Red Cross Acronyms
Here's a list of the most commonly used acronyms in the Red Cross.

ACFASP	Advisory Council on First Aid, Aquatics, Safety and Preparedness	Formed in late 1998 by the American Red Cross as an independent panel of nationally recognized health and safety experts; provides advice in areas related to the development and dissemination of audience-appropriate information and training in first aid, aquatics, safety and preparedness.
ACFS	Annual Chapter Financial Statement	Yearly financial report filed by chapters; critical to maintaining public trust and ensuring accountability.
ADA	Americans with Disabilities Act	A 1990 law that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in employment, transportation, public accommodation, communications, and governmental activities.
ADGP	Annual Disaster Giving Program	Red Cross ADGP members are corporations or foundations that pledge to give anywhere from $200,000 to more than $1 million per year to the Disaster Relief Fund. They may also donate new, bulk goods or valuable services that are needed on disasters and directly reduce costs.
AED	Automated External Defibrillator	A computerized medical device that can check a person’s heart rhythm, recognize a rhythm that requires a shock, and advise the rescuer (through lights, voice prompts and text messages) when a shock is needed.
AP	Authorized Provider	A company, organization, agency or individual that has signed an Authorized Provider Agreement with a chapter to provide American Red Cross instructional programs
ARC 3000	American Red Cross 3000 Series	Compilation of administrative regulations and operating procedures under which the Red Cross carries out its Disaster Services program
ATLAS	Alliance for Technology Linking All Services	An integrated suite of software applications for chapters that includes learning management, disaster client assistance, and human capital management
BAT	Basic Aid Training	A 6-hour course that introduces youths aged 8-10 to the emergency action steps (Check-Call-Care) and to basic first aid procedures.
BBP	Bloodborne Pathogen	An infectious disease, especially human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV), caused by exposure to blood and other body fluids.
BHQ	Biomedical Headquarters	The American Red Cross' national management team for Biomedical Services
BOG	Board of Governors	The governing body of the American Red Cross
BPS	Best Practices System	A program for sharing information among field units and recognizing successful units, staff and volunteers
BRM	Business Reply Mail	A postal process that encourages customers to reply to solicitations because the sender pays the postage for return mailings. The American Red Cross holds a BRM permit and renews it annually.
BSD	Blood Services Directive	An official procedural directive from Biomedical Headquarters; it is a regulated document
CAC	Client Assistance Card	A card that functions like a debit card and allows chapters and disaster relief operations to quickly provide clients with financial assistance
CAM	Cost Analysis Model	A tool to help develop pricing for American Red Cross health and safety programs
CAN	Coordinated Assistance Network	A partnership of leading nonprofit disaster relief organizations that participate in community-led preparedness and response coalitions and focus on ways to apply resources to most effectively serve those in need.
CAS	Client Assistance System	A software program designed to manage information about the needs of disaster clients and the assistance provided to them
CBFCU	Clara Barton Federal Credit Union	Financial services institution that offers a complete range of savings, deposit and lending services for Red Cross employees and volunteers who become members
CBO	Chapter Board Orientation	A nine-module training course designed to prepare new chapter board members to understand and fulfill their roles, responsibilities and duties
CBS	Choice-Based Services	Program that provides cost-effective solutions to help chapters meet their diverse information technology needs
CCI	Chapter Chair Institute	Training to help new chapter chairs understand their role and responsibilities and the strategic issues facing the organization, both locally and nationally.
CDAP	Chapter Donor Acquisition Program	Fundraising program to increase the number of new donors and reinstated donors to the Red Cross for ongoing solicitation by chapter
CDC	Centers for Disease Control and Prevention	U.S. public health agency devoted to helping prevent and control infectious and chronic diseases, injuries, workplace hazards, disabilities, and environmental health threats
CDE	Community Disaster Education	The process of increasing public awareness and educating members of the community in order to help people prevent, prepare for, and cope with disasters
CDRA	Chapter Disaster Readiness Assessment	Evaluation to determine whether sufficient human resources and material resources exist to respond to a disaster.
CEI	Chapter Executive Institute	Week-long training to support and accelerate the development of newly hired chapter executives.
CFC	Combined Federal Campaign	Annual workplace fund-raising drive conducted among federal employees, postal workers and military personnel to raise money for charities, including the American Red Cross
CHERS	Chapter Enrollment Reporting System	Software application used by chapters and AFES stations to support and manage information pertaining to preparedness and response training courses
CIB	Chapter Information Bulletin	A document sent to chapters on an as-needed basis that details the American Red Cross response to, or anticipation of, major events such as a disaster relief operation or international crisis
CIIPA	Confidential Information and Intellectual Property Agreement	An agreement prohibiting disclosure of any confidential American Red Cross information to any person not authorized to receive it or use of such information to the disadvantage of the American Red Cross
CLC	Creating Leadership Connections	Leadership development course that new chapter executives and board chairs attend together when either is new to their chapter leadership positions
COBRA	Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act	1985 federal law that requires employers, such as the American Red Cross, to offer “qualified beneficiaries” the option of continuing group health and/or dental coverage under certain circumstances
COOP	Continuity of Operations Plan	Strategy for resuming critical operations efficiently and effectively if they are interrupted by emergencies
CPR	Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation	Lifesaving technique combining rescue breathing and chest compression that keeps oxygenated blood flowing to the brain and other vital organs; useful in emergencies in which someone's breathing or heartbeat has stopped
CPS	Chapter Performance Standards	Standards by which the performance of chartered field units are evaluated, falling into two general classifications: Core Requirements and Critical Performance Standards. The former are basic standards that establish the fundamental expectations of performance and governance; the latter are higher-level standards that identify chapters delivering superior results and demonstrating improvement over prior periods.
CSDU	Certified Service Delivery Unit	A type of non-chartered unit responsible for service delivery and usually financial development activities within a defined jurisdiction, but managed by and responsible to the certifying chapter’s board of directors
DAT	Disaster Action Team	A team of trained Red Cross paid and/or volunteer staff sent to the scene of a disaster to provide immediate disaster relief to those affected by disaster and to emergency workers responding to the incident
DFRAP	Disaster Fundraising Action Plan	A strategy for year-round disaster fundraising and for building the infrastructure to effectively manage a fundraising campaign for a large-scale non-recurrent disaster
DHS	Disaster Health Services	Provides emergency and preventive health services to disaster victims and to Red Cross Disaster Services staff assigned to provide disaster relief services
DMHS	Disaster Mental Health Services	Provides mental health support to those affected by disasters (whether they have disaster-caused damage, reside in the disaster-affected area, are relatives of those affected, or have disaster-related emotional difficulties created by mass media exposure) as well as to Red Cross Disaster Services staff assigned to a disaster relief operation, and to their families
DOC	Disaster Operations Center	The 24-hour operations center located at national headquarters that serves as the primary point of contact for all Disaster Services activities
DRM	Donor Relationship Management	The process of developing and promoting partnerships between the American Red Cross and individual or organizational donors or prospective donors
DRMS	Disaster Resource Management System	Software application to recruit, assign and track DSHR members and Response volunteers
DRO	Disaster Relief Operation	A temporary administrative organization created by the Red Cross to focus resources on, and accomplish service delivery for, a specific disaster
DRP	Disaster Response Plan	A document containing the compilation of hazard and risk analyses, operating procedures, directives, checklists, resource inventories, agreements, and other materials necessary for a Red Cross unit to execute an effective disaster response
DSHR	Disaster Services Human Resources	Nationwide system of employees and volunteers that enables the American Red Cross to provide prompt and efficient disaster relief services to the American people
DWI	Disaster Welfare Inquiry	The function within a disaster relief operation responsible for receiving and responding to inquiries about the health and welfare of individuals and families within a disaster area, collecting and reporting information about such persons, and providing services leading to the reunification of family members in an affected area
DWIB	Disaster Welfare Inquiry Bulletin	A communication from national headquarters that provides field units with all known information about a disaster (e.g., extent of damage) so that units can provide this information to people wishing to place inquiries about loved ones
ECC	Emergency Cardiovascular Care	The assessment and treatment of victims of respiratory and/or cardiac emergencies and stroke, including basic and advanced life support interventions
EDDR	Electronic Donor Distribution Report	Monthly report that details financial contributions and inquiries received at national headquarters; enables chapters to quickly import valuable donation records (in both HTML and spreadsheet formats) into their database to re-solicit donors as quickly as possible
EHL	Exploring Humanitarian Law	Educational program designed to expose teenagers (ages 13-18) to issues of humanitarian law and principles of respect for life and human dignity
ERV	Emergency Response Vehicle	Vehicle used on a disaster relief operation to provide mobile or fixed feeding and, as necessary, to be used as a casework, command or communications center or to transfer supplies
ESA	Environmental Site Assessment	Process by which a Red Cross unit identifies potentially hazardous conditions prior to acquiring property
FACT	First Aid for Children Today	A course for children ages 5-8 (grades K-3) that teaches health promotion and injury prevention activities, including hygiene and health habits, first aid, and personal safety
FDA	Food and Drug Administration	Federal agency responsible for protecting the public health by assuring the safety, efficacy, and security of human and veterinary drugs, biological products (including blood and blood products), medical devices, our nation’s food supply, and cosmetics
FEMA	Federal Emergency Management Agency	Government agency charged with helping prepare the public for hazards and managing federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident
FIT	Fundamentals of Instructor Training	Training course to introduce instructor candidates to the history, structure, activities and policies of the American Red Cross and prepare them to teach Red Cross specialty courses to diverse populations
FMPP	Financial Manual of Policy and Procedures	Manual designed to assist chapters in ensuring that Red Cross assets are properly safeguarded and financial results are reported accurately
FOCIS	Field Operations Consolidated Information Systems	Red Cross internal Website that contains service delivery, human resources, financial, demographic, market segment and jurisdictional data on all units in the Chapter Service Delivery Network
FRN-OCRA	Funds Raised for National - Online Chapter Reporting Application	Fundraising reporting system that enables chapters to post donation information to the Field Unit Reporting Portal
FURP	Field Unit Reporting Portal	Website on which field units post their annual budgets and other financial information
GSD	General Services Division	The division within national headquarters responsible for procurement, warehousing, maintenance, and distribution of goods and services to Red Cross units
HIV	Human Immunodeficiency Virus	Either of two closely related viruses responsible for AIDS that can be transmitted through infected blood
HRP	Hurricane Recovery Program	A dedicated effort by the Red Cross to support families and communities devastated by hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma
HRPPM	Human Resources Policy and Procedure Manual	Compilation of personnel policies and procedures that apply to employees and volunteers in nationally paid units
HSS	Health and Safety Services	Line of services consisting of community education and training in first aid, CPR, aquatics and water safety, HIV/AIDS prevention, and mission-related caregiving for the elderly and other priority groups
HSSAT	Health and Safety Services Administrator Training	Course designed to provide participants with the basic knowledge needed to effectively manage a Health and Safety Services Program in a chapter
ICP2	Indicators of Chapter Performance and Potential	Performance measurement system that provides chapters with information on their current performance and maximum potential in several areas: service quality, fundraising efficiency, volunteer satisfaction, etc.
ICRC	International Committee of the Red Cross	An impartial, neutral and independent organization dedicated to protecting the lives and dignity of victims of war and internal violence and providing them with assistance
IDWI	International Disaster Welfare Inquiry	A request for information about relatives who are citizens of other countries and who are believed to live in areas affected by a disaster overseas and with whom no contact is possible
IFRC	International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies	A coalition of individual Red Cross and Red Crescent national societies that coordinate relief efforts throughout the world occurring outside the theater of war and other forms of armed conflict
IHL	International Humanitarian Law	The branch of international law that encompasses humanitarian principles and international treaties that seek to save lives and alleviate the suffering of both combatants and noncombatants during armed conflict
JP	Jefferson Park	National headquarters facility located in Falls Church, Virginia.
LMS	Learning Management System	Web-based application that schedules, manages and tracks online and classroom-based training and also launches online course content
MAP	Merit Award Process	Compensation program at national headquarters to reward top contributors so as to encourage the retention of high-performing employees
MAPP	Manual of Administrative Policies and Procedures	Compilation of the national policies and procedures related to activities in Health and Safety Services training and education and related products
MASRU	Military Aid Society Referral Unit	The Armed Forces Emergency Services technical resource unit, located at national headquarters, that processes military aid society referrals
MDA	Magen David Adom	The Israeli equivalent of the Red Cross; admitted to membership in the International Red Cross Movement in June 2006 after a Diplomatic Conference adopted a new neutral symbol, the "Red Crystal," enabling the MDA to use the Red Shield of David inside the crystal when operating outside of Israel
NAN	National Account Network	A network of chapters that have agreed to provide services to national or regional customers; allows customers to enter into a single agreement with the Red Cross to receive courses or services over a broad geographical area.
NAT	Nurse Assistant Training	Training to enable nurse assistants to provide quality care for residents in long-term care facilities
NHQ	National Headquarters	The principal office of the American Red Cross and of its corporate management; located in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.
NNC	National Nursing Committee	Supports and promotes the involvement of nurses, primarily volunteer nurses, throughout the American Red Cross
NPM	National Preparedness Month	Month (usually September) devoted to increasing public awareness about the importance of preparing for emergencies and encouraging individuals to take action
NRP	National Response Plan	All-hazards plan that establishes mechanisms for federal government involvement in, and coordination of, incident management operations; the American Red Cross helped draft the plan and plays a significant role in it
NSC	National Safety Council	Organization that promotes safety, health and environmental policies, practices and procedures that prevent and mitigate human suffering and economic losses arising from preventable causes
NTL	National Testing Laboratory	A Red Cross lab that performs blood testing services for all Blood Services regions
NVOAD	National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster	A coalition of national voluntary organizations, including the American Red Cross, with a common interest in providing disaster relief.
OGC	Office of the General Counsel	Chief legal office of the American Red Cross; ensures that the Red Cross complies with all applicable laws and that all legal matters involving the corporation are resolved in a manner that best protects our interests
ONCOV	Office of the National Chair of Volunteers	Office at national headquarters that helps ensure effective volunteer deployment, identify productive and creative volunteer roles, recruit suitable volunteers, and track and evaluate the contributions of volunteers to the Red Cross
ORB	Online Resource Book	A Web-based collection of disaster-specific data and resources that provides Red Cross field units with up-to-the-minute information to answer inquiries from the public and the media
OSHA	Occupational Safety and Health Administration	U.S. government agency that aims to ensure worker safety and health in the United States by working with employers and employees to create better working environments
PDP	Performance Development Process	National headquarters program to evaluate employees and help align individual goals with the overall strategic objectives of the organization
PRSA	Public Relations Society of America	Organization dedicated to advancing the standards of the public relations profession and providing members with professional development opportunities
PSA	Public Service Advertising	Advertising produced for public benefit and aired on a free, space-available basis on behalf of a non-profit organization; the primary form of Red Cross advertising
QRT	Quick Response Team	A team deployed to a threatened or affected area to make an on-site assessment of the scope of a disaster, its impact, and the need for resources and to recommend any actions necessary to initiate, support, or expand Red Cross service delivery
REAP	Real Estate Approval Process	Procedures and policies governing the acquisition, renovation, sale, demolition, or lease of property by Red Cross units
RED	Retain Episodic Donors	A project to engage, cultivate and solicit donors who gave to the 2004 tsunami and 2005 hurricane relief efforts to convert them to regular Red Cross donors
ROC	Regional Operations Center	Temporary federal operations facility established by a regional office of FEMA to coordinate federal disaster response and recovery activities in that region until the disaster field office becomes operational
RRT	Rapid Response Team	Communications specialists who mobilize before, during, or immediately after a disaster strikes and work with media to provide people living outside the affected area with key messages about preparedness and response and with overall information about our relief efforts in this particular disaster
SAF	Service to the Armed Forces	A line of Red Cross services for members of the U.S. military and their families, especially emergency communications during times of family crisis.
SAS	Shared Administrative Services	Project to create an integrated system of technology, processes and controls for many of the organization's administrative functions; establishes a single system that allows for uniformity of financial and administrative data
SCA	Sudden Cardiac Arrest	Condition arising when electrical impulses in the heart suddenly become chaotic, causing the heart's pumping action to stop abruptly; requires immediate restoration of normal heart rhythm, which can be accomplished through use of automatic external defibrillators (AEDs)
SCC	State Coordinating Chapter	A chapter designated to provide overall leadership and administration of disaster relief planning within a state
SD21	Service Delivery for the Twenty-First Century	Initiative approved in 1991 that established a framework for chapter service delivery consisting of services that chapters MUST, SHOULD, and MAY deliver to retain their charter
SFI	Strategic Fundraising Initiative	A plan to help the Red Cross improve its financial viability by raising money more efficiently and improving the donor experience
SIP	Select Investment Program	Professionally managed investment program that enables Red Cross units to invest endowment and discretionary assets
SOAP	Strategic Opportunity Assessment Project	Initiative to review and assess the merits of organization-wide projects, programs, and partnerships suggested by Red Cross employees or volunteers
SOU	Statement of Understanding	Formal agreement between the American Red Cross and another organization to participate in a long-term cooperative relationship
SOX	Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002	U.S. law designed to strengthen federal oversight of public companies and bringing more transparency to corporate dealings, particularly financial and management matters
SRP	September 11 Recovery Program	Initiative to provide long-term services, including financial assistance and referral to social work agencies for case management needs, to individuals and families directly affected by the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001
SSC	Shared Services Center	Facility in Charlotte, North Carolina, that serves as a centralized processing center for the key accounting and purchasing functions of the American Red Cross
SSDA	State Service Delivery Area	A geographical area that is not within the jurisdiction of a chapter; formerly called a “gap area”
SSI	School Safety Initiative	American Red Cross movement to support schools in developing the skills and confidence to prevent, prepare for and respond to natural disasters, accidents, and human-caused emergencies like shootings and terrorism; serves as the “prototype” for the Together We Prepare-Schools program
SST	Sport Safety Training	Sports injury prevention, first aid and CPR training course tailored for coaches, athletic trainers and others who support and supervise organized athletics
TLD	Training and Leadership Development	Department at national headquarters charged with developing and delivering state-of-the-art leadership training for volunteers and employees and providing a clearly-defined "learning path" for aspiring employee and volunteer leaders
TRP	Tsunami Recovery Program	Five-year recovery program established six months after tsunami struck South Asia in December 2004
TWP	Together We Prepare	Initiative that encourages five actions -- make a plan, build a kit, get trained, volunteer, and give blood -- that every organization, individual and family should take to better prepare themselves for an emergency or disaster
VAI	Volunteer Administration Institute	Professional development conference that focuses on building volunteer capacity and developing volunteer resources management strategies to meet business and strategic goals
VAVS	Veterans Affairs Volunteer Services	Program through which Red Cross volunteers help provide military veterans in VA medical facilities with physical rehabilitation, nursing, social work, and other services
VOAD	Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster	State or regional coalition of voluntary organizations with a common interest in providing disaster relief
WSI	Water Safety Instructor	Course that trains instructor candidates to teach water safety, including strategies for planning and conducting effective and safe swim lessons