New First Aid App Brings American Red Cross Safety Tips to Smart Phones

WASHINGTON, June 14, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Red Cross today launched its official first aid app, putting free and simple lifesaving information right in the hands of smart phone users.

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This app is the first in a series to be created by the American Red Cross, the nation's leader in first aid and emergency preparedness information. It's also the only first aid app created or endorsed by the American Red Cross for use on both the Android and iPhone platforms. It gives instant access to information on how to handle the most common first aid situations, and includes videos and interactive quizzes. Users who take quizzes can earn badges they can share with friends through social media to show off their lifesaving knowledge.

The app takes critical first aid information normally stored on bookshelves and in pamphlets and places it at the fingertips of tens of millions of individuals – which will save lives. The Red Cross app includes trusted Red Cross disaster preparedness information for a number of common situations.

"The penetration of personal smart phone ownership in the U.S. has recently risen above 60 percent and will likely soon reach the level of traditional wire line phones," said Jack McMaster, president, Preparedness and Health and Safety Services at the Red Cross. "The broad availability of this platform opens a new opportunity for us to create custom apps, free of charge, tailored to specific emergencies confronting individuals no matter where they are."

"The American Red Cross First Aid app is a free and easy way to get lifesaving first aid instruction and disaster preparedness information anytime, anywhere," said Red Cross Scientific Advisory Council chair Dr. David Markenson. "Everyone should load this onto their smart phone as an important first step in learning what to do for medical emergencies and in creating a family preparedness plan."

App features include:

• Simple step-by-step instructions for everyday first aid scenarios;
• Prioritized steps to take during an emergency, with 9-1-1 call button;
• Sharable badges to be unlocked through interactive quizzes;
• Videos and animations to make learning first aid fun and easy;
• Safety and preparedness tips for a range of conditions including severe winter weather, hurricanes, earthquakes and tornadoes;
• Preloaded content that gives instant access to all safety information at any time.

The app is free and available for iPhone and Android users. Find the app in the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store for Android by searching for American Red Cross.

The new app builds on the American Red Cross legacy of teaching first aid and lifesaving skills to people across the country. An average of more than 9 million people a year receive Red Cross training in first aid, water safety and other skills that help save lives.

Downloading the app is not a substitute for training. To learn more about American Red Cross first aid or register for a course, visit redcross.org/takeaclass.

About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies more than 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or join our blog at blog.redcross.org.

SOURCE American Red Cross