American Red Cross

Alex Mahoney, our disaster programs manager for Asia, the Middle East and Europe, is currently working in Padang, Indonesia. He writes from the local office of the Indonesian Red Cross, known as Palang Merah Indonesia (PMI).

For two weeks, I’ve been working in the earthquake zone in Padang, in order to manage relief the American Red Cross is bringing to this damaged city. The earthquake has impacted the lives of so many people - even the disaster responders! When I got here, a large building right next door to PMI’s office had to be torn down because of extensive damage. We had to evacuate out of fear that the building’s demolition would destroy our building as well.

A grant from the U.S. government has enabled us to bring relief to 5,000 families, and provide water to 10,000 people per day in areas of Padang where the water supply has been destroyed. Private donations have enabled us to bring relief items from a regional warehouse to help thousands more.

It’s been amazing to watch PMI’s volunteers, from Padang and around Indonesia, as they work long, difficult hours to bring relief to the victims. For example, I visited a temporary helicopter base set up in a school, where volunteers had been living in small tents for days on end, supporting PMI’s air operations to reach people in mountainous areas that had been completely cut off from roads. The helicopters flew PMI medical teams into remote areas to assist the injured, and also brought household kits and temporary shelter materials to people whose homes were destroyed by the quake or by massive landslides that followed.

To support PMI’s management of the helicopter operations, we sent an American Red Cross field coordinator to the air base. Despite the difficult conditions - intense tropical heat, hard work over long hours, and torrential rain - the crew at the air ops base were completely dedicated to their mission until the roads opened again.

Without a doubt, these hardworking volunteers are what make the Red Cross special. When we respond to a disaster anywhere in the world, we don’t need to send in large teams of people. In countries like Indonesia, the Red Cross is already there, made up of volunteers whose dedication and knowledge of their country are unmatched.

The answer: less than $1. Through cost-effective vaccinations, the Measles Initiative has helped to save 3.6 million lives over the last decade. On this podcast episode, volunteer Sandy Tesch discusses her trip to The Gambia to observe a vaccination campaign. For more information on the Initiative, check out MeaslesInitiative.org.

Also: the Facebook Gift Store has added a virtual gift for 60 credits to vaccinate 5 children in the developing world from measles. Send it to your friends!

>> Listen Now

>> Episodes 1-12 of Cross the Globe

You can subscribe to this podcast in iTunes by going to your iTunes Store and searching for “Cross the Globe.”

This Sunday, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition will air a new episode featuring Red Cross CPR preparedness training. Country music celebrity Clint Black will be joining the Extreme Makeover team in building a new home for the Mattingly family, who are known for their willingness to help others in their community.

The Mattingly family share an inspirational story of how Melissa Mattingly was able to aid her husband at the scene of a car accident. As a trained EMT (Emergency Medical Technician), she was able to call upon her Red Cross training to give him care at the scene of the accident. Clint is expected to demonstrate the importance of CPR and AED (Automated External Defibrillator) training during the episode. According to Clint,

I feel it is essential to be trained in first aid and CPR, including how to use an AED. I was pleased to volunteer for the ‘Extreme Makeover Home Edition’ episode and proud to support an organization that teaches these lifesaving skills.

Staff of the Big Rivers Chapter of the Red Cross in Owensboro, Ky., with Clint Black

CPR training is offered by Red Cross chapters - you can look up a course near you through our website. There are many options available, and anyone can take them! There is even a blended learning option that allows you to take an online course initially, and then go through a skill check in person with a Red Cross instructor.