#58 - Become a Red Cross Disaster Services Volunteer

Ever since I was forced to watch that dang Fundamentals of Instructor Training video in 2001 to become a Water Safety Instructor for the American Red Cross (which I was forced to do through my undergraduate major), a piece of me has wanted to volunteer through Disaster Services.  Each subsequent time I watched the video (for my Lifeguarding Instructor certification; for my Water Safety Instructor training observation, practice co-teach, and practice teach; for my Lifeguarding Instructor Trainer practice teach; and then probably a thousand more times each time I taught an instructor course... This list now sounds like a brag list of my certifications, but really it's just leftover frustration that Fundamentals of Instructor Training was ever a course and my jealousy that now instructors do some online thing that seems way better), my interest and desire grew a little more, because each time, I felt mentally, emotionally, and physically more capable of responding to an emergency.

My first two American Red Cross certifications are laughable to anyone who knew me pre-physical-education major.  I was not a strong swimmer growing up.  I could swim, but my strokes all needed some major work.  My parents still need some convincing sometimes that I can even swim.  I think it was 2010 when they oversaw me playing water polo, and said, "We didn't realize you were such a strong swimmer!  At the time I had worked full-time in aquatics for 5 years and had both my swim instructor and lifeguarding certifications for 9 years.

However, aquatic certifications are desirable in the world of recreation.  When I applied to be a day camp counselor in the summer of 2001, they told me they'd love to hire me... as a swim instructor.  When I explained that I had never actually taught swimming, they told me the certification was good enough.  So I taught swimming.  And lifeguarded.  For the next 15 years.  Every summer.  And, for 7 years, also as part of my full-time job working in aquatics.

I still cannot believe I worked in aquatics for 7 years.

In that time, I not only became a very strong swimmer, I taught others to be very strong swimmers.  I also responded to a lot of first aid emergencies and non-emergencies.

I splinted bones and joints.  I controlled bleeding.  I managed seizures.

I don't believe I ever responded to something truly life threatening (except pulling people out of the water prior to their situation becoming life threatening), but I saw some things that scared me.

The scariest emergency I've ever witnessed involved a lot of blood, and I won't go into any more detail for the privacy of the victim.  I found the victim with a friend, both of whom I knew but not well.  I helped them to a safe, private room and alerted someone to call 911.  I sent someone else to gather towels.  I told her help was on the way, and while we were waiting, we'd do some paperwork.  I then pulled out an accident report form and calmly asked the two what had happened as well as some personal information required on the form.

The next day, the friend saw me in passing and said s/he was so glad they'd found me because s/he had been freaking out and asked something like, "How'd you know my friend was going to be okay?"  And I responded with an emphatic, "Oh, I didn't.  I was really scared.  Have you heard from your friend?  Is s/he going to be okay?"  The friend couldn't believe that I had been scared and told me how calming I had been.

What I've learned through teaching and real-life experience is that I am really, really good at recognizing my own panic, packing it up into a little ball, setting it aside for later, taking action to help victims, managing all aspects of situations, and appearing very calm and relaxed on the outside.

ID card official

While Disaster Services is quite different than responding directly to emergencies and/or being a professional rescuer, I believe that my ability to be still amidst chaos would translate well.  I like being the personification of reassurance.  Everyone is more level headed and makes better decisions when someone can confidently reassure them that everything will work out for the best if we can all take the actions we can right now.  Disasters are inevitable, but good decisions and comfort
can save lives, physically and emotionally.

This summer, I convinced myself that since I am done with classes and "only" working on my research and working part-time, I would have time to volunteer.  I finally signed up for a Disaster Services orientation and it was surprisingly informative and painless.  '

I still have a long way to go before I work my first gig, but having a name badge and next steps certainly crosses this one of the list for now.

I'll be sure to update this blog post (or post new ones) as this item progresses through the year.