Schedule a Blood Donation and Get Safety Information with Amazon Alexa

Red Cross launches three new voice skills, enabling users to access common first aid tips, get notifications for major storms, and schedule blood appointments

News provided by

American Red Cross

Apr 16, 2019, 12:19 ET

WASHINGTON, April 16, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- To make it easier for people to access its services and get critical safety information, the American Red Cross is expanding its reach with voice technology through Alexa, Amazon's voice service.

By using Alexa-enabled devices, people can enable skills for Alexa to schedule a blood donation, get valuable first aid information, or receive notifications about an approaching hurricane. This is in addition to the currently existing ability for Alexa users to make financial donations to the Red Cross.

Highlights 3 amazing skills from the American Red Cross. Red Cross Blood – to schedule your next donation appointment. First Aid – educates you on first aid topics. Hurricane alerts – be notified about impending hurricanes and know your loved ones are safe.

"Supporting the nation's blood supply and helping keep people safe are among our top priorities and we are constantly looking to make it easier to share this lifesaving information," said Gail McGovern, president and CEO of the Red Cross. "Now, we're using innovation and voice technology to reach a broader group of Americans with these new skills for Alexa."

HOW IT WORKS

The Red Cross Blood scheduling skill helps users schedule a blood donation appointment, find blood drives nearby and get notification reminders. Blood donors can also link to their Red Cross account to manage their appointments. Donors can open the Red Cross Blood skill with a selection of prompts such as, "Alexa, open Red Cross Blood skill," and ask, for example, "Alexa, find a blood drive."

The Red Cross First Aid skill gives users valuable advice and tips to prepare for many emergency situations they might face. People can also test their first aid knowledge and play the first aid quiz for many of the topics covered by this skill. First Aid learners can open the Red Cross First Aid skill and ask, for example, "Alexa, how do I treat a bee sting?"

The Red Cross Hurricane Alerts skill helps those who live in hurricane prone areas, or who have loved ones who do, receive notifications when a hurricane watch or warning is issued for locations important to the user, along with vital steps on how to prepare. Hurricane alerts can be set up for U.S. locations and territories of interest via the Hurricane Alert skill by asking "Alexa, ask Hurricane Alerts what are my alerts."

All of the Red Cross skills are available to anyone with an Alexa-enabled device such as Amazon Echo, Echo Dot, Echo Show or Echo Spot, providing a convenient, voice-enabled experience. The skills can be enabled in the Alexa Skills Store through the Alexa app or Amazon.com.

For more on the American Red Cross skills for Alexa, please visit redcross.org/alexa-skills.

About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 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 cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.

SOURCE American Red Cross