Evening star., 1941-03-06
Elaborate Red Cross
Disaster Setup
Slated for Rehearsal
District Chapter System
To Be Given Tryout
At Army Day Parade

A model setup for rescue and first
aid work in event of major dis
aster in Washington is being evolved
by the District chapter of the Red
Gross, with the aid of practical ex-
perience in the handling of crowds.
The system will have a complete
"dress rehearsal" at the Army Day
parade on April 7 and again at the
national convention of the Ameri-
can Red Cross, April 81 to "a. Red
Cross officials think enough of the
Washington organization to recon-
mend it as a model for other chap
ters throughout the country.
The setup was first demonstrated
on an "all out" basis during the
inaugural parade, when TAO trained
volunteers were modified with COM
plete field equipment. including
first-aid stations, ambulances and
tWo-wsy radio sets tuned to a
central station.
Training Emphasized.
The chapter now is extending this
program through the training of
100 volunteers from Federal agen-
cies throughout the city, who will
in turn train and organize first-aid
staffs IN every large Government
building. Such stats would be in
valuable, it was said, in event a
building is isolated by some un-
foreSeen emergency, like a sudden
fire or an explosion.
The Capitals available ambu-
lances will be augmented in the
near future through the use of 100
emergency stretcher racks which
can be installed, at a moments no.
tice. in commercial delivery trucks.
The racks, each of which will hold
four stretchers. were designed by
Miss Mabel T. Boardman, secretary
of the American Red Cross, and are
now on order.
Department stores have agreed to
loan delivery trucks in any number
required should the emergency arise.
The need for such service, it was
said, was demonstrated during the
Knickerbocker disaster, when con-
siderable delay was experienced in
removing scores of wounded after
they had been extricated from the
cave-in of the moving picture thea
ter.
Special Training Given.
The chapter now has 1900 man
and woman volunteers trained in
various specialized capacities in ad-
dition to first aid. Throughout the
year they are assigned to duty at
one or more of some 40 occasions
on which large crowds gather in
Washington. These include parades,
open-air concerts at the Water Gate,
cherry blossom festivities, regattas
and other sports events.
In the organization which served
the huge crowd on Inaugural Day
were so doctors, 80 nurses, go nurses
aides, go automobile drivers, $50
f1rst-aid men, 100 Boy Scouts trained
in emergency first aid, so operators
of short-wave radio stations, 25
stenographers, 25 supply men and
so Boy Scouts who served as mes
sengerS.
This force was equipped with 25
ambulances, 25 Motor Corps cars,
supply trucks, 4 mobile can
teens and several score of two-way,
short-wave radio sets. The volunteer
operators brought their own sets,
many of which they had made
themselves.
More than 500 messages were
transmitted during the seven hours
the emergency radio system was in
operation.
Routes to Hospitals Charted.
The volunteer force was supplied
with charts showing which routes
were open to hospitals during the
hours when many thoroughfares
were blocked or crowded with In
augural Day traffic. Other charts
showed the location of radio and
first-aid stations.
The force was kept advised at all
times as to accommodations at the
various hospitals. The force was
modified and the various organized
units dispatched to their appointed
places in record time.
Incidentally, the local chapter re-
ceived many thank you" notes from
inaugural visitors who were aided
by one of the many services.