‘Tis the Season for Holiday Safety

It’s that time of year again. Time for candy canes, gingerbread cookies, and figgy pudding - whatever that is! That’s right, it’s the holiday season and time for me to stuff my face with delicious treats before New Year’s resolutions kick in. But it’s also a time for something even more sinister, that you may … Continue reading ‘Tis the Season for Holiday Safety

Giving with Meaning on Giving Tuesday

Close your eyes and image… It’s a cold winter night with temperatures dropping below freezing. You and your family are huddled together for warmth along with hundreds of other refugees. Outside you can hear the buzzing of disaster responders working feverishly to secure the area. Other families are sharing an open flame out on the … Continue reading Giving with Meaning on Giving Tuesday

Thanksgiving Tips To Be Thankful For

If your family is anything like mine, then you know that Thanksgiving can be a perfect storm of disasters waiting to happen. Take a bunch of loud family members, add a deep fryer, and sprinkle in a few kids and pets, and it's a recipe for holiday chaos! It's no secret that cooking fires are the … Continue reading Thanksgiving Tips To Be Thankful For

Safety Spooktacular! Red Cross Tips for a Safe and Happy Halloween

Halloween can be both fun and frightening.  With Halloween just a couple of weeks away the American Red Cross would like to remind you of a couple of tips and tricks to keep you safe while you trick or treat. For Children: Never go into a strangers house, even if you are invited in you … Continue reading Safety Spooktacular! Red Cross Tips for a Safe and Happy Halloween

Colbert Ready

Thank you to Dr. Jamie D. Aten, Founder and Co-Director of the Humanitarian Disaster Institute at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois for the following guest post. There was a lot of fanfare leading up to Stephen Colbert’s September debut on the Late Show. However, it seems like a whole lot less people were aware of another … Continue reading Colbert Ready

Disaster On A Dollar: The Dollar Store Emergency Kit Challenge!

Red Crossers here at home and around the nation have been responding to violent flooding, fires, and other natural disasters all Summer long. In our Central California Region alone, we've responded to nearly a dozen wildfires in the last three weeks. If you live in the heart of a major city, you may never experience … Continue reading Disaster On A Dollar: The Dollar Store Emergency Kit Challenge!

The Power of Collaboration: Home Fire Campaign

The Home Fire Campaign has been a popular topic in relation to the American Red Cross this year. The campaign seeks to reduce home fire related deaths and injuries by 25% over the next five years. Since October 2015, the Red Cross of Ventura County has hosted four events and installed over 430 free smoke alarms … Continue reading The Power of Collaboration: Home Fire Campaign

10 Tips for Fireworks Safety This Fourth of July

Happy Birthday, America! Tomorrow is your special day and we're planning to celebrate with friends, good barbecue, and fireworks. But we here at the Red Cross want to make sure that everyone in Central California celebrates safely and responsibly. So while you're enjoying an ice cold beverage and lighting some Piccolo Petes, we want you … Continue reading 10 Tips for Fireworks Safety This Fourth of July

Pets Are Family Too: Preparing Everyone for Disaster

One of my favorite past times is binge-watching Netflix. I remember a few years ago I watched a movie that had me bawling in tears. No, it wasn’t Titanic or Steel Magnolias (although I do make sure I have a box of tissues with me whenever I watch these films). It was a documentary called … Continue reading Pets Are Family Too: Preparing Everyone for Disaster