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lLI'1 |Jo rtlan h (Dhserner
A u g u s t 4, 2010
H ealth mai
Students Learn Life Saving Skills, Preparedness
T here's no better way to grab
stu d e n ts' a tte n tio n than w ith
fake blood. The mixture is used to
illustrate the amount o f real blood
required after a major accident, and
drives home the importance o f do-
nating as well as being ready to
respond to all types o f emergencies,
Preparedness was the primary
Emergency Kits Distributed
SEI students Kai Johnson (left) and Tyus Strickland learn first-aid
techniques for bandaging an arm thanks to Jessie Shite, an
instructor from the Oregon Trail Chapter o f the American Red Cross.
American Red Cross volunteer Scott Cannon distributes free whistles, flashlights and safety
information to a neighbor in the Boise and Eliot community. The recent distribution throughout
the community was made possible by grants from Pacific Power Foundation, The Collins
Foundation, The Autzen Foundation and Spirit Mountain Community Fund
focus o f an ongoing summer part­
nership between the Oregon Trail
Chapter o f the American Red Cross
and Self Enhancement, Inc., the non­
profit organization serving local
youth, especially from north and
northeast Portland.
Now in its third year, the program
has just expanded beyond middle
school students to include teach­
ing life-saving skills in elementary
school classrooms and train around
700 Students.
"The partnership between SEI
and the Oregon Trail Chapter is a
much needed marriage," said Miki
Hunnicutt, SEI's coordinator for the
partnership. "Every year, we hear o f
at least one incident where a stu­
dent helps save someone’s life, and
we attribute their life-saving skills
to this training."
During July, Red Cross instruc­
tors taught several classes per day,
two days per week, at SEI Middle
School and Ockley Green Elemen­
tary School.
The curriculum included water
safety, stranger danger, basic first
aid, and important steps for emergen­
cies including heart attacks and chok­
ing. All o f the content was pulled
from Red Cross youth courses and
corresponded with the students'
grade level so that the instruction
was appropriate for all ages.
Chiropractic Auto Injury Clinic, PC Deadly Fungus Takes Root
Zchon R. Jones, DC
333 NE Russell St., #200, Portland, OR. 97212
Spores sicken
people in Oregon
(503) 284-7838
Truly making a difference in the lives of
Auto Accident victims and Injured Workers for nearly 20 years.
If you or someone you know has been in an accident,
call us so we can help you with your needs. (503) 284-7838
We are located on the
corner o f MLK and Russell
Street, on the second floor
above the coffee shop.
F
Parkins .Vea
3D NE
Russell
#200
Russell Si
s
cc
0.
(AP) -- A fungus usually found
in the tropics has taken root in the
Pacific Northwest and has been
blamed in the deaths o f 15 people
over the last six years, health offi­
cials said Thursday.
At least 60 people have been
sickened in four states by the fun­
gus, cryptococcus gattii, which
grows on or around trees. Illness
occurs months after people breathe
in its microscopic spores, and can
be treated with anti-fungal medica­
tions.
While still considered rare in
North America, health officials say
they want doctors to know to look
for it and patients to be aware o f it.
The overall risk to the public is
very low, and there's no need for
people to avoid going outdoors and
exercising, said Julie Harris, an epi­
demiologist with the U.S. Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention.
The fungal illness began to show
up in British Columbia, Canada, in
1999. and may have spread south­
ward, although at least one different
strain has been found in the United
States. Scientists don't know why
the tropical illness has appeared in
the Northwest but not in other north­
ern locations.
Since 2004, there have been 43
cases in Oregon, 15 in Washington,
one in California and one in Idaho,
the CDC said Thursday.
O f those 60 cases, the outcome is
known in 45, and 15 ended in death.
The fungus caused nine o f the
deaths, and was believed to be a
factor in the other six, officials re­
ported.
Symptoms include a persistent
cough, headache and shortness o f
breath. Some cases have worsened
into a pneumonia- or meningitis-like
illnesses. People are not the only
victims. More than 50 cases in ani­
mals have been reported.