Community Preparedness: Southern California

Community Preparedness

Request a Free Preparedness Presentation (Click Here)

Thank you for your interest in American Red Cross community preparedness education programs.The American Red Cross of San Diego/Imperial Counties strives to build strong and sustainable relationships with diverse communities to help people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies. In our efforts to promote preparedness in local communities, we offer the following complimentary programs with 4 - 6 weeks advance notice.

Be Red Cross Ready

Audience: Adults over 16 years

Personal preparedness presentation – Trained Red Cross volunteers present disaster preparedness information, including our “Get a Kit, Make a Plan, Be Informed” preparedness framework, tailored to your groups interest/needs. Presentations are approximately one hour and the audience is expected to remain present throughout. A minimum of 20 individuals and seating for each audience member is required.

Ready Rating

Audience: Workplace safety committees, safety coordinators

Website overview presentation – Trained Red Cross volunteers present templates and resources available through ReadyRating.org. Presentations last 30 minutes and offer businesses, schools and faith-based organizations tools to create or update their Emergency Action Plans. A minimum of 10 participants, internet connection and seating for each audience member is required.

Hands-Only CPR

Audience: General audience

Interactive life-saving skills presentation – 30-minute non-certification presentation for groups of 20 or more aimed to reduce the barriers to act in an emergency. Having more bystanders trained in this simple skill can help save lives by putting cardiac arrest victims within a few steps of lifesaving assistance. Internet with sound is helpful but not required.

Pillowcase Project

Audience: Children 3rd – 5th grade

The Pillowcase Project – This one-hour interactive presentation teaches students emergency preparedness skills and helpful coping skills for disasters and stressful situations. Each student will receive a workbook and pillowcase to take home. A minimum of 20 individuals and available seating for each audience member is required.

Prepare with Pedro

Audience: Children K-2

Prepare with Pedro – This 30- to 45-minute preparedness education program for grades K-2 teaches students how to stay safe from home fires. Students learn preparedness and coping skills and receive a storybook to share what they have learned with family members at home.

Prepare San Diego

The American Red Cross provides easy to understand and use tools, tips and guidance for you to prepare your family. Get prepared before disaster strikes. For more information, please visit www.PrepareSanDiego.org or www.PrepareImperialValley.org to find downloadable checklists and preparedness information.

Community Preparedness Education Presentations

Red Cross Ready: This presentation teaches individuals how to “Be Red Cross Ready” for an emergency or disaster by following three simple steps: 1) Get a Kit, 2) Make a Plan and 3) Be Informed.

Red Cross Ready for Seniors: This presentation focuses on the three steps to preparedness (Get a Kit, Make a Plan, Be Informed), taking into consideration the unique challenges seniors may face in a disaster.

Ready Rating (Organizational Emergency Preparedness): Facilitators will walk your business, school or organization through the free Red Cross Ready Rating program. This simple, online, step-by-step program makes developing an Emergency Action Plan easy. After completion of the program, Ready Rating members gain access to one-of-a-kind tools and resources for evaluating and improving their ability to withstand disasters, maintain operations and protect lives and property.

Hands-Only CPR: This presentation teaches Hands-Only CPR, which can help a bystander provide life-saving care until professional responders arrive. Participants learn how to check for consciousness, call 911 and properly administer continuous chest compressions.

To request a Community Preparedness Education Presentation, please contact Melissa Altman at (858) 309-1272 or melissa.altman@redcross.org.

Health & Safety Training for Organizations: The Red Cross offers unparalleled flexibility in delivering health & safety training for organizations that meets Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidelines. Employees can be trained online, through regularly scheduled community classes, onsite at your location or the Red Cross can train the trainers in your organization to deliver Red Cross courses. Please contact Rob Binder at (619) 214-4171 or robert.binder@redcross.org for more information.

Home Fire Campaign

The American Red Cross and its partners have launched an initiative that aims to reduce deaths and injuries caused by home fires by 25% in five years with the Home Fire Campaign. The Red Cross is asking every household in America to join us in taking two simple steps that can save lives: checking or installing smoke alarms and practicing fire drills at home.

Sound the Alarm. Save a Life.

We regularly host free smoke alarm installation events throughout San Diego and Imperial Counties. We're always looking for volunteers to help us install smoke alarms, provide residents with fire safety and preparedness information, and more. Your involvement can help save lives. Interested in getting involved as an individual, group, or team? Please contact Melissa Altman at (858) 309-1272 or melissa.altman@redcross.org.

If you’re in need of smoke alarms, please click here to fill out the request form. Learn more about the Red Cross Home Fire Campaign here and apply to be a volunteer with us!

Prepare with Pedro

This 30-to 45-minute preparedness education program for grades K-2 teaches students how to stay safe from home fires. Students learn preparedness and coping skills and receive a storybook to share what they have learned with family members at home.

To learn more about Prepare with Pedro, please contact Melissa Altman at (858) 309-1272 or melissa.altman@redcross.org.

The Pillowcase Project

The Pillowcase Project is a preparedness education program for children in grades 3 – 5, which teaches students about personal and family preparedness, local hazards, and basic coping skills. Built on the five Common Core criteria, this 40 or 60-minute presentation by trained Red Cross volunteers leads students through a “learn, practice, share” framework to engage them in disaster preparedness. Students receive a sturdy pillowcase upon completion of the program in which they are encouraged to build their personal emergency supplies kit. Presentations are customized to focus on a hazard that is important and relevant to the local community.

Learn more about the Pillowcase Project here and if you’re interested in scheduling a Pillowcase Project presentation to your school or youth group, please contact Melissa Altman at (858) 309-1272 or melissa.altman@redcross.org.