1,236 smoke alarms installed throughout the Northern California Coastal Region in April
Did you know that if a fire starts in your home you may have as little as two minutes to escape? During a fire, early warning from a working smoke alarm plus a fire escape plan that has been practiced regularly, can save you and your loved ones by cutting the risk of dying in half.
The American Red Cross responds to home fires more than any other disaster combined and for that reason, in April, our, along with local fire departments and community partners, installed 1,236 free smoke alarms, making 452 homes safer and provided home fire prevention and safety information to 1,210 local residents.
Oakland Fire Captain and Red Cross Volunteer Brian Oftedal attends Career Day at Ron Nunn Elementary School in Brentwood with his daughter, Camryn. Photo courtesy of Brian Oftedal
From the time he was a little boy, Oakland Fire Captain Brian Oftedal knew he wanted to be a firefighter. Brian laughs about writing an autobiography in kindergarten, “I talked about how when I grow up, I wanted to be a firefighter-paramedic, just like John Gage and Roy DeSoto in “Emergency.” With my friends, our bikes would be our emergency vehicles and we would open and close the garage door and respond to calls.”
It didn’t take long for Brian to fulfill his lifelong dream, and in the process, to make a decades-long connection with the Red Cross. As a teenager, Brian took part in the Paramedic Explorer program, got his EMT certificate, and took the Red Cross Professional Rescuer CPR and First Aid Class. “Brian was born to serve,” says Eva Marquez, American Red Cross Volunteer Engagement Manager. “He was in high school when he started and was the youngest volunteer on our team. I would see him volunteering at the Red Cross First Aid Station at the Livermore Wente Winery during their concert or co-teaching a CPR/First Aid class with a big smile.”
On the weekend of March 16, Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces (SAF) volunteers supported the Wings Over Solano Air Show at Travis Air Force Base. This exciting event is held every two years to welcome the public to the Air Base and show off a wide range of military aircrafts, both past and present.
SAF volunteer Liz Dietz led the Red Cross effort which included more than 20 SAF volunteers from the Northern California Coastal Region. Volunteers taught Hands-Only CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) to over 200 visitors throughout the weekend.
Hans Cardenas (right) and Hanna Malak -Regional CEO- at a Sound the Alarm Event
Hans Cardenas is a man on a mission: he aims to make 100 homes safer by installing free smoke alarms with the American Red Cross Sound the Alarm program. And he is more than halfway there already!
Sound the Alarm is part of the national Red Cross Home Fire Campaign, which aims to reduce the number of deaths from home fires. This campaign has helped save 2,063 lives since its launch in October 2014. Here in the Northern California Coastal Region, volunteers and partners have installed more than 48,500 free smoke alarms and made more than 18,000 households safer since 2014.
“I’ve made 57 homes safer since I started on May 14, 2020. Working with different teams, we installed 171 alarms,” he detailed.
Hans’ journey with the Red Cross started in 2020 as a Senior Philanthropy Officer with the Regional Fund Development Team. He spent two years facilitating financial donations from individuals across the Northern California Coastal Region. Through his role, he forged connections with donors, aligning their priorities with the Red Cross mission, which includes disaster relief, blood donation and community support. As of December 2023, he transitioned to a similar position with the San Francisco Opera. Despite his busy schedule, he still finds time to install free smoke alarms with his fellow Red Crossers, visiting communities at risk for home fires across the region. “We, the fundraisers, are very goal oriented. I was just being audacious by choosing such (a) number, but also trying to stay engaged with something I really enjoy doing,” he explained.
September 1944, France. French children sample their first doughnuts at American Red Cross Clubmobile. Photo by Margaret Karch Zaimes
In World War II, at a time when women made up only .033 percent of the military and almost all but nurses were stationed far from the front, the American Red Cross sent hundreds of young women tasked to boost military morale to the European frontlines in “clubmobiles,” 2.5-ton trucks and buses repurposed as mobile social clubs.
The American Red Cross was the sole nonmilitary agency designated to provide welfare and recreation services for the US expeditionary forces in World War II. With the official job description of “club services worker,” clubmobile crews, usually three young women, were tasked to prepare and serve coffee and doughnuts, and other reminders of “home” that might allow the soldiers to momentarily forget the stresses of war.
Then and now: Red Cross programs and services evolve while ensuring a strong community presence.
In the heart of Carmel-by-the-Sea, a chapter of Red Cross history has been penned over the last 107 years – a narrative of dedication, service and community support.
The roots of the former “Carmel Area Red Cross Chapter” began in 1916 with an inaugural meeting taking place at Carmel City Hall. Fifteen dedicated individuals were selected for the Board of Directors from a pool of 34 nominees, marking the beginning of a longstanding commitment to serving the community.
The Carmel Pine Cone, a local community newspaper launched a year prior in 1915, has played a vital role in our history, with the second meeting of the Red Cross Chapter of Carmel announced in its pages on September 27, 1916. Founding officer Lilly Devendorf, whose name echoes throughout local Red Cross history, exemplifies the enduring relationship between the city, the newspaper, and our Chapter.
