Red Cross Day at UWS offers students and residents to learn about how the American Red Cross operates. The organization offered instruction on CPR and AED use, but taught about how they provide services internationally.

Dan Williams, the Executive Director of the Northeastern Minnesota Red Cross, said they are looking for more volunteers. He said the Red Cross is looking to help people become more resilient.

“Think about checking their smoke alarms and making sure their smoke alarms are less than 10 years old,” Williams said. “If they have batteries, make sure the batteries are replaced. Learn how to escape out of your house and meet in a spot outside so you don’t go back in. So there’s all of those things that we do to make sure people are more resilient.”

Williams also said they coordinated with UWS to create a refugee exhibit to show the organization’s efforts in other nations.

“One of the great programs that the Red Cross has done for decades now is our international services work. So, part of that is things like international disaster relief,” Williams said. “So, our exhibit today helps people sort of take them through the experience of a refugee in a nonpolitical way, help them understand better what the experience of a refugee might be.”

Dr. Khalil (Haji) Dokhanchi of University of Wisconsin-Superior, said the refugee exhibit provides information about the decades long exhibit.

“We have done this for the last 20 years. It used to be landmine exhibit and then it turns into a refugee exhibit,” Dr. Dokhanchi said. “We are trying to go back to some of the original mission of the Red Cross and so this is part of a broader program.”

The refugee exhibit also provided tangible examples of the desperate struggles families face. 

“We are just trying to teach people this is what makes the refugee, a refugee,” Dr. Dokhanchi said. “Then taking them through the journey just to see what kind of stages or things that refugees have to go through. Just so people have a better understanding.”

For more information on Red Cross Day you can read more here. Also for other stories with CPR you can read more here.