The American Red Cross

History of the

American Red Cross

Foundation of International Red Cross

Henry Dunant ,

Author of “A Memory of Soferino

Original Document 1864

First Geneva Convention

Geneva Conventions

The International Committee of The Red

Cross is the principal humanitarian

organization named in all four Geneva

Conventions for carrying out many of the

relief activities for victims of armed conflicts.

US ratified in 1882

International Committee of the Red Cross

International Humanitarian movement

97 million volunteers worldwide

194 member countries

Won Nobel Peace Prize 1917, 1944, 1963

Motto – “Protecting human dignity

’

International Red Cross Headquarters

International Committee of the Red Cross Core Tasks

Compliance to Geneva Conventions

Organize nursing care of the wounded on the

battlefield

Supervise treatment of prisoners of war

Help search for missing persons

Organize protection and care of civilians

Arbitrate between warring parties

Red Cross Symbol

Recognized as non combatants via The

Geneva Conventions

Flag Red Greek Cross on white.

Red crescent on white – Muslim countries

Red lion and sun on white - Iran

Red Crystal

Red Shield of David - Israel

International Red Cross Emblems

Red Cross Red Crescent Red Crystal 2006

Red Lion and Sun 1924 Red Shield of David 2006

International Red CrossFundamental Principles

Humanity

Impartiality

Neutrality

Independence

Voluntary Service

Unity

Universality

The American Red Cross

Humanitarian service organization

Founded 1881

Annually mobilizes relief for 75,000,000 disasters

Primary supplier of blood/blood products for more than 50 years

Provides training in vital life saving skills and direct health and community services

Transmits 1.4 million messages between members of armed services and their families

Participates in HIV/AIDS education and international campaign against childhood disease

American Red Cross Mission Statement

The American Red Cross, a humanitarian

organization led by volunteers and guided by

its Congressional Charter and the

Fundamental Principles of the International

Red Cross Movement, will provide relief to

victims of disaster and help people prevent,

prepare for, and respond to emergencies.

American Red Cross Federal Charter

1900 Congress passed federal charter giving

Red Cross full legal standing

1905 New charter established state and

territorial chapters

8 amendments to governance

2006 New charter and bylaws with major

changes in governance structure/function

ARC Structure and Governance

Non profit, tax exempt charitable organization

Independent, volunteer led

1900 Charter granted by US Congress

1913 President is honorary President

National Board of Governors

Financially supported by public contributions and

cost/reimbursements

Regional and Local Chapters

American Red Cross Facility

1881-1904 Home of

Clara Barton

1905-1912 State-War-

Navy Building

1913 Red Cross

Square -3 buildings and

a sculptured garden

dedicated to the heroic

women of the Civil War

American Red Cross Tiffany Window


1917 Commissioned by Board of Governors in honor of the new building

Theme depicts ministry to the sick and wounded through sacrifice

Largest suite of Tiffany Windows created

Only Tiffany Window in original site

Detailed molding to complement window and enhance their beauty

$10,000 cost funded equally by the Women’s Relief Corp of the North and United Daughters of the Confederacy in memory of the heroic women of the Civil War.


Left window was inspired by Longfellow’s poem “Santa Filomena” that gloried the work of Florence Nightingale

Center window expresses that even in battle there is a time for humanitarianism

Right window symbolizes truth, wisdom and heart. The shield inspired the design of the Tiffany Award, the highest recognition that an ARC staff member can receive

American Red Cross Leaders

Clara Barton – Founder and first president

Dr. Charles Drew – Medical Director of WWII

Blood Collection and a pioneer in blood

banking

Commodore Wilbert E Longfellow –

Established water safety programming

Clara Barton 1821 - 1912

Born Christmas Day in Oxford, MA

Youngest of 5, educated by siblings

Liberal Institute for advanced teachers 1yr

Began teaching age 17 x 10 years

Job in Patent Office - $1400, same as men

Civil War lay nurse – “little lone lady in black silk”, “Angel of the Battlefield”

First women to run Government Bureau-Missing Soldiers Office

Activist with suffragists and black rights

1870 sent to Europe to rest

Served with RC in Franco-Prussian War

Highly decorated: Iron Cross of Merit, Cross of Imperial Russia, French Medal and International Red Cross Medal

Clara Barton

1873 Returned to US to crusade for RC in US

1881 RC formed

First president of RC for 22 years

1882 Geneva Conventions ratified by US

Wrote the American Amendment to expand RC services to national disasters in peace time

1904 Founded First Aid Society

1904 Forced resignation due to political feuding and her leadership style

American Red Cross Nursing Leaders

1912 - 1919 Jane Delano, Founder ARC

Public Nursing Service

1910 - 1919 Elizabeth Gordon Fox, Director

ARC Bureau of Public Health Nursing

1919 - 1936 Clara Noyes, Director of ARC

Bureau of Nursing

1997 - 2008 Nancy McKelvey,MSN, CNO

2009- Sharon Stanley PhD, Director of

Disaster Health and Mental Health

Jane Delano 1862 - 1919

Graduate Bellvue Training School 1886

Superintendent Jacksonville, FLA during yellow fever epidemic

Nursed typhoid fever patients 3 years Bisbee, AZ

Superintendent Nursing University Pennsylvania

Superintendent Bellvue – dignified nurses role as member medical team

1909 – 1912 Superintendent Army Nurse Corp

Chairman AJN Board of Directors

President ANA

Jane Delano

1909 Chairman National Committee on RC Nursing Service

Created plan for the first volunteer nursing unit

The image of the RC nurse became a national symbol

When US entered WWI there were 8000 nurses immediately available

Created courses in Elementary hygiene, Home care for the sick, Training of nurse aides, Dietetics

Co-authored a text book on care of the sick

Established ARC Public Health Nursing Service for remote rural regions

Died in France with post-op infection from mastoiditis

Buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Jane Delano

Jane Delano buried at Arlington

National Cemetery in the nurses

corner.

Medals awarded to Jane Delano: RC Medal of Merit & Medal for Distinguished

Service, Order of the Japanese RC, Distinguished Service Medal US, Panama-

Pacific Exposition Medal.

Clara Noyes 1869 - 1936

Graduate Johns Hopkins Hospital School of Nursing

Before RC served as hospital and nursing superintendents

Founded first school for midwives

1919 – 1936 Director of Red Cross Bureau of Nursing

President ANA, NLN

Served on AJN Board of Directors

Instrumental in bringing together 3 nursing organizations to for Bureau of Nursing Information

Recipient of Florence Nightingale award the highest RC award

Clara Noyes

As Director of RC Bureau of Nursing

21,000 nurses enrolled for WWI needs

Developed RC curriculum

Standardized procedures and treatments

Provided indigent care during the depression

Impacted nursing worldwide

Nancy McKelvey MSN

ARC CNO 1997 – 2008

35,000 paid/volunteer

nurses

Increased visibility and roles

of the nurse

Chaired Federal Service

Council of CNO’s Army,

Navy, AF,PHS, DVA, ARC

Organization’s official voice

for nursing a casualty amid

massive layoffs 2008Distinguished Alumni JHU

Sharon Stanley PhD

2009 Appointed Chief Nurse and Director of Disaster

Health and Mental Health

Supports 30,000 nurses who are volunteers and/or

employees

Red Cross liaison with nursing schools, professional

organizations, and governmental agencies

Earned a Masters in Homeland Security and Defense

from the naval Postgraduate School 2008

Changing Role of ARC Nurses

Diminishing prominence over time

WWI RC nurses served side by side with military nurses

WWII just did recruitment of nurses

1930 Veterans Administration established

1935 Social Security provided public health funds

1947 US created permanent Army and Navy Nurse Corps ARC relieved of recruitment responsibilities

RC Office of Health Services focus on community health

1980-1992 CNO position vacant due to organizational cuts

1999 Dr Bernadette Healy, RC President called for renewed emphasis on the nursing program

2008 CNO eliminated in organizational budget cuts

2009 Chief Nurse and Director of Disaster Health and Mental Health re-established

American Red Cross Nurse Pin

Jane Delano helped to create

Worn by all ARC nurses

Over 370,000 have been

issued, each consecutively

numbered

Worn until its either returned

to the Red Cross or buried

with the nurse.

American Red Cross Disaster History

Michigan Wildfire 1881

“Thumb Fire” killed 300, burned 1M acres and 70

townships, 1521 homes and left 14,000 people in

need of help

Competition between relief agencies

ARC contributed $80,000 in supplies and cash

ARC role convinced President Chester Arthur to

officially recognize the ARC by signing the Treaty of

Geneva 1882

San Francisco Earth Quake 1906

4 square miles burned

200,000 misplaced persons

Military provided law and order, food, tents

ARC handled rehabilitation of misplaced persons

Provided food kitchens

Constructed simple houses to replace tents

Gave $500 to each citizen needing financial support

Re-established business districts

Provided additional fund distribution

Had a major role in the rapid restoration of people and the city

Cherry Mine Disaster 1909

St. Paul Mine - Cherry, Illinois

250 miners entombed

10 additional deaths of rescuers by mine fire

ARC established pensions for widows/orphans

Led to the eventual adoption of workers

compensation laws in many states

Influenza Pandemic 1918

Dubbed the “Spanish Flu”

540,000 – 657,000 US deaths, 20M worldwide

4/1000 WWI solders died of influenza

223 nurses and 5 dieticians ARC staff died

ARC recruited 15,000 women (RNs/others) to provide care

ARC mobilized every chapter to create its own committee on influenza for system of logistical support

Set up canteens to feed people who could not receive food at home due to illness

Motor Corps provided transportation needs for staff and patients

Hurricane Preparedness

Hurricane season June 1st – November 30th

ARC only response agency until FEMA 1979

ARC hallmark as an organized system of relief and recovery

Preparedness was an internal issue

1919 Shift to chapter responsibility

Advances in meteorology with computer based models improves storm forecasting

Electronic communication and evacuation plans

Refocused emphasis on personal preparedness

American Red Cross Disaster Services

Provide first aid

Provide basic human needs

Help families resume their normal daily activities independently

Long term recovery assistance

Feeds disaster workers

Provides blood and blood products

Handles inquires from families about victims

Links disaster victims to other resources

All services free of charge

American Red Cross Wartime History

Spanish American War 1898 - 1899

First ARC war related mission

Conditions for soldiers similar to Civil War

Recruited 700 nurses

Medical officers reported that operations

would have failed without the help of the

ARC

World War I 1914 - 1918

Response caused huge organization growth

ARC “The Mercy Ship” transported 170 nurses/surgeons to Europe

Established 54 hospitals

8,100,000 volunteers

Solicited $400,000,000 contributions

23,822 nurses enrolled in ARC military

4,735,000 service personnel receiving ARC aid

500,000 families aided by ARC home service

101,000 tons supplies shipped overseas

ARC operated in 25 foreign countries

ARC casualties total 70 men and 330 women

By wars end 33% of Americans were RC members or contributors

American Red Cross Mercy Ship

6

T he R ed C ross M ission

Photo C ourtesy o f U SN S M ER C Y (T -AH 19) W ebsite a t:

h ttp ://ww w.m ercy.navy.m il/h tm /H isto ry.h tm

42

Wanted: 25,000 Nurses

Camilla Louise Wills

Collection, CNHI

American Red Cross Production Corps

World War II 1941 - 1945

1939 RC involved before US as provider of civilian nurses

3757 Chapters, 39,032 paid staff

36,645,333 RC members, 19,905,400 Junior RC members

7,500,700 volunteers

71,000 RC certified nurses for service to military

16,113,000 service personnel receiving aid

42,000,000 message between service men/families

1,700,000 families aided by home services

300,460 tons of supplies shipped to Europe

13,400,000 units of blood, 6,600,000 blood donors

RC operated in 50 foreign countries

RC casualties 86 (34 men, 52 women)

Korean War 1950 - 1953

20 nations involved and ended in armistice

RC collected 5 million units of blood

MASH units and the golden hour

2 ARC workers died

Assisted in “Big Switch” POWs

Post war support with recreation services for

20 years and communication with families

Vietnam War 1962 - 1973

Injured service personnel evacuated to medical facilities in Far East therefore majority care by RC in other countries

20 RC hospitals in Vietnam, 2 on Hospital Ship

100,000 – 549,000 service personnel on duty

5 ARC staff members died

Major home front activities to support families

Refugee Aid included Baby Lift and New Life

American Red Cross Wartime Functions

Wartime functions through Vietnam War

Establishment of hospitals and field units

Care of the injured

Provision of supplies

Supply production

Recruitment of nurses and volunteers

Training aides

Armed Forces Emergency Services today

Canteen services

Recreation services

Communications between families and service men

Motor services

ARC Blood Services Program

ARC Blood Program Milestones

1941 Blood procurement program established for US Military

1948 Blood Program for civilians opened

1967 Established rare blood registry

1972 Practices standardized and elimination of paid donors

1983 Blood products expansion to marrow, stem cells and

plasma

1985 HIV testing established for donors

Established state of the art research Holland Laboratory

1991 Hepatitis C testing implemented

1999 First to implement nucleic acid testing for viruses

Dr. Charles Drew

Graduate McGill University

Surgeon

1940 Director of Blood

Procurement Program

Research of blood banking

techniques transformed lab

methods to mass production

ARC Blood Service Today

Largest blood/blood product provider

36 Regions in US

Blood is needed every 2 seconds

Only 38% population is eligible

Only 8% give blood

Discard rate is 2%

Emergency supply in DC when congress is in session

The need is constant, the gratification is instant. Give Blood

ARC Health and Safety Services Milestones

1909 First aid training

1914 Water safety

1918 Established nurse aid training

1975 CPR

1976 Foreign body obstruction

2008 Automated external defibrillation

Commodore Wilbert Longfellow

Identified lack of swimming ability, life saving knowledge and adequate supervision

1905 grant for education RI resulted in 50% decrease in deaths

1900 – 1913 one man crusade for water safety

1910 Commodore in Chief of US Volunteer Life Saving Corps

1914 enlisted full support of ARC in water proofing America

1922 Established 2 national aquatic schools

Taught soldiers to swim in WWI and WWII

Dr. Peter Safar

“Father of CPR”

1957 decision to take CPR out of hospital to the public

1975 RC CPR classes began

1976 Foreign body obstruction guidelines

His work increased accessibility life saving skills to the general public

In line with RC Campaign: Build a kit, make an emergency plan, donate blood, volunteer and get trained

ARC Community Services

Transportation

Food kitchens

Lifeline service

Persons with disabilities

American Red Cross Museum Exhibits

Stamps

Christmas Seals

Quilts

Posters

Pins

Sheet music, lyrics

Dolls

Trucks

Other

Oral Histories

Photographs

Movies

Jean Waldman

American Red Cross Stamps

1907 Christmas Seals for TB

1931 – Red Cross commemorative stamp “The Greatest Mother.” Reproduced from 1930 poster

1948 – 3 Cent Stamp with Clara Barton and Red Cross Symbol. Issued in Oxford, MA, Clara Barton birthplace.

Red Cross Christmas Seal

1904 Christmas Seal for TB created by Danish postal worker for one penny

1907 Delaware Chapter initiated seal campaign

ARC annual campaign using talents of artists and illustrators 1907- 1919

ALA continues to sell seals annually for work against lung diseases such as asthma. Stamp now says Seasons Greetings

American Red Cross 1916 Christmas Seal

American Red Cross Pins

American Red Cross Posters

Nurses

Soldiers

Home Front

Movies

Others

American Red Cross Posters

American Red Cross Legacy of Quilts

1916 – 1920 War time quilts for soldiers

1918 First Signature Quilt to raise funds for war effort

with 900 signatures

1981 Quilt commemorating Cennetenial

1998 Signature quilt commemorating initial quilt’s

80th anniversary

2006 125th Anniversary Quilt with 50 squares

Biomedical, Holocaust and Remembrance Quilt

American Red Cross Signature Quilt

1918 1st signature quilt

900 signatures

Many famous names

American Red Cross 125th Anniversary Quilt Squares

American Red Cross Quilt Squares

American Red Cross Divisions

Regional Chapters

Regional and Local Chapters

Wisconsin Red Cross

5 Regions

Regions are focal points for disaster response

Chapters within regions have mutual aid agreements

Milwaukee chapter responsible for co-ordination

state disasters

Madison chapter the lead for governmental affairs

Level 3 disasters ($50-250k) National responsibility

Recent legislation- AED and 16 year old donor laws

North East Wisconsin Regional Red Cross Chapter

Minimum Chapter Actions

Provision of emergency shelter

Provision of emergency food

Damage assessment

Government relations

Fundraising and public relations

East Central Wisconsin RC History

1902 Local Society formed

1916 Official chapter incorporated

1918 War efforts for supply production

1932 Local residents supplied bedding, flour and yard goods during depression

1941 Blood donor program, Motor Corps and Grey Lady Unit established. Oshkosh production department cited as a model unit

1942 Nurse Aid Corp organized

1950 First peace time blood center held at MMC

1956 Provided home services during Korean War

1966 250 bags to Vietnam

1974 First Aid course offered

1976 CPR taught

1997 East Central added 3 counties to the chapter

East Central Wisconsin RC Services

Serves a population of 163,460

40 Locally funded operations

48 Locally funded families assisted financially

587 Emergency communications Armed Forces

107 Blood drives resulting in collection of 3,629 units

Health and Safety Presentation

-13,376 enrollees

-1443 classes

Disaster Preparedness 1307

1169 Volunteers who do 97% of the work

Summary

War and peace time disasters are constant

as is the response of the American Red

Cross to them

Organization rich in history

Focus is safety and preparedness

Dynamic, evolving organization which

innovates to meet changing needs

Resources

American Red Cross Web Site

Crossnet.redcross.org Web Site

ECW Annual Report

NEW Red Cross Web Site

The Changing Face of Help: The ARC Turns 125

Nursing, The Finest Art 2nd Ed., M Patricia Donahoe

Our Shared Legacy, Nursing Education at Johns

Hopkins, Edited by Mame Warren

www.collectarc.com

The American Red Cross

Documents

Transcript of The American Red Cross