Milford chronicle., 1936-12-18
RED CROSS NEWS


With nearly 1.00e emergency sta
ti0ns now functi0ning in As states,
the American Red Cross is giving
first-aid to victims Of highway dis
asters. Il Is rightly called first
aid at the crossroads" since these
various posts have been established
at service stations, tourist inns, ru-
raj police stations and Gre depart
ments along the key highways where
accidents have occurred IN the past,
and where medical aid and hospital
facilities are at q minimum.
Besides the 1000 stations already
in operation. $500 similar units win
soon be set up.
The personnel of the posts Is se-
lected with care and thoroughly
trained to give intelligent help to ac-
cident victims before the doctor
comes. At least two persons at each
station receive the standard train
ing in first-aid and the station Is
provided with the necessary equip
ment and marked by an appropriate
roadside sign. Red Cross chapters
are responsible for the operation Of
the emergency stations in their ter
ritOry and assist in periodically
checking stations so that each may
be kept at the peak of efficiency.
A complete list Of nearest hOspi-
tails, physicians and ambulance seI-
vice hangs above the telephone so
that medical aid may be summoned
without loss of time.
The equipment of these posts con-
sists Of an adequate first-aid kit; in
many, a half-ring splint for frac-
lures supplements the kit.
This service to the motoring pub
lie is without charge, and the men /
and women first-aiders manning the |
stations are volunteers. First-aiders /
are not physicians, but they have
been thoroughly trained in making
correctly a simple diagnosis They
can tell shock when they see Il and
they know how to treat it. They
have been taught to stop arterial
bleeding by the pressure point meth
Cd. They know how property to
iIess severe burns so that immedi-
ate danger of infection is mininiiZ-
ed. They know how to splint a frac-
.ured long bone so that the victim
can be moved without running the
risk of being permanently crippled
and they know when to insist that
he injured person not be moved.
The first-aider is, in fact, the ad-
Tance agent of the physician.
Each day fiFst-aid station attend
lnts file reports with headquarters
If assistance given to victims Of
accidents. Description Of
he injuries show that at least so I
leF cent Of such accidents are SER
Gus. Injuries range from crushed
,hests and fractured skulls to se-
ERE burns and compound fractures |
# the limbs. In other words, half
# these accidents produced the type '
# hurts which mishandling on the !
pot, or no attention at all, might
onvert into fatalities.
These highway first-aid units are {
by 100000 men and
women who have been trained in
Irst-aid by the Red Cross. Last
ear, more than 222.O00 persons re q
eiVed Red Cross irst-aid certth- q
ates. c
Highway first-aid patrOls-mobile a
are soon to complement the sta '
onery posts. Several thousand i
-ucks, which run regularly on the L
ighways in the course Of routine .
ork, will be equipped with first-aid :
its. Drivers and crews must have 3
assed courses of instruction in 2
9th standard and advanced irst-aid. z
ach truck will bear a mark iden- z
flying it as a Red Cross mobile unit
rst-aid. IL
The first organized unit Of the z
ghway patrol is now functioning 2
Kent County. Delaware. 1t is 2