Volume 4, Issue 3
September 1, 2015
NEWSLETTER
First Aid Stations for Red Cross, Los Angeles Region
This newsletter is designed to provide information to the Red Cross, Los Angeles Region, first aid volunteers
and staff that work Community, Rose Bowl and Rose Parade first aid operations.
This is a volunteer-created project and not an official American Red Cross communication.
Congratulations! EMR Graduates
Community First Aid Stations
Upcoming Community First Aid Station Events:
Wiggle Waggle Dog Walk September 27th – We have
been asked to provide first aid services to the human
participants during this annual fundraising event for the
Pasadena Humane Society Founded in 1903. The Pasadena
Humane Society & SPCA (PHS) is an independent, donorsupported, non-profit animal welfare agency. Their mission
is to promote humane treatment and quality of life for all
animals, domestic, exotic, wild or livestock.
Class photo during the practical review on August 18th
This summer the Los Angeles Region hosted a 7 week
Emergency Medical Response, EMR, class at the Arcadia
chapter.
22nd
On August
students were put to the test with a written
exam and practical exams demonstrating what they had
learned. After it all was said and done there were 32 graduates
who had earned their certificates as an EMR (good for 2
years), Administering Emergency Oxygen (2 years), and
CPR/AED for Professional Rescuers (2 years) and Blood
borne Pathogens (1 year).
Katy Gould was the lead instructor assisted by: Marla Keeth,
Greg Hester, Jeanie Edwards, and Richard Stewart. Guest
speakers included: Bob Bowker covering the Incident
Command System and Rose Parade first aid operations, and
Pat Mulcahy who discussed radio communication protocols.
This summer’s class was the largest to date surprising Katy
and the other instructors. Students included a combination of
DAT volunteers; CERT Members; EMRs renewing their
certification; and numerous volunteers new to Red Cross and
first aid.
Graduates will now be positioned to participate in community
first aid events and in the 2016 New Year’s parade first aid
activities. Congratulations!
Good Vibe Tribe Music & Arts Festival October 3rd We have been asked to provide participant and attendee
first aid at the music and arts festival being held in support
of the American Red Cross relief efforts for the Nepal
earthquake victims.
Industry Hills Pro Rodeo October 9, 10, 11 – Over 3
days we will be providing first aid services: On Day1 for
the elementary school children attending a special
educational performance of the rodeo; on Day 2 for the
Rodeo and Cowboy Dance which follows; and Day 3 we
will provide spectator and competitor first aid for the final
day of competition. Hope to see a few new faces at this fun
event.
Contact Sheila Brown for more information.
Contact Information - First Aid Stations:
Red Cross Chair, First Aid Services:
Pat Mulcahy: Lobos305@aol.com
Community First Aid Stations:
Sheila Brown: SheilaKBrown@earthlink.net
Rose Bowl First Aid Stations:
Kay Schneider: SKSchneider@att.net
Red Cross Rose Parade First Aid Stations:
Bob Bowker: Bob.Bowker@RedCross.org
First Aid Station Public Information & Newsletters:
Roxanne Schorbach:
Roxanne.Schorbach2@RedCross.org
A Short Guide for the Newly Certified EMR
A few things I wish I would’ve been told when I began.
I have been a certified EMR for two years and though that may not seem like a long time,
I have picked up on many new skills and tips outside of the classroom. I have compiled
a list of things that I hope will help you, whether you’re along the parade route or simply helping a neighbor.
Ask Questions and Practice your Mnemonics: There is often times when you need to gather a lot of information and it can be
hard to remember every detail you should be keeping in mind. Mnemonics are meant to be easier to remember, so keep
SAMPLE (signs & symptoms/allergies/medications/pertinent medical history/last oral intake/events surrounding), PENMAN
(personal, partner & patient safety/environmental hazards/number of patients/mechanism of injury/additional assistance/need for
transport), and OPQRST (onset/provoking factors/quality/radiation/severity/time) in mind. Notes: Take lots of notes when
treating; whether they are on scratch paper, your glove, or on the corner of the PCR, you want to fill in accurate information and
write a full patient care narrative as good record keeping, but also if the form is pulled out for future reference.
Talk AND Treat: This is extremely important and does require a small amount of practice. Time is of the essence in emergency
cases such as an altered level of consciousness, profuse bleeding, or incidents where the patient can become unconscious
quickly or suddenly. You should focus on treating what you see while trying to gather information for what you don’t and
expand your patient narrative to the best of your circumstances.
Patients are Poor Historians: John has Alzheimer’s and Jane is embarrassed about her diabetes. I can vouch for being a poor
historian at the doctor’s office. What I’m really saying is to trust what you’ve learned and be keen on recognizing when things
don’t quite add up.
Practice, Practice, Practice!: Skills like stopping bleeding and recognizing diabetic emergencies you might use every time you
volunteer. CPR you will hopefully never have to use in the next two years, however, that makes it easier to be forgotten. I
recommend at least once a week to go through the proper steps of skills you think you might forget, just in your head or out loud
to keep them fresh in your mind.
Five Things Every EMR Should Carry: 1. Gloves- PPE at all times and you’ll always have your size. 2. A Pen - or two,
sometimes they fall from your pocket. 3. Small bandages - There’s a good chance that the patient who just walked up needs a
Band-Aid and if you keep them in your pocket, you have quick and easy access. 4. A Pen Light - Fits snuggly with your pen.
5. Boots! Or comfortable black shoes, but high boots will protect your socks, can be found on sale often at sporting goods stores,
and will last you many parades if you take care of them.
By Sara Gosa
Mark Stapf, Medical Coordinator
Rose Parade Links
As Medical Coordinator for the First Aid Services team, it’s
been a busy few months. My job is to make sure all of our
medical processes are up to speed, to support the service
providing groups by working with our Medical Director,
Dr. Stuart Miller and our first aid event leaders like Rose Bowl
events, Community First Aid Stations and of course the Rose
Parade. We’re always looking at our Medical Protocols to
make sure they are in-line with national ARC policies for first
aid stations and that they are workable for the wide variety of
first aid events the LA region covers. The job isn’t just the
way we do first aid but also making sure that we have the
training and information for things like oxygen and our
automatic external defibrillators (AED’s) as well as helping to
review our first aid report forms (brand new version, thanks
Bob Bowker!).
The recent Rose Parade FAS Newsletter is on the
web site and can be found here:
http://www.firstaidstations.org/news2016.html
The next RP newsletter should be out Sept. 11th
The Red Cross Rose Parade web site for
RP-FAS information can be found here:
http://www.firstaidstations.org
Other News
DO YOU NEED A CHALLENGE?
LOCATION
Red Cross – Arcadia Chapter
376 West Huntington Drive, Arcadia, CA 91007
A Note from Roxanne I too am one of those who took this summer’s EMR class with
Katy and I am pleased to say I was recertified as an EMR on
August 22nd.
EMR Challenge: November 7, 2015
-- written and practical test
CPRO/O2 Full Class: November 21, 2015
-- written and practical test
For questions: Katy.Redcross@Verizon.net
I initially took the EMR course 2 years ago and by taking it
for this 2nd round gave me time to more thoroughly read and
better understand the materials. It’s so important to practice
your skills as Sara mentions in her article on page 2, and you
can do this by working Community First Aid events
throughout the year, here’s another reason to keep sharp:
--I’m going to share something that happened this morning. I
got a call from my mother-in-law at 6:30 who said my fatherin-law woke up sick and she didn’t know what to do and
would I come over.
To register: EMR-Registration@FirstAidStations.org
When I got there we talked and it was clear from the situation
that Opa was going to need to be transported. He didn’t want
to go of course so we sat together and talked about it. Finally,
he consented, but not by ambulance, so we had another quiet
talk. I wasn’t comfortable moving him because he was so
weak - stabilized but weak. Finally he agreed.
When the paramedics arrived they saw me sitting with Opa,
the BP cuff off to the side and the stethoscope around my
neck. I gave them my name, my training and then I told them
what was going on including the vitals I had taken – just like
in the book.
The lead paramedic told his #2 to use my readings and they
wrapped Opa for transport – they didn’t even crack open their
bags. That moment was pretty rewarding for me.
For those who are newly certified, it’s important that you have
self-confidence in your patient assessment and the vitals you
take: the BP, pulse and O2 readings and you need to be able to
relay the information with assurance - whether you are
assisting a family member or someone at a first aid station.
Did you hear? Our very own
Maribel Carmona recently helped an elderly
woman with her oxygen tank . . .
Check out her story here:
http://www.redcross.org/news/article/ca/losangeles/Emergency-Medical-Response-Student-is-Put-toActual-Test
Other Worthy Stuff
A special thank you to Sara Gosa
for her contributing article
"A Short Guide
for the Newly Certified EMR"
A special thank you to Katy Gould and her
instructors for taking on such a large and
diverse class of EMR students this summer.
We are grateful more than you know for
what you have done!
From Katy Gould: “I am very pleased with
all the students who passed the class. They
put forth a lot of hard work and it truly
showed in their skills and written testing.
I hope to see them on January 2 and 3 - at
Post Parade first aid stations where I will
need them, and besides they will be able to
see all those beautiful floats up close!”
Richard Stewart, Volunteer
Richard Stewart is one of
those volunteers that
seems to have it all
together. In 1985, new to
Red Cross, he was a Basic
First Aid and CPR
instructor and two years
later he became an
instructor trainer.
He handled first aid
stations for Alhambra; sat
on their board; and was
asked to be part of the
Merger Committee for the
Pasadena, Alhambra and
Covina chapters back in
the day.
At one time Richard was part of our local DAT team, and
clearly remembers gong on a national assignment when he
was deployed to Texas for Hurricane Rita, the fourth largest
Atlantic hurricane ever recorded.
But what Richard is best known for is his involvement with
the YFAST, or Youth First Aid Station Teams, and the
thousands of young Red Cross volunteers that he has trained
over the years. He is proud of the time he spent working
with the youth and is always quick to credit them with their
skills, knowledge and spirit.
This past June Richard passed the baton to Samantha Yin,
the incoming Youth Coordinator, for whom he has nothing
but the highest regard for her – and boasts that he trained
her!
It was during this interview that Richard told me about
Maribel Carmona who “helped to save a life” on August 21,
the day before the summer EMR final exams. (Read about
Maribel via the link at the bottom of page 3)
Richard Steward is a recipient of the Clara Barton Award.
Katy with part of her Post Parade team
Next issue of this newsletter should arrive in time for
Thanksgiving. I welcome your stories and personal
reflections of training you have taken, a personal story
relating to first aid, or a recollection of what happened
during one of the first aid stations you worked.
The Clara Barton Honor Award is the highest award
the American Red Cross bestows on volunteers. It
recognizes meritorious service in volunteer leadership
positions held over a period of years. Recipients of the
award are inducted into the Clara Barton Honor Society.
Getting to know Patricia . . .
Patricia Henshaw has been a Red Cross volunteer for 5 years.
Her Red Cross memories go way back having heard about their
work as she grew up and knowing she wanted to become a
volunteer: to be part of the process and help "give back to the
community."
Patricia originally heard about this summer's EMR class via the
newsletter and by visiting the regional web site to see what
types of classes and workshops are being offered. Her dream is
to be part of the first aid team for the Pasadena Rose Parade.
She remembers taking her kids to the Rose Parade when they
were young and seeing people administer first aid along the
parade route. She never knew who was doing it but wanted to
do that one day . . . and now she can be part of it!
She is on the Long Beach DAT team but with her 92 year old
grandmother her time is often limited. She boasts that she did
not miss a single class during the 7 week long EMR session
this summer. She plans to work community first aid events so
she can improve her skills and keep sharp.
When asked if she enjoyed the class: Patricia said she “really
enjoyed it, the materials that were covered, the instructors, her
interaction with classmates and even the textbook!” She was
very impressed with Katy Gould and the other instructors who
shared their knowledge and experience during class time.
She highly recommends the class, in fact she thinks a lot more
people would volunteer with Red Cross if they knew about all
the classes that are offered while being a volunteer!
Getting to know Mila . . .
Mila Reim is new with Red Cross having volunteered only 7
months ago. She got to know Red Cross after a “Red Cross
Boot Camp” was given to the Temple City CERT program
that she is part of. She learned about the different types of
services Red Cross provides to local communities and she
wanted to get involved.
She was inspired by another Red Cross volunteer to sign up as
a DAT responder. She went to various classes and workshops
and subsequently signed up as a DAT trainee. Since then
she’s been on 5-6 calls and she loves it because every-time
she gets to help a client she feels good - it makes her feel like
she has made a difference in someone's life.
Mila signed up for this summer's EMR class after hearing an
announcement at one of the monthly T2 Response meetings.
She felt EMR training was another skill set she should have.
With her new certification as an EMR she “absolutely plans
on working first aid at different community events and is
excited to have the opportunity to work the Pasadena Rose
Parade.”
When asked what advice she would give to a new volunteer
going into first aid she simply states: "just do it - it's a
priceless skill to have in your life as you serve the Red Cross
but also to your family and friends. It's so worth the training!“
What does she do in her spare time? Mila enjoys taking long
walks, hiking, and visiting museums. 
Important dates for Rose Parade First
Aid Operations
RP16 SCHEDULE DETAILS
It seems like just a few weeks ago that we were met with 34 degree
temperatures at Cal Tech, and headed out in the dark for Rose Parade
2015 - but RP16 is now less than five months away.
The Calendar on our web site FirstAidStations.org will be kept as
current as possible - but here’s the December and January schedule
as it stands today ...
Uniform Shops
Tom’s Uniform
301 East Main Street
Alhambra, California 91801
626-281-5341
(will sew on patches for a fee)
Valley Department Store & Uniforms
245 North Euclid Avenue
Ontario, California 91762
909-984-8646
(will sew on patches for a fee)
Keystone Uniforms
125 South Citrus
Covina, California 91723
626-915-1936
(inquire about sewing patches on)
DEC. 5 - ORIENTATION PROPOSED SCHEDULE
8:00-9:00am New Volunteers Register
9:00-10:00am NEW VOLUNTEERS INTRO TO RP16
9:00-10:00am Returning Volunteers Register
10:00am-noon 2016 ROSE PARADE ORIENTATION
(Returning Volunteers are done at noon)
L-U-N-C-H
1:00-3:00pm Radio Practice and Station Operations
3:00-4:00pm OXYGEN ADMIN - Full Class
4:00-5:00pm New LVN/RN/MD Volunteers Orientation
DEC. 20 - STATION LEADERS MEETING
1:00-4:00pm Location to be announced
DEC. 21 - COORDINATORS AND STAFF MEETING
7:00-9:00pm Madeline Chapter House
DEC. 27 - FLOAT DECORATING
7:00-6:00pm First Aid Stations
DEC. 28 - FLOAT DECORATING
7:00-6:00pm First Aid Stations
DEC. 29 - FLOAT DECORATING and BANDFEST
7:00-6:00pm First Aid Stations
8:00-6:00pm Bandfest First Aid Station
DEC. 30 - FLOAT DECORATING and BANDFEST
7:00-6:00pm First Aid Stations
8:00-6:00pm Bandfest First Aid Station
DEC. 30 - STATION LEADERS MEETING
10:00am-noon At Bell Warehouse
JAN. 1 - 127th ANNUAL ROSE PARADE
4:30am Meet at Cal Tech
5:15-11:00am 13 First Aid Stations (approx. end time)
1:00-6:00pm 5 Post-Parade First Aid Stations
JAN. 2 - POST-PARADE
7:00-6:00pm 5 Post-Parade First Aid Stations
JAN. 3 - POST-PARADE
7:00-6:00pm 5 Post-Parade First Aid Stations
JAN. 12 - STATION LEADERS MEETING
7:00-9:00pm Debrief at Madeline Chapter House
For additional information contact Bob Bowker (see page 1)
Notes:
This is a volunteer-created project and not an official American Red Cross communication. Links, if any, are provided for
information and support purposes only. If you wish to be removed: reply and type “REMOVE” in the subject line.
Comments and suggestions write or call:
Roxanne.Schorbach2@RedCross.org - 626-991-0992