Red Cross Active in Littleton and Lisbon Areas

SAFETY DAY AT LOWE'S IN LITTLETON, NH

In Littleton at Lowe's Home Improvement on Saturday July 28, the Granite Chapter of the Red Cross, Lowe's and the Littleton Fire Department will join forces to put on a community safety day.

Lowe's will hand out smoke detectors and provide crafts about safety for the kids. The Fire Department will bring a fire truck. The Red Cross will have an Emergency Response Vehicle (ERV) on hand and will serve hot dogs, and drinks from the ERV. Chapter volunteers will also give away safety coloring books and crayons to kids.

There will be lots of information about disaster services, health & safety, and volunteer opportunities, as well as a demonstration of an AED (Automated External Defibrillator).

Join us for this fun, community event!

CONCORD - July 2007 - The American Red Cross has been busy recently in the Littleton and Lisbon area to increase their services and presence in these communities.

Staff of the Granite Chapter of the Red Cross, which provides disaster response, relief and preparedness in the North Country, Lakes Region and Concord area, have been in touch with community leaders in Lisbon and Littleton about building Disaster Action Teams (DATs), strengthening Red Cross volunteer opportunities and providing training in disaster preparedness and response.

Disaster Action Teams

DATs are groups of specially trained Red Cross volunteers who are ready and able to respond to disasters in their own communities. After being called by local emergency officials, these volunteers quickly arrive at the scene of a disaster to help victims find lodging, food, clothing and any other special needs. They also provide comfort and support to displaced families, perhaps even a Red Cross teddy bear to a frightened child.

DAT volunteers have been successful in assisting several NH communities during and after a disaster. The Berlin DAT, all local volunteers from that community, have had a busy year with several major fires in their town which not only destroyed homes and property, but also tragically claimed lives. The volunteers were recognized for their outstanding service to their community with a group volunteer award presented by Governor John Lynch in March.

At this time, there is no DAT group in the Littleton/Lisbon area. Michael Allsup, Deputy Director of Emergency Services for the Granite Chapter, hopes to change that. He is looking for residents of these and surrounding communities who would be interested in receiving the training to become DAT volunteers. Later this month, he and Dan Brennan, the Chapter's Director of Emergency Services, will host two information sessions to explain the roles, training opportunities, and details for prospective DAT volunteers.

"Our goal is to establish a well-trained volunteer base and become active in aiding the communities of the North Country and the state," said Allsup. "It's an opportunity for towns to unite together to help our neighbors in times of need."

The information sessions will describe the work of disaster volunteers, the classes for disaster training (available at no charge to the volunteer), and details of the volunteer system. Classes include the topics of roles and responsibilities of DATs, how to respond to fires and other disasters, and how Red Cross provides shelter, and clothing and food for those affected by disaster. The information sessions will be held on Tuesday, July 24, at two times and places: 3:00-4:30 pm at New England Wire Technologies, 130 North Main Street in Lisbon, and 5:30-7:00 pm at the North Country Health Consortium, 646 Union Street, Littleton. To participate in either of these events, please contact Susan Rivet, the Chapter's Director of Volunteers, at 1-800-464-6692 ext. 208.

Other Volunteer Opportunities

There are other volunteer opportunities through the Red Cross Granite Chapter. The Chapter trains not only new DAT volunteers, but also those interested in being a volunteer instructor for health and safety classes at schools, businesses or in the community. Rivet has met with area fire chiefs and human resource representatives of several businesses in Littleton, Lisbon, Sugar Hill and surrounding communities, including New England Wire Technologies, Littleton Coin Company, Lowe's Home Improvement and Hitchiner Manufacturing. She has also talked to Ammonoosuc Community Health Services and North Country Health Consortium, along with other members of the North Country Human Resource Association.

"It's all about supporting our communities in the best way possible, and to help residents to be trained to respond to disasters or other life-threatening emergencies," said Rivet.

Disaster Preparedness

The Red Cross is well known for its classes in first aid, CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and water safety. Beth Abbott, Account Executive with the Granite Chapter, is coordinating a health and safety training program in the Littleton area to provide Red Cross classes in First Aid, CPR and use of AEDs (automated external defibrillators) for schools and the community. The Chapter's plan is to train at least 50 people from the Littleton area. The Chapter can provide schools and businesses with the AED equipment as well as the training in the use of that equipment.

For more information about any of these Red Cross programs, contact the Chapter at 1-800-464-6692.

Photos:

DAT trainee, Holly McMeekin, helped at a house fire with Dan Brennan as part of her training.

Volunteers on the Berlin DAT responded to apartment fires in Berlin earlier this year to help their neighbors in need.

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