Be A Hero

Regional Disaster Officer Tim O'Toole describes the steps being taken to ensure the health and safety of Red Cross Disaster Action Team (DAT) members when responding to emergencies during the COVID-19 crisis.  And DAT member Sara Buddner explains why she is willing to continue responding to disasters despite the threat posed by the coronavirus.

Gregg Whiteman of GOJO Industries, Jacob Thompson of the U. S. Coast Guard, Akron municipal worker Brian Linder,  Akron Fire Lieutenant Doug Price and Firefighter Marcus Council, and Akron schoolteacher Barb Fisher are all featured in this episode.

Six of the 12 winners of the 2020 Acts of Courage Awards from the American Red Cross of Summit, Portage and Medina Counties are featured in this episode.  They include a maintenance worker whose mechanical skills helped a man start breathing again; two Medina police officers who helped rescue people and pets from a burning house; and three bystanders who intervened to help save the life of a mothe...

Barbara Kovolenko a is living testament to the value of having working smoke alarms in your home.  She survived a home fire on June 28, 2019, after being roused from her bed in the middle of the night. The smoke alarm that warned her of the imminent danger she faced was installed by the Olmsted Township Fire Department, in partnership with the American Red Cross Home Fire Campaign.  In this episod...

After celebrating her 50th anniversary with the American Red Cross in 2019, Sue Richter discusses her trailblazing career, from the time she spent in Vietnam to her ascent to Division Vice President. There's a story in how she reluctantly met her husband. And of the many Red Cross heroes she admires, she singles one out for making a big impact on her life

Regional CEO Mike Parks experienced what he considers to be a miracle one week before Christmas Eve.  And one week before Christmas, several children who went through the trauma of a home fire in 2019 experienced the miracle of holiday gifts, thanks to generous employees of TravelCenters of America and Red Cross volunteers.  This is a special holiday episode of Be a Hero.

Diagnosed with Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (TTP), critical care nurse Kristin Palocko needed plasma exchanges to survive. Red Cross blood donors provided that plasma, for which Kristin is very grateful, even though she had to miss her wedding dress fitting.  Her last treatment came on her 23rd birthday.  "It was kind of a surreal experience, but overall I can say I was very blessed."  Kris...

Harvey Johnson defines Red Cross Humanitarian Services as responding to emergencies - all kinds of emergencies - not just disasters. He explains how his lengthy military career helped prepare him for his current mission, and how the Red Cross helps those in the military and their families.  And he describes one of the moments that has impressed him most in his time with the Red Cross.

A fire in Norwalk, Ohio in January 2018 claimed the lives of three people, and forever affected the surviving family members.  There were no working smoke alarms in the home. Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Listen and subscribe on Spotify Rob Griggs, who lost his parents and a younger brother in that fire, is now on a crusade to make sure every home has working smoke alarms.  In this interv...