Be Red Cross Ready...to Survive the Hunger Games!

by Micaela Rosinski, intern contributor

We all wish we could wield a bow and arrow like Katniss or perfectly camouflage ourselves like Peeta. Unfortunately, most of us cannot quite compare to the wide range of skills the tributes in The Hunger Games possess. However, we have a resource the tributes do not: the Red Cross. So how would you fare if you absorbed all the Red Cross has to offer?

What to grab from the cornucopia? Look for the Red Cross logo. Red Cross sells first aid kits that would prove to be beneficial in a variety of events. There are also a variety of emergency preparedness materials such as kits and radios.

Preparedness is key. A variety of resources are provided by Red Cross for a plethora of emergencies that may occur. During the Hunger Games, nothing is off limits. Get started on becoming the most knowledgeable tribute you can be.

You have a smartphone! There are a variety of apps that can help you survive. Download the free Red Cross First Aid app. The app will provide advice on how to act if someone breaks a bone, has a head injury, gets heat stroke and more. There is also an emergency first aid function that instantly provides lifesaving advice.

Also try the wildfire app. This app will provide information on what to do before, during and after a wildfire. The game makers love fire, so be ready.

If you form an alliance with a younger tribute…you want to be prepared! Red Cross provides babysitter training classes that will allow you to best care for your new friend. The little ones can be quiet, sneaky and very helpful if you befriend them.

In case you want to save someone…for some reason…The first minutes after an accident are crucial. Take the Red Cross First Aid training course to know how to provide the best life-saving care possible. 

Dive into the games. Water being thrown at you is almost inevitable. A lake could be the starting point, or a flash flood could suddenly rush your way. Red Cross provides swimming and water safety classes that will keep you afloat. Search for classes near you here.

You survived….Now what? Disaster Mental Health Services provided by Red Cross serves as free counseling and support after a disaster. Coping with what happened is hard, but trained volunteers help people accept their situation and cope with their emotions. Here are some tips.

If being a part of the Hunger Games is not for you, no worries! Hunger Games: Catching Fire will be in theaters November 22. Live vicariously through Katniss and the rest of the gang in the second film of the trilogy. Truthfully, Red Cross provides countless services that better the quality of everyday life. To learn more about functions such as emergency preparedness and disaster services, visit redcross.org & may the odds be ever in your favor!

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Red Cross Volunteer Richard Wood: A Lifetime of Achievements – One Moment at a Time

by Micaela Rosinski, intern contributor 

Richard Wood pulled a piece of paper from his desk drawer to recall the exact year he began his work with the Red Cross, explaining he does not focus on himself very often. That will momentarily have to change as Wood celebrates his selection as the Lifetime Achievement Award recipient at the Dallas Red Cross Annual Awards on Thursday, June 27.

Working in the mental health field for 30 years, Wood found his ideal position as a volunteer for Disaster Mental Health at the Red Cross in 1994. While working with the community mental health department in Dallas at the time, Wood said Gov. Richards declared that MHMRs (Mental Health Mental Retardation workers) would work in disaster services to help the state.

“I took the training and we had a horrible tornado in Lancaster then, and I worked with the MHMRs and responded to the disaster,” Wood said. “I worked alongside the Red Cross members who were there working and said, ‘Oh, they’re doing it so much better than we were trained, so let me jump ship and start working with the Red Cross.’”

Wood said he liked the work the Red Cross was doing and it was much more organized than he was used to, leading him to decide to work with the Red Cross as a volunteer while keeping his job with the county.

Throughout his many years with the Red Cross, Wood said working with people in need of mental health services has been the most rewarding.

“The Red Cross has the program to help folks feel empowered about taking care of themselves and getting back to active participation in their life,” Wood said, “and providing support as needed and making referrals to places that might need to have longer term follow-up.”

He said he previously worked with chronic patients who had long-term, ongoing treatments with very slow recovery processes. Wood said, with the Red Cross, he was excited to do work, see changes and go on to a new task.

“We could see folks move on,” Wood said, “and we could move on ourselves.”

Today, Wood serves in an administrative role in the mental health department, which includes actively responding to disasters. He said he is grateful to the Red Cross for allowing him to continue his work after becoming disabled from a serious brain infection.

“I was actually supposed to not be able to work anymore,” Wood said. “At the Red Cross, I was actually able to continue the work I’m doing and be quite grateful I can continue to do that work on some level.”

After nearly 20 years of service to the Red Cross, being recognized with a Lifetime Achievement Award was not an idea that had crossed Wood’s mind. He said he is both overwhelmed and surprised by the honor.

“I’m honored and humbled because I just think I’m kind of doing what I can do, and glad I can continue helping the community and help my team be better prepared to serve,” Wood said with a grin. “I wasn’t really looking for any kind of acknowledgement.”

The Red Cross uses volunteers of all kinds to make the mission of service to other possible. To become a Red Cross volunteer, visit us online at redcross.org.

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Red Cross Service Spotlight: How Mental Health Workers Serve After Disasters

Written by Amy Yen, volunteer contributor

Thank you, Patsy, for your unique and critical service to the Red Cross!

Mental health response is an often overlooked yet vitally important part of the American Red Cross response following a disaster. In honor of National Mental Health Month this May, we talked to Patsy Guest, one of our disaster mental health workers here in the DFW area, about why mental health is such a concern.


Thirteen years ago, Patsy became a mental health volunteer with the Red Cross in Dallas after retiring from the Cedar Hill School District where she served as a counselor. During this time, she’s responded to everything from local apartment fires to large scale national disasters like 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina. Recently, she deployed to Lancaster and Forney after the April tornados destroyed and damaged hundreds of homes.


“I’m there to support the individual survivors of the disasters,” explains Patsy. “I’m there to identify not only the immediate needs these individuals might have, but also any needs they may have long-term.”


As a mental health professional, Patsy has been trained to identify signs of possible post-traumatic stress or other problems people may face. However, disaster mental health workers do not give therapy in the field. Instead, they make sure that someone follows up, making referrals and connecting people who have been in disasters with someone in their area who can help.



“I never leave an individual without knowing that individual is getting help, until I know they’ll be okay.” she says. “I also make sure they’re connected to all the resources they need.” Mental health workers also work closely with case workers to identify immediate needs, like clothing and food, or nurses if there are medical needs.


In addition, mental health workers work with first responders, like fire fighters or EMTs, to make sure they are coping with the stress of their jobs. “I let them know that we’re there,” Patsy says. “That they’re not alone. Just like the survivors, most of the time, they just want someone to listen.”


Patsy’s specialty is with children and she never ceases to be amazed by their resiliency in the face of disaster.


“More than once, I’ll talk to kids after their house has been destroyed and all their things are gone and they’ll say, ‘Our house is broken. But we’re going to fix it.’ Somehow they know, they’re going to be okay,” she says.

She experienced similar unexpected optimism in Lancaster after the recent tornados, finding that most people were able to bounce back quickly and move forward.


“There was this one lady whose house was pretty much destroyed and she said to me, ‘Well. I’m going to get a new kitchen.’ It was just great that she could find hope in the middle of everything,” said Patsy.


Psychological First Aid is a required training course for all mental health volunteers working in the field following disasters and Patsy says the training is incredibly important preparation for what to expect and how to deal with survivors and first responders.


Disaster mental health is a relatively new area for the Red Cross and, while it continues to grow, Patsy says there is definitely a shortage of qualified personnel. Mental health workers must be licensed by the state as licensed professional counselors (LPCs), and they usually work as social workers, counselors or psychologists. When there is a disaster, the Red Cross has a need for volunteers with this specific skill set.


Patsy says it’s worth the time. “When there’s a big disaster, everyone wants to be able to do something. This is your chance. It’s so gratifying to help.”

If you have a background in mental health and would like to help, contact Red Cross DFW for more information.

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When Lightning Hits the Same Place Twice: Preparing Your Family for a Second Round of Storm Clouds

By Lilly Watson

Tuesday’s forecast of thunderstorms quickly turned into devastation for many families in our area. Looking at this weekend’s forecast and seeing storm clouds on Sunday’s horizon is a nerve-wracking feeling for all of us, most especially those families still dealing with the destruction of Tuesday’s tornadoes. 

“To be completely honest, the absolute first feeling for many of these families is sheer terror,” Richard said. “There is a real concern about it all happening again. The second reaction is usually, ‘What can we do to prepare?”

Richard’s biggest advice to families asking this question is to remember their family safety plan. If families do not have a safety plan, the time between storms is when one should be put in place. 

“Parents will be very concerned about their children,” Richard explained. “and it is extremely important that we help them feel safe.” 

Richard went on to explain the ways that Red Cross mental health workers prepare families, especially those with children, on how to stay safe and feel secure at the onset of a second series of storms. 

• Make a family safety plan. Involve children at every age level in these preparations, with their tasks and involvement depending on their age. Keep an open dialogue about what is expected and what you are doing to stay safe. 
• Red Cross mental health workers do not recommend that adults tell children that it will not happen again, since there is no way of knowing what will or will not happen. Letting children know that parents are doing everything possible to stay safe is honest and also comforting. 
• Put things in the safety kit that are nostalgic and/or important to children, such as a favorite stuffed animal or photo. These can be just as important to children as medications or financial documents can be for adults.
• Children tend to worry about other people. Try to keep contact with family, friends and neighbors as you prepare for storms and after they hit. This can be difficult, but it thankfully becomes easier through mobile phones, email and Skype. 
• Include family religion and/or spirituality in your conversations if that is an important part of your family’s dynamic. 
• Nothing can shatter a routine faster than a tragic disaster. Routine, however, is a powerful coping skill and important to children. Attempting to maintain any semblance of a routine can be immensely comforting to a child. 
• Many children want to be physically close to their family or adults after a disaster. Being open to this closeness instead of punishing a child for being “clingy” can be a very comforting feeling for a child. 

I asked Richard what last piece of advice he would give to every parent in a disaster situation if he was able to. His response was simple: never be shy about asking for help, especially in a situation such as this. 

“When a child sees a parent asking for help and not being afraid to get assistance, they will learn to be equally open with their parents.”

We cannot control where the weather goes, but the Red Cross does work to prepare families for disasters in all areas – including mental health and well being. To learn more about Red Cross mental health services, click here.

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