At the Boys Club of New York in Flushing, John C. Liu, council member – 20th District, is joined by Joan Foley, director, American Red Cross in Greater New York-Queens, and Nicole J. Bayard, American Red Cross Youth Group Volunteer. (Photo: Nathan Duke)

Staff and volunteers of ARC/GNY-Queens have been busy this summer with events and presentations for borough residents of all ages. Among the programs offered were basic first aid and hygiene for 100 youngsters at the Boys Club of New York (133-01 41st Road, Flushing) and a presentation about emergency preparedness at the first annual health fair at The Greater Fellowship Church Ministries (106-01 Guy R. Brewer Blvd., Jamaica).

Youngsters at the Boys Club learned about Basic Aid Training (BAT), which teaches safety and first aid procedures for breathing difficulties, bleeding, poisoning, burns and shock.  Through a series of interactive quizzes, activities and games, BAT empowers children to prevent many accidents by giving them the basic skills they need to identify potentially harmful situations. Other programs held at the Boys Club were the Scrubby Bear Washing Program to teach them about personal hygiene, First Aid for Children Today (FACT) to help youngsters understand the important role they have in managing their own health/safety and the health of the environment in which they live, and Longfellow's Water Habits Are Learned Early (WHALE) Tales to teach them about the hazards they may encounter around the water and how best to avoid them.

The emergency preparedness session at The Greater Fellowship Church Ministries health fair on July 15 was an outdoor presentation on a very hot summer day. One girl expressed interest in the Red Cross emergency ready bag, which is useful when a temporary or long-term evacuation of the home is necessary. She wanted to create one for her family.

"While helping borough residents with information about what to do to protect themselves and their families during an emergency, the hot weather also allowed us to inform them that it is their responsibility to remain cool and to use caution during the summer months,” said Joan Foley, director, American Red Cross in Greater New York-Queens. “Besides taking care of ourselves, we also must watch out for others who may require assistance, including children, seniors and even pets.”