Heroes need help too!

It's rare to get to help someone who has helped us in the past. A stranger... a nurse, EMT, firefighter or maybe a police officer...who was there for us when we were facing our biggest emergency whether its a fire or we were victim of a crime or maybe a medical emergency. Little did I know when I got dispatched to a fire yesterday I would get the opportunity to help a nurse who helped me during one of my times of greatest need. 

When I arrived on scene and was led to the room where I would meet the woman who had just been displaced by a fire, I had an instant moment of recognition. I didn't remember where I knew this woman from but I had a feeling she had been a shining moment in my life. After I provided her with assistance from the Red Cross for lodging, food and clothing as well as some other essential needs I couldn't resist asking her where I knew her from. She smiled and said we had met during my hospitalization last year. I won't go in to details regarding that emergency (partly because I'm not ready to talk about it and partly because I don't remember much from that week I spent in the hospital) but it was good to be able to lend a helping hand to someone who helped me. I probably won't remember her name but I will remember the warm smile she shared yesterday and a year ago when I needed assistance myself. I am proud to be a Red Cross volunteer. Yesterday provided me another great memory and reason to continue volunteering. You never know who you might be able to help.. Everyone needs help every now and then...even Heroes! 

Fire Safety Canvassing Event

Thursday January 16, 2014 the American Red Cross and Kansas City Fire Department partnered up to canvass an area neighborhood in the northeast part of Kansas City recently devastated by a fatality house fire. The fire happened on January 4, 2014  near St. John and Lawndale Avenues.

&      

The goal was to promote safety such as having working smoke detectors and a fire escape plan for the entire family so everyone knows how to escape a fire safely. Volunteers and fire fighters went door-to-door in a 3-block radius (of St. John and Lawndale Avenues) hanging up door hangers and sharing information about fire escapes and smoke alarms. Over 600 Fire Safety door hangers were distributed.

Fire Marshal Floyd Peoples said the fire department will often organize a neighborhood canvas following a fatal fire because it's a time when people close-by will have a higher likelihood to make a permanent behavioral change. That is the goal for the neighborhood near St. John and Lawndale Avenues, that people will make a change and install working smoke detectors in their home. There were two smoke detectors inside the home, but they did not have any batteries.

The victims family including his mother Nancy as well as sister Debbie Finley were on hand for the event. She said her family grew up being taught to check their smoke detectors twice a year (January 1st and July 4th) so she didn't understand why her brother didn't have working smoke detectors. She said her hope is the message from today will get out and everyone will have working smoke detectors in their home so that no other family has to grieve.



The fire department offers smoke detectors and will even come and install them.

Visit http://www.kcmo.org/Fire for more information on how to sign up.




Here are some pictures from Thursdays Fire Safety promotion event:

Thank you to KCFD for inviting Red Cross volunteers and staff to assist with this safety event! Fire safety will always be a topic close to my heart so I appreciate that I am able to participate in events like this!

Several local news channels were present at the event. There coverage is included via links to their pages:

Here is a link to KSHB Channel 41's coverage of Thursday's Fire Safety Canvassing Event:  http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/local_news/firefighters-volunteers-canvas-neighborhood-to-promote-safety-following-fatal-fire.

Here is a link to KMBC TV 9's coverage of Thursday's Fire Safety Canvassing Event: 
http://www.kmbc.com/news/kansas-city/grieving-family-takes-fire-safety-message-door-to-door/-/11664182/23964744/-/btfehiz/-/index.html

CERT- unfinished business

I was perusing through my blog and realize I failed to keep up with my posts about the CERT program I attended through Southwest Johnson County CERT. I'd like to say I have a good reason but truth is I missed a couple of the classes. A new session is starting soon and I hope to make up the classes I missed. I will blog about those once complete. Until then, if you would like to learn more about Southwest Johnson County CERT visit them on facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/SouthwestJohnsonCountyCERT. 

Finding light in a dark time...

A house fire brings fear. Fear about safety of family, pets and first responders. Fear of losing "home" and all the possessions and memories "home" provides. It can be overwhelming. Some common concerns are "did everyone get out safely?", "did our pets make it out safely?", "did any firefighters or first responders get hurt trying to help us?", "where will we live?". In the darkness of a house fire it's a welcome sight when a pet thought lost in the fire comes bounding out to greet the family. 

This little fella was thought lost in a recent house fire. Firefighters were able to locate him and take him out to safety. The family was not home at the time of the fire and were afraid all pets were lost until fire fighters retrieved him from the truck and he went bounding out to the family. In a time if darkness the family got some light... 

 

Prayers for the family that their missing cats return safe to the family as well!