How to handle small emergencies in the home

Hilary Anderson, MA American Red Cross, shares advice for parents on how to prepare for handling small emergencies in your home
Emergency Preparedness - How To Handle Small Home Emergencies
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How to handle small emergencies in the home

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Everyday life can be dangerous--just general cuts, running, tripping, falling, hurting yourself--if you've got kids in the home, I think you know what I'm talking about. A good rule of thumb is to have at least two members of your family trained in CPR, which is cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and first aid. The Red Cross does offer training classes. It takes a couple of hours to go through cardiac emergencies, breathing emergencies, and general first aid. You can also learn how to do aid specific to infant and child, and how to learn to use an automated external defibrillator, or an AED. That knowledge is going to be incredibly helpful during an emergency, especially if what you can't get to right away is a hospital or somebody to provide assistance. Get that training, and have that basic level of knowledge that will teach you what to do and what not to do when the next emergency happens. For those of you who don't have time to take a CPR/first aid class right away, download some of the coolest apps the Red Cross has developed in the last couple of years. There's one called, "First Aid by the American Red Cross." It's a little white icon with a little red Band-Aid, and it'll give you the first three steps you need for almost every type of emergency. From bleeding to bee stings to seizures, it gives you the first three steps you need for what to do in those types of emergencies, and then tons of extra information, in case you can't get to somebody right away. It works in airplane mode and without internet, and it's a free thing that you can put on your phone, if you've got an iPhone or an Android. So that's some great information for you--get that extra training, and put those resources right in your purse or pocket, to make sure that the next time something happens, you've got it right there at your fingertips.

Hilary Anderson, MA American Red Cross, shares advice for parents on how to prepare for handling small emergencies in your home

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Hilary Anderson, MA

American Red Cross

Hilary Anderson has been with the American Red Cross for the past three and a half years as a volunteer and staff member in positions with communications, disaster relief, development and volunteer services. As the Preparedness and Resiliency Manager, her primary responsibility is the delivery of educational programming across the Los Angeles region to get individuals, schools, businesses and organizations prepared for a disaster. As a dog owner, she also hopes to get your pets ready too! Hilary has a master’s degree in International Policy Studies with an emphasis in humanitarian assistance as well as a bachelor’s degree in International Relations, Journalism and German. She has worked for non-profits abroad in Israel, Bolivia and Germany focusing on grant writing, youth and education and also feeding and sheltering. 

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