American Red Cross of Central Oklahoma

Heritage of Volunteers & Staff

1863:    Henri Dunant founded the International Committee of the Red Cross.

1881:    Clara Barton founded the American Red Cross.

1906:    Indian Branch of American Red Cross formed. Beginning of county Chapters.

1917:    Oklahoma Governor Robert L. Williams asked 15 men to organize a Red Cross Chapter for Oklahoma City.

World   Church and club groups suspended efforts during the war to assist the American

War I:   Red Cross. The Production Department made 58,614 garments and 1,329,496 surgical dressings for the war efforts in a three week period. Comfort kits for soldiers to take overseas were made. The Red Cross Canteen serviced over 72,000 service men during the war. Red Cross volunteers made visits to homes with service men overseas. Assistance for veterans filing compensation was established. Flowers and shrubs were distributed to service families at the end of the war so that they could beautify their areas for returning soldiers. In all 16,263 families were served.

1920:    First Red Cross public health nurses in the Oklahoma City area are trained.

1930:    1000 people instructed in life saving during the summer. City ordinance passed to make it compulsory to have qualified lifeguards at park swimming pools.

1932:    Drought Relief Program started.  9,050 barrels of flour were distributed to 500 families.  Red Cross volunteers delivered milk daily for 4,000 people.

1935:    The Disaster Prevention Plan was completely revised and all equipment was put in readiness for disasters. Home and Farm Accident Prevention was added to the safety programs.

1937:    The Dietetics Project with University Hospital was launched.

World   The Volunteer Special Services was reorganized by Alice Hyde. First Aid

War II:  Instruction was accelerated. A Mobile Red Cross Canteen was set up at Santa Fe Railroad Station. Day rooms for service men were furnished with home furniture, books, games, musical instruments and snacks. 513 nurses’ aids were certified; 385 Canteen Corps volunteers gave 11,142 hours; and 3,637,800 surgical dressings were made by 4,000 volunteers.

1941:    Local Junior Red cross organized to involve youth in every line of Red Cross service.

1943:    Campaign headed by Governor Robert S. Kerr to raise $261,500 in support of the War Fund (goal was surpassed by $17,000 in just 2½ weeks).

1946:    Motor Corps services to Tinker personnel expanded to provide community transportation for medical appointments.

1947:    A survey showed that 52% of all school age children did not know how to swim. A two week “Learn to Swim” campaign taught 4,716 students.

1948:    The Chapter won national recognition for a water safety clinic in which every phase of water safety was discussed and demonstrated. Esther Williams performed a water ballet.

1949:    Chapter volunteers contributed 60,000 man hours of instruction in Home Nursing, Safety Services, Accident Prevention and First Aid.

1950:    40,000 people trained in first aid as part of a nation-wide Civil Defense Plan.

1952:    The first United Fund Red Cross Campaign drive was held; a predecessor to the United Way. A new artificial respiration method was introduced to Red Cross First Aid.

1954:    Junior Red Cross members planted and delivered 500 potted plants to V.A. Hospital patients.

1959:    Chapter volunteers gave 64,000 hours of service.

1960:    “Talking Tapes” and “Voices From Home” projects were initiated.  These were Christmas messages from family members to service men overseas. 222 messages were made in a two week period.

1962:    Lost Children’s Booth at the State Fair was initiated.

1964:    Oklahoma County Chapter pioneered a program on disaster equipment storage that shortened response time in outlying areas. This began the concept of combined service territories.

1966:    With KOCO-TV the Chapter made the first locally produced TV program in the United States on First Aid.  80,000 viewers took the First Aid test.

1970:    Red Cross volunteers worked with the municipal courts providing counselors for individuals on probation and volunteers to assist them in filling out these forms.

1971:    First youth elected to Red Cross Board of Directors.

1972:    Red Cross volunteers took part in Project Find. They contacted 5,000 elderly citizens informing them of benefits of which they might not be aware.

1976:    Red Cross volunteers maintained First Aid stations at 10 area clinics during the mass swine flu immunizations.  133,000 people were immunized.

1980:    CPR Clearinghouse was initiated. The goal with this project was to train 25,000 citizens in CPR.

1984:    The Chapter began its transplantation services, retrieving bone and tissue to be used in surgical procedures.

1985:    HIV/AIDS education program introduced.

1987:    The Chapter moved to its new Chapter House at 601 NE 6^th Street.

1989:    Red Cross manned over 800 shifts during a two-week Olympic Festival.  Logging in well over 15,000 hours. Volunteers answered over 6,000 disaster welfare inquires from the California earthquake.

1990:    Inaugural Swimfest began. Olympic Star Matt Biondi and Traci Ruiz Conforto dazzled thousands of children. The fundraiser exceeded 64% of its original goal. Over 250 new volunteers were trained during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm to aid Service to Military Families and veterans. The families Information Booth and Friends of Veterans programs began at the Veterans Association Medical Center.

1991:    Northeast OKC fires broke out, 83 homes were affected, and 81 were destroyed.  The Red Cross spends nearly $1 million to help the families recover-the most expensive disaster response effort to date in the Chapter’s history. Over 1,500 individuals were assisted by Red Cross volunteers. Red Cross trained more than 250 casework volunteers to assist with military cases resulting from Desert Storm.

1992:    April 14, OKC Red Cross celebrates 75 years. Elizabeth Dole assumes the position as President of the American National Red Cross, donating her first year’s salary back to the organization.

1995:    April 19, 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. This event brought the community together and collaborations between other agencies, as well as creating the need for Mental Health.  The Red Cross responds with 9,500 volunteers, providing food, shelter, First Aid, crisis counseling and more.  In addition, our jurisdiction grew to include Kingfisher and Lincoln counties.

1996:    Red Cross services were tested all over the nation by Hurricane Bertha in July, Hurricane Fran in September, Atlanta Olympic Bombing in July and TWA flight #800 crash in July.  Southern Plains Area Tissue Services transitions from a local Chapter service to a National Tissue Bank.

1997:    Central Oklahoma Chapter’s 80^th Anniversary in the community, serving thousands of people every year through over 50 services. Launch of the $2 million dollar Capital Campaign to expand the Chapter building. 15,000 Oklahoma City students received HIV/AIDS awareness training from the Red Cross.

1999:    May 3, 1999, an F5 tornado, the most devastating tornado in the State’s history, and the largest tornado ever recorded.

2000:    ACT FAST (Area City Teens First Aid Safety Training) Collaborative effort between American Red Cross, Oklahoma City Fire Department and Oklahoma City Public Schools to train all ninth grade students in CPR and first aid training by the end of the 2000-2001 school year, training a total of over 3,100 students.

2001:    Central Oklahoma Chapter responds to terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Within one-two days, all airports closed, with experienced volunteers responding to a multitude of disasters. The Chapter offered support and guidance to the Chapters affected, and sent local family members of the Oklahoma City Bombing to support those who lost loved ones.  Once again, our Chapter took on more jurisdictions to include eastern Caddo and Grady counties.  These changes brought our total jurisdiction to five counties served by our Chapter facilities in Oklahoma City, Midwest City, Prague and Chickasha.

2002:    Groundbreaking for new Chapter building, to allow all Red Cross services in Oklahoma City provided by the Central Oklahoma Chapter to be housed under one roof.  Satellite offices at Tinker Air Force Base, Chickasha and Lincoln County continue to be maintained for serve in these areas.

2004:    The Central Oklahoma Chapter dedicated their newly expanded and remodeled building on April 13th. The building doubled in size, allowing for a larger Emergency Operations Center and three training rooms.