When Barbara Gruener woke up to the sound of a smoke alarm in her Redwood City apartment, she did not know her building was minutes away from turning into a six-alarm fire.

At first I thought the smoke detector battery was failing. It wasnt that loud, many of the neighbors didnt even wake up, Barbara said.

Peering out into the hallway, Barbara could not see any signs of fire but decided to get outside to be safe. Within five minutes, she dressed and grabbed a bag containing her valuables.

But in that time, the door had jammed shut.

When I tried to open the door and couldnt, I became really scared, Barbara said.

Just three days before the fire, Barbara had noticed her gas heater had a small pilot light. She started thinking about how each of the buildings 75 units had a similar appliance, and then about how

she would react if there was a fire. Then, Barbara took the first step in becoming Red Cross Readyshe developed an emergency plan.

My plan was to get dressed and get important thingsvisa, passport, cell phone, car keys, and purse, said Barbara, who had been living in the Terrace Apartments since March after moving from Germany for her work in cancer research. With the front door no longer an option and smoke filling her apartment, Barbara went to the balcony. Waking her downstairs neighbors, the group climbed down to safety.

It was dark, and I lost my grip at one point and thought I was going to fall three floors.

Barbara and her neighbors made it to the second floor and exited through another apartment. By now, firefighters had arrived. Fortunately, all 75 residents escaped.

The American Red Cross Bay Area Chapter volunteers arrived in the middle of the night to help those affected by this firejust like they do more than 400 times a year in the Bay Area.

Im really grateful to the Red Cross, they did a really great job, said Barbara.

Jon Hammond has helped countless people locally and across the nation through his work with the American Red Cross, providing support to those affected by an emergency or a disaster in those sudden, worried moments when they need it most.

Its one thing to earn a paycheck, said Jon, who lives in Contra Costa County, but its a whole other thing to reach out

and make a difference in someones life.

Jon has been volunteering with the Red Cross Bay Area Chapter for the past five years. He began attending local emergency response training courses in order to help support his neighbors and community. Shortly after completing the training, Jon joined the Red Cross where he became a local emergency responder, providing aid and services to those affected by house and apartment fires.

A lot of these people have no place else to turn, explained Jon, referring to those he and numerous other Red Cross workers help support after a local fire. We put some clothes on their backs,

some food in their bellies, and a roof over their heads.

In communities across the nation, Red Cross local responders come to the aid of families and individuals who have been displaced by fire. There are currently approximately 65 Red Cross local responders in Contra Costa County. These generous men and women respond, on average, to nine or 10 emergency calls each month. Jon consistently takes the highest number of response shifts in the county. He is also working with fellow Red Cross volunteer Karen Newton to survey and evaluate potential locations for shelters in Contra Costa County.

In addition to all the wonderful work Jon does locally, he has also gone to aid in the relief efforts of several national disasters, including Hurricane Sandy and the Prescott wildfire in Arizona, which claimed the lives of 19 firefighters and left hundreds without homes.

As taxing as all these duties with the Red Cross may be, Jon said he never questions the value and rewards the work he is doing provides.

Its a good feeling you cant get any other way, and when its for your community, its even better, he said.

Emergency Plan Helped Woman Escape Fire

Why I Help: Jon Hammond

Barbara Gruener used her emergency plan to escape from her burning apartment building.

Jon Hammond

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In 2006, San Ramon residents Alex and Carol Low were preparing to welcome a healthy baby boy into the world. But when baby Dillon was born, it was immediately apparent that there was a problem.

We knew something was wrong when I asked, wheres my baby? Carol said. The doctors were silent at the time, but came over and showed him to me for about five seconds and then rushed him off.

Tests revealed that Dillon was born with an exceedingly low level of hemoglobin. He was diagnosed with Diamond Blackfan Anemiaa rare genetic disorder that prevented his bone marrow from producing red blood cells. A bone marrow transplant could potentially cure him, but Dillon would require monthly blood transfusions until a suitable donor could be found.

The American Red Cross in Northern California worked to identify and recruit a small group of blood donors to meet Dillons ongoing transfusion needs. These donors were encouraged to maintain their eligibility and be prepared to donate whenever neededoften with very little notice. And for the next six years, that is exactly what they did.

It was very difficult as a parent to watch your child go to the hospital every three to four weeks, said Carol, who accompanied Dillon on the daylong trips to receive the blood that would keep him well and vibrant. But we were extremely grateful the blood was always available when he needed it.

Finally, in May 2012, Dillon received the bone marrow transplant that cured him of the life-threatening blood disorder. Now, according to his doctor, Dillon is expected to live a normal life and should be able to climb any mountain, swim in the Olympics, and run any marathon if he wants.

Since the transplant, [Dillon] has been doing very well, Carol said. Overall, hes just a happy childliving life like any other 6-year-old.

Over the course of his treatment, Dillon received approximately 80 transfusionsroughly six gallons of blood. The selfless dedication that the anonymous blood donors showed for Dillon has left a lasting impression on his parents.

That blood was his lifeline, said Alex, who has since become a blood donor with the hope of helping someone elses family.

We have a child who is still herewho is still alivebecause of blood donations and the sacrifices the donors made for him, Carol said.

Red Cross Blood Donors Support San Ramon Boy for Six Years

San Ramon residents Alex, Dillon, and Carol Low show a drawing Dillon made thanking Red Cross blood donors.

Blood Donations

In order to meet the needs of local patients, the American Red Cross must collect approximately 1,800 pints of blood and platelets each week. The Red Cross provides blood to nearly 30 hospitals in the greater-Bay Areaincluding Alameda County Medical Center in Oakland; Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Hayward; Contra Costa Regional Medical Center in Martinez; and John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek.

The need for blood is constant; and the Red Cross relies on the generous support of volunteer donors and blood drive sponsors in order to carry out its lifesaving mission. For more information about donating blood or becoming a blood drive sponsor, please call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit redcrossblood.org.

We have a child who is still herewho is still alivebecause of blood donations and the sacrifices the donors made for him. Carol Low

Page 5

Make this year the year you make or revise your will or living trust. Dont delay this any longer! Whether its completing or updating your estate plan, it is a key part of preparedness for lifes eventualities, ensuring that your loved ones and those causes important to you are provided for after you are gone.

Many loyal Red Cross donors feel that the Red Cross is an important part of their extended familythat special group of people and programs that have enriched and given meaning to their lives, while providing vital services to our community. If you are one of these people, please consider making a bequest to the American Red Cross Bay Area Chapter in your will or living trust, to ensure the future vitality of Americas foremost humanitarian charity. All bequests, large or small, have a very real positive impact on our future.

If you need information about bequests and other types of possible legacy gifts please contact Bill Ruettinger, Gift Planning Director, at william.ruettinger@redcross.org or call (415) 427-8989, for assistance in including the Red Cross in your estate plan. You can find more information on legacy giving at redcrosslegacy.org.

Create a Legacy of Compassion

The Philippines, a nation of more than 7,000 islands, faces enormous devastation in the aftermath of Super Typhoon Haiyan that produced record strength winds along with high storm surges this past November. Approximately 10 million people across 40 provinces were affected, with as many as 4 million people displaced. Aside from displacement, the internet and power are down, making it difficult, and sometimes impossible, for family members to communicate.

The Restoring Family Links service of the American Red Cross helps people in the United States reconnect with their loved ones in other countries after they lose touch because of war, migration, or disasters. This free service, made possible by voluntary services and financial support of the American public, is actively helping members of our own community to get back in touch with their family members in the Philippines.

Red Cross workers in the Gateway to the Golden State Region have opened 33 cases to help re-establish communications for residents with their loved ones in the Philippines. About 80 percent of the families who contacted the Bay Area, Monterey

Bay Area, Silicon Valley, or Santa Cruz County Chapters have successfully been able to re-establish contact with loved ones, either on their own, or through help from the Red Cross or other agencies.

The global Red Cross network has also responded to emergency needs in the Philippines with food, water, and relief supplies and the American Red Cross provided highly skilled individuals and equipment to the massive relief effort. Generous donors in our Region have raised more than $11 million to assist with the relief and recovery efforts.

This photo was taken one week after Super Typhoon Haiyan struck Tanuan, one of the oldest towns in the Province of Leyte, Philippines. Every house in the town of 50,000 was badly damaged or destroyed. Photo: Patrick Fuller, IFRC

Local Red Cross ReconnectingFilipino Families

Learn more about the Restoring Family Links Program:

redcross.org/bayarea

Learn more about the Super Typhoon Haiyan Response:

redcross.org

Become a Volunteer The American Red Cross Bay Area Chapter is always looking for talented individuals to join our team of volunteers. Below are two ways you can get involved:

Health and Safety Course Volunteer Instructors: Become certified as an instructor and conduct courses in emergency preparedness, CPR, First Aid, AED, and/or California Childcare Certification.

Communications Public Affairs Volunteer: Members are responsible for media relations and communications during disasters within the Chapter.

For more information on how to become a volunteer, please email ARCBAV@redcross.org.

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The Red Cross has developed a suite of seven mobile apps that allow users to access critical information on what to do before, during, and after disasters and emergencies.

The free Red Cross apps, listed below, are available at the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store for Android. Search for American Red Cross or go to redcross.org/mobileapps.

First AidView step-by-step first aid instruction, and learn safety and preparedness tips for severe weather and other emergencies or disasters.

Shelter FinderFind Red Cross shelters on an easy-to-use map interface.

EarthquakeLearn what to do before, during, and after an earthquake. Receive alerts and notifications when an earthquake occurs, find help, and let others know you are safeeven if the power is out.

Wildfire

Access information on what to do before, during, and after wildfires even without mobile connectivity. Get the latest news from local, state, and federal fire agencies in the Wildfire News section.

Hurricane Get real-time hurricane safety information, weather alerts, and information about Red Cross shelters.

TornadoReceive real-time tornado warning alerts such as a high-pitched siren that signals when the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) issues a tornado warning.

Team Red CrossSign up to volunteer with the Red Cross, get an overview on basic tasks, and receive notifications about local Red Cross disaster volunteer opportunities.

Red Cross Apps: 1 Year, 3 Million Downloads

The Bay Area Chapter honored local individuals and organizations that make a difference in their community through acts of courage and kindness. Below are some of the heroes recognized this past fall.

To read about all of the heroes recognized: go to redcross.org/ARCBAHeroes.

Alameda County Animal Rescue Hero: Sara OBrien

Sara fought against the odds to rehabilitate a two-month-old abused dog, Gilhooley.

Contra Costa County Lifesaving Hero: Ryan Sealey

Ryan performed CPR on a four-year-old girl who had been underwater for several minutes at a fitness center in Antioch.

Marin CountyAct of Kindness Hero: Reverend Betty Pagett

Reverend Pagett came up with the idea to transition homeless families from emergency shelters to permanent housing at Oma Village.

San Francisco County Community Service Hero, Organization: Project Open Hand

Project Open Hand provides more than 2,500 meals and 400 bags of groceries daily to seniors and the critically ill.

Solano County Act of Courage Hero: Perry Hookey

Perry rescued a 43-year-old unconscious man from a burning big-rig truck moments before it exploded.

Local Heroes Honored at Five Chapter Events