The Capital Area Chapter has been a part of the Big Bend Community since 1917! We serve Franklin, Gadsden, Jefferson, Leon, Libery, Madison, Taylor and Wakulla counties.
National Black HIV/AIDs Awareness Day was February 7th
According to the CDC, 25% of HIV+ individuals who are unaware of their status cause more than 67.5% of all new infections; and 75% of HIV+ individuals remaining who are aware of their status cause less than 1/3 (32.5%) of new infections.
If you don’t know your HIV status, then you don’t know enough about HIV! Use the week of Feb 7th as your annual day to get tested and remember to use protection to prevent infection!
Check out blackAIDsday.org to find out more information, learn how to stay educated and protected, and information on testing sites.
The Capital Area Chapter of the Red Cross responded to a single family home fire on the South side of Tallahassee at around 5pm today. The fire reported a minor level of damage and involved three household members. The Capital Area Chapter is providing lodging to the fire victims for the evening and any other comfort items that may be needed.
Yesterday’s earthquake near Port au Prince, Haiti has caused catastrophic damage and loss of life with estimates of 3 million people affected. Many Governmnet offices and hospitals have collapsed and the local Red Cross office sustained major damage. Many roads are not accessible, bridges have collapsed, and telephone and electricity are out in many places. The next 48 hours are critical for life-saving operations such as search and resuce and first aid. Families checking on the safety and well-being of loved ones in Haiti can contact the U.S. Department of State at 1-888-407-4747 or 202-647-5225.
The American Red Cross is contributing an initial $1 million for the relief operation and releasing supplies including tarps, mosquito nets and cooking sets. National headquarters is also deploying volunteers and staff with experience in international disaster operations. Priority needs for the people in Haiti are food, water, shelter, medical services and emotional support. The Capital Area Chapter has received many calls requesting more information on the Haitian earthquake and how to help. At this time, the most effective way to help families in Haiti is through financial donations. Sorting, organizing, and transporting items such as food and clothing would not currently be cost effective. A financial donation will give immediate relief and help Red Cross meet emergency needs of those people affected. Donations can be made by calling the Chapter at 850-878-6080 by mail at American Red Cross, 1114 Easterwood Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32311 or online by clicking on the International Response Fund banner, below.
Red Cross is also receiving donations through an effort sponsored by Mobile Accord. Mobile donors can text “Haiti” to 90999. A ten dollar donation will be made to support Red Cross relief efforts in Haiti.
Welcome to the Worldwide Wednesday Wrap-Up, in which we consolidate the international Red Cross and Red Crescent news into one list of bite-sized links for you. It’s a non-comprehensive sampling of the larger and/or more intriguing aspects of our global work…
[The place names link to maps so that you can get a quick idea of the region.]
The ICRC’s warehouse in Haiti has been damaged. They’ll be sending more staff and supplies, and have set up a website for people seeking to restore contact with family members after the earthquake.
The American Red Cross has pledged $1 million dollars to the relief efforts and has released supplies (such as tarps, mosquito nets and cooking sets) from a warehouse in Panama to meet the immediate needs of 5,000 families. Check the Disaster Online Newsroom for the latest on the American Red Cross response.
AFGHANISTAN: Efforts to help detainees received a boost when the ICRC visited people in Taliban custody for the first time since 2001. Other recent activities in the field include water sanitation, limb-fitting and rehabilitation, food distribution, and promoting international humanitarian law. Read the full report.
YEMEN: Harsh weather worsens the plight of civilians in the conflict zone, leading to increased risk of respiratory infection – especially for children – as the ICRC continues to assist with food, water, supplies and medical care.
NEPAL: The ICRC organized a four-day emergency-room trauma course in Kathmandu to improve medical care for people injured in violence, natural disasters or traffic accidents.
Although it may feel like we are in the south pole, it really is Florida!!! Did you know that it was colder this morning in Tallahassee than in Anchorage, Alaska?? With all jesting aside, it is important to stay warm and safe as the temperatures outside keep dropping to record lows. With that in mind, we’ve put together a few Winter Survival/Safety Tips to keep everyone safe and warm during the next few days.
If you plan to use a space heater or your fireplace, here are some tips to keep you and your family safe. Our Chapter receives many nightly calls about house fires and especially during this artic blast, we want to make sure that you are safe
Smoke alarms save lives!Install smoke alarms out side of each sleeping area and on each additional level of your home. Remember to keep new battries on hand!
Have a working fire extinguisher in the kitchen and make sure it is properly charged.
Check heating sources. Many home fires are started by faulty furnaces or stoves, cracked or rusted furnance parts and chimneys with creosote build-up. Have all chimenys, wood stoves, and home heating systems inspected once a year!
Keep blankets, curtains, furniture and anything that could get hot and catch on fire away from portable heaters.
Plug heaters directly into the wall socket and unplug them when they are not in use.
Keep items away from the stove that could catch fire.
Never overload the fire place and NEVER LEAVE A FIRE PLACE UNATTENDED!
And remember to create a Family Evacuation Plan with at least 2 ways to escape from every room of your home
Other ways to survive the cold weather is dress to keep you warm (this might sound like a no-brainer, but I’ve all ready seen too many flipflops today!). Here are somethings to keep in mind when you’re picking out something to wear these next few days…
Wear layers of loose-fitting, lightweight, warm clothing
Wear a hat…did you know that you could lose 40% of your body heat from your head not being covered?
Scarves are a great way to keep your neck warm and maintain body heat. You can also use scarves to cover your mouth which can protect your lungs from extreme cold temperatures.
Mittens or gloves are great to keep your hands warm
Welcome to the Worldwide Wednesday Wrap-Up, in which we consolidate the international Red Cross and Red Crescent news into one list of bite-sized links for you. It’s a non-comprehensive sampling of the larger and/or more intriguing aspects of our global work…
[The place names link to maps so that you can get a quick idea of the region.]
TANZANIA: Floods ushered in the new year, displacing more than 1,000 people, and affecting as many as 25,000. With support from the IFRC, the Tanzanian Red Cross Society is providing search and rescue assistance, relocation assistance, emergency shelter and supplies like blankets, water buckets, water purification tablets and cooking sets.
TAJIKISTAN: A medium strength earthquake has left hundreds of people without homes. With support from the IFRC, the Red Crescent Society of Tajikistan is providing relief supplies like winterized tents, construction tool kits,tarps, bed-linen sets, mattresses, pillows, cooking sets, shovels, hoes, water cans and hygiene kits.
GLOSSARY: ICRC = International Committee of the Red Cross IFRC = International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
As we close down the year (and some say the decade) we are eagerly anticipating the future and all the ways technology will enhance our ability to fulfill the mission of the American Red Cross.
But…Tradition tells us we should reflect a bit on our past, so here are the 10 blog posts from this humble site that you all visited the most this year:
Keep Pets Safe During Times of Disaster: Pets are also members of the family, so while you are preparing for disasters/hurricane season; you should do the same for your pets!
Capital Area Chapter Disaster Action Team Needs You!: Disaster Action Teams are a vital part of disaster response and we are always looking for more volunteers to help assist with our single family fire and local emergency responses.
2009 Kids Weather Survival Week Poster Contest: Each year, the Capital Area Chapter and the Florida Division of Emergency Management hold a poster contest for Florida’s 4th and 5th graders.
Staying Well During Flu Season: The thing that is on everyone’s mind after the break out of the swine flu (H1N1) during these past few months is how to stay healthy during the flu season. In this post, we gave some helpful tips to stay well during this flu season.
Holiday Letters for Our Soldiers: Well, we’ve heard you loud and clear. You really like this program where you can send holiday cards directly to service members, their families, and veterans. We love being able to connect you all together in this way and we’re looking for more ways to do it even better in the future
Fire Safety During Winter Season: Even though we live in Florida it does get cold! So, before you turn on your heat or light up that fire, please take the necessary precautions to keep your family safe from house fires this winter season.
Tis the Season for Giving: Each year our Chapter holds a blanket drive to give out to clients who have been impacted by house fires or other disasters during the cold winter season.
From all of us at the Captial Area Chapter, we wish you all a happy and safe New Year!
