Drop, Cover and Hold On
Earthquake Preparedness

If you weren't able to take advantage of the Huge CPR Certification class this past July, here is your second chance. Red Cross usually charges $ 55 for this class. This coming Sunday you can get CPR Certified for only $10. See details below.

On Nov. 13 at 10 am we are asking all schools, businesses, government agencies and offices and organizations to participate in the California Shake Out. It will b3 the biggest earthquake Drill in History. Please try to take part. For additional info go to www.shakeout .org

Roy Payan
repayan@sbcglobal.net

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Learn First Aid This Sunday for $10!

On Sunday, November 9, the Chapter is offering a Super First Aid Preparedness event at Fairplex in Pomona. For a reduced rate of only $10, students can be certified in first aid and learn how to prepare for a variety of emergencies. The class will be taught in English and Spanish and will include scenarios such as burns, diabetes emergencies, seizures, bleeding, heat and cold emergencies and broken bones.

Learning basic first aid can mean the difference between life and death for someone suffering from an injury or another medical emergency. To register, please call (626) 799-0841 ext. 400 (English) or (626) 799-0841 ext. 455 (Spanish).

Are You Ready for ShakeOut?

In conjunction with the upcoming statewide earthquake drill, The Great Southern California ShakeOut, and Golden Guardian 2008 , the San Gabriel Pomona Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross is planning several exercises to test its readiness for a catastrophic 7.8 magnitude temblor.

On November 13 , the Chapter will encourage its staff to drop, cover and hold on during the drill and practice evacuation procedures. As a participant in Golden Guardian, the nation's largest state sponsored emergency exercise, the Chapter will open an emergency operations center in its headquarters in Pasadena, serve as a liaison to six cities within its service area (Alhambra, La Verne, Pasadena, Pomona, San Gabriel and West Covina) and run a fully-functioning shelter at La Verne Community Center. Fifty local senior citizens will be playing the role of displaced individuals for the exercise.

Drop, Cover and Hold On

To ensure the safety of our community, the American Red Cross and many other organizations stress the importance of "Drop, Cover and Hold On" as the appropriate action to take during an earthquake. This encourages you to drop under a sturdy desk or table, hold on and protect your eyes by pressing your face against your arm. If there's no table or desk nearby, sit on the floor against an interior wall away from windows, bookcases or tall furniture that could fall on you. Long-standing earthquake protocols adhere to "Drop, Cover and Hold On," which is based on extensive research and recommended by California Office of Emergency Services, California Seismic Safety Commission, professional and academic research organizations and emergency management agencies.

As Pasadena Star-News reported this week, a theory known as "Triangle of Life" claims that people are safer during an earthquake if they lie down next to-not under- a sturdy object. The U.S. Geological Survey and The Federal Emergency Management Agency reviewed this claim and concurred that "Drop, Cover, and Hold On" is CORRECT, accurate, and APPROPRIATE for use in the United States for earthquake safety and has been proven to save lives. For more information, please visit: www.redcross.org

To test your knowledge on earthquake safety, play the following online game: www.dropcoverholdon.org/beatthequake/

New Online Store The San Gabriel Pomona Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross launched an online store this week, offering community members an easy way to order first aid kits and emergency supplies. Located on the Chapter's Web site, sgpvarc.org, the store offers products for individuals, homes and businesses, such as Student Emergency Packs, Workplace First Aid Cabinets and Family First Aid Kits. The products make ideal gifts for a family member, employee or student. Orders take one to two weeks to process and benefit the Chapter's programs and services. Visit our Web site today!

Facebook Challenge

The American Red Cross is one of eight non-profit organizations participating in the Western Union Company's Our World Gives, an initiative that invites the 18 million members of the social networking site Facebook to vote on a charity of their choice.

The organization with the most votes at the end of six weeks will receive a $50,000 donation from The Western Union Foundation. Our World Gives seeks to increase awareness of critical social issues and charitable community spirit. For more information, please visit westernunion. com/foundation.

Community Chapter Support

The American Red Cross Arcadia Chapter is holding its Monte Carlo Night on Saturday, November 22 at Santa Anita Park. The evening will include a buffet dinner, Las Vegas style gaming, a silent auction and prizes. For more information, please call
(626) 447-2193 or visit www.arcadia- redcross. org

Volunteer Dedication

We always say Red Cross volunteers are shining stars, and this year's participation at L.A. County Fair proved just that! The statistics are in -- 65 volunteers put in a whopping 582 hours at our fair booth at Fairplex in Pomona. For all 12 days of the fair, volunteers from the San Gabriel Pomona Valley Chapter, the Arcadia Chapter and Blood Services represented our organization with pride. Many additional hours were dedicated to preparation, scheduling and follow-up on fair activities. Thank you to all the volunteers for your commitment to the American Red Cross.