Oconee County Chapter

Welcome to the Oconee County Chapter web site. We have been chartered since August 3rd, 1918. We are a Local Chapter offering a full line of Community Services which includes Disaster Services, Armed Forces Emergency Services, Health and Safety Services, Fund Raising Services and other services to meet the community's needs.

Our normal business hours are from 8:30am till 4:30pm, Monday through Friday. If for some reason we have to close during normal business hours, call 864-638-5619 and follow the instructions on the answering machine. In case of bad weather, we will follow the Oconee County School closings and openings.

On the left side of this screen, are pictures of our staff. Kathy Rogers-Watson is our Chapter Director. Sangeetha Ranganathan is our Office Manager, Paul Smith is Health and Safety Services Instructor, Sandie Smith is the Director of Program Services. You can click on our picture to send us an e-mail.

To get to our Chapter from Clemson, take Hwy 123 N toward Seneca. Turn right onto Hwy 28 W and go 9 miles into downtown Walhalla. Our Chapter is on the left across from the Exxon Service Station and the Arby's Resturant.

ONLINE DONATIONS AND PAYMENTS. If you would like to make a Donation or Payment online with your credit card, click on Fund Raising, or scroll to the bottom of this page. At the bottom of the screen, choose Donation or Payment, then follow the easy directions. This is a secure site. VISA M/C AMX DISC

Child Safety Seat Inspection will be held on the second Tuesday of every month from10am-2pm at the Oconee Memorial Hospital EMS Ambulance building. The Inspections are by appointment, so please call 864-454-1031 to sign up.

If you would like for the Oconee County Chapter of the American Red Cross to participate or speak at your next function, please call us at 864/638-5619 to make arrangements.

The Lay Responder is often a member of the public that witnesses or arrives shortly after an emergency. The Lay Responder training consist of First Aid, CPR/AED for Adults and Children and CPR for Infants. It is designed to teach you the skills necessary to sustain life until advanced help arrives. This is our basic level course that will give you the confidence to respond to an emergency and give the necessary care for people who have sufferd a heart attack, sudden illness like seizures and stroke, wounds, insect and snake bites, muscle bone and joint injuries, heat and cold emergencies. You will receive a text book and skill cards with this training. Please click on CPR/AED and FA for details.

Professional Responders are the advanced help that arrives on scene after the lay responder activates the EMS system. They are the First Responders from the Rescue Squads and the EMTs. This Professional Training is designed to take over for the Lay Responder and provide the professional care to help save a life. Click on Professional CPR for more details.

Please click on the Pandemic Flu tab for additional information.

Announcing a Lifeguard Course and Swimming Lessons. Please check the Aquatics page for details.

Each year the American Red Cross teaches valuable lifesaving skills to nearly 12 million people, but we can't do it alone. We need your help because you have a gift you can give to others......your time, your knowledge, your experience. Become an American Red Corss instructor and you can by doing the following: make a difference in other's lives, as well as your own; train co-workes and others in your company or organization; give your time to help others learn to save lives; gain valuable teaching experience and receive great training.

Are you the right person? An instructor is a member of a select group of trained and authorized individuals, who reflect the standards and ideals of the American Red Cross. Instructors teach within a Chapters jurisdiction and impart knowledge and skills consistent with American Red Cross policies, procedures, standards and guidelines. As with most anything it is improtant to select the appropriate person for the job. Here are some of the qualities we look for: Communication Skills, Subject Knowledge, Positive Attitude, Patience and Flexibility, and Professional Behavior.

In order to become an instructor, you must first apply, then attend a Fundamentials of Instructor Training course, then attend an instructor course. For additional information on class scheduals, go to the CPR link on the top bar.

The 91st annual meeting for the Oconee County Chapter was held on June 30, 2009 at the Walhalla Depot. The meeting was called to order my Jim Padgett, our Board Chair. The invocation was delivered by Paul Smith. A meal was enjoyed my all. After the meal, Kathy Rogers presented awarads and gave an update on the Chapters finances. Next, was our key note speaker, Ann Wright, Regional Director. The meeting ended with comments by Jim Padgett.

The following awards were given: Volunteers of the Year were, Nicole Beattie for Health and Safety, Chris Roach for Disaster. Exceptional Volunteer went to Kristie Harper, and Disaster Services went to Dale Harper. Paul Smith received the Spirit of Excellence award, and Sandie Smith was presented a Plaque of Appreciation by the Disaster Team. Dennis Logan was presented a Certificate of Appreciation for his volunteer work on our web site.

The Oconee County Chapter would like to thank the following for their donations to our meeting: Fatz Resturant, Seneca Family Resturant, Elanors Flowers, KFC of Seneca, Seneca MacDonalds Resturant, Copper River Resturant. A special thanks to Jim and Kathy Padgett for getting these donations.

Our key note speaker was Ann Wright, our Regional Director. She congragulated the volunteers for their dedication and selfless work giving help to others. She indicated that Region wide, we work two house fires per day. She also talked about the help provided for rehab to our fire and rescue members. Her message was inspiring and hopefull. Note: Oconee County Chapter averaged one house fire per 1.5 weeks this past year.