[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 32 (Wednesday, February 27, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Page S1265]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            RED CROSS MONTH

  Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I rise to speak on the Red Cross and its 
campaign to encourage citizen preparedness for disasters.
  For 65 years, since the first proclamation by Franklin D. Roosevelt, 
Presidents of the United States have designated March as Red Cross 
Month.
  I am proud to support this year's proclamation in recognizing this 
great organization, whose activities include lifesaving courses, blood 
drives, sheltering families displaced by fire or flood, and responding 
to major disasters. This January, for example, Red Cross work in my 
home State of Maine included an urgent blood drive amid ice and snow 
that had reduced some hospitals' blood supply to a single day. Other 
Maine Red Cross workers were taking care of a seven-member family in 
the town of Skowhegan who had lost their home and possessions in a 
fire.
  I know the good works of the Red Cross both as a Maine resident and 
as a Senator. As ranking member of the Senate Committee on Homeland 
Security, I have worked closely with emergency management agencies and 
nonprofit organizations for years. I know the Red Cross has not only 
saved many lives and comforted millions but has taken steps to improve 
its structure and capabilities for disaster response.
  The record of recent years for terrorism, fires, earthquakes, floods, 
and other disasters underscores the need for preparedness not only at 
all levels of government but among individual citizens and families.
  I therefore commend the Red Cross for focusing their public-
communication efforts this year on the theme of ``Be Red Cross Ready.'' 
It is a well-chosen theme: Red Cross survey work finds that up to 60 
percent of Americans are entirely unprepared for disaster. They have no 
emergency supplies, no firstaid or CPR training, no rendezvous or 
communication plans or other precautions.
  The catastrophe of Hurricane Katrina reminded us that government and 
other first responders, no matter how efficient and heroic, cannot 
appear instantly at every point affected by a disaster. Every citizen 
should be prepared to serve as a first responder for family and 
neighbors if official or volunteer responders cannot offer immediate 
assistance.
  Encouraging individual responsibility and preparedness to augment 
government and private organization efforts can reinforce our national 
response framework to provide truly comprehensive and all-hazards 
protection.
  For promoting readiness, and for all its good works, the American Red 
Cross deserves the thanks of all Americans and the recognition of Red 
Cross Month.

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