Red Cross recognizes efforts of nursing students
The American Red Cross recognizes the School of Nursing
UofL Community Health nursing students spent the Fall 2015 semester making presentations to local elementary students about the American Red Cross (ARC)' National Disaster Preparedness Program called the Pillowcase Project. The nursing students used props to tell children about disaster preparedness and instructed them on how to build their own emergency supplies kits. Community Preparedness & Resilience Manager Robert Baldwin and Louisville Area Chapter Chief Executive Officer Jennifer Adrio presented a Certificate of Appreciation Award on Dec. 18 to nursing faculty Montray Smith and her Community Health nursing students for their involvement.
About the local Pillowcase Project:
Now in its fifth year, the initiative supports in-school and after-school curriculum helping second and third grade students learn how to prepare for and cope with emergencies. The program reaches more than 4,000 students throughout portions of Kentucky and Indiana annually.
The Pillowcase Project curriculum is structured by three core principles:Learn, Practice and Share.During apresentation by a trained program leader, children learn about hazards as well as how to prepare for emergencies, enhance coping skills, practice what they have learned and share their knowledge with friends and family. The program emphasizes the importance of developing an emergency communications plan, fire evacuation plan and emergency contact cards.
The program also teaches students how to create their own emergency supply kits by packing essential items in a pillowcase, for easy transport, during an emergency. Students have the opportunity to decorate and personalize their pillowcases during the presentation, and are encouraged to take them home to create a kit.
