The American site for the Red Cross (www.redcross.org) A key worldwide player in first aid training, disaster relief, prisoner of war tracing and welfare, missing persons, community service, blood donation – the Red Cross has been doing good work since its foundation in 1881.

In America the Red Cross employs 35,000 people, relies on the goodwill and support of 500,000 volunteers and the four million people a year who give blood. The statistic that I really like is that 91 cents in the dollar from donations is actually spent on humanitarian programmes. Click through the links for volunteering, training, donating…

Part of the worldwide international Red Cross and Red Crescent movement, the Red Cross helps bring humanitarian relief and support to the most gruesome conflicts and disasters.

Their First Aid Training programmes are excellent.

Every home should have ay least a basic first aid book – in the USA you can get 'First Aid Fast' in English and Spanish from the local Red Cross Chapter.

THE PAGE BELOW COULD SAVE A LIFE - MAYBE YOURS!

If you are after an online first aid reference you could try 'First Aid Tips' from the British Red Cross website – bookmark the page below for quick tips for first aid emergencies! (I presume the US Red Cross has legal problems on displaying this type of info, but if you need it, you need it…)

http://www.redcross.org.uk/What-we-do/First-aid/First-aid-tips-and-videos

Emergency? Not sure what to do? Don't panic. If the page above is bookmarked you or someone else can at least check that you are carrying out the correct treatment for the problem while waiting for the ambulance. Heart attacks, strokes, anaphylactic shock, electrocution, bleeding, breaks and burns – all the main everyday injuries are covered, often with short video clips to assist. It's a website that might actually save a life… (I recommend sending the link to family and friends.)

Very useful. Highly recommended.