_{Written by Lucy Weber, Red Cross Volunteer}

Jens Haetty has always wanted to work with nonprofit organizations. Now that he’s retiring, he’s choosing to spend his time teaching children how to safely respond to home fires with the “Prepare With Pedro” program at the American Red Cross.

When asked why he chose the “Prepare With Pedro” program to volunteer with, Jens had this to say: “The Red Cross was on my list… I also wanted to get to know the community. For example, by doing this, I get around all over the Portland area… I looked at what the Red Cross was offering, and I saw this Pedro thing… I’m usually good with kids, so I thought, wow, that’s something that I’d like… So what I’m doing now, I’m not just doing the presentations; I’m organizing all the Pedro presentations in the area, reaching out to schools and things like that.”

Jens is a big believer in the idea that children are smarter than people give them credit for. In his time working with the program, he’s never encountered an unresponsive group of kids. He likes the idea that children will take the information he gives them and share it with their parents or other adults in their home. Not only does the program teach kids how to respond in a fire, but it also gives them the opportunity to teach their parents something about home safety.

One of Jens’s greatest strengths is his ability to tailor his presentation to his audience. Working with his co-presenter, Erika, he simulated a smoky atmosphere using a blanket. As he made smoke alarm beeping noises, you could hear kids laughing as they learned how to stay low while leaving a smoky house.

The ability to turn fire safety information into an engaging presentation with props and some funny back-and-forth is just one of the reasons Jens shines as a volunteer.

When asked if he follows Pedro’s advice, Jens was happy to report that he’s always prepared with emergency kits and smoke alarms.

Red Cross volunteers like Jens work hard to keep the people in their community safe. If you want to join Jens and the thousands of other volunteers who make the Red Cross what it is, visit RedCross.org/Volunteer to get involved.