SAFETY SERVICES water safety. Not only did more chapters conduct swimming programs, but also many extended their programs throughout rural areas that had not been reached before. An increased number of organizations and individuals received authoritative informa¬tion and help from Red Cross Safety Services in setting up adequate water safety programs in communities, at camps, schools, and pub¬lic beaches. The record number of 38 National Aquatic Schools had an enrollment of more than 3,500 students. Qualified as instructors in first aid and water safety, these students returned to their communities to pass their knowledge on to others. The war-born program of teaching swim¬ming to the physically handicapped is being continued in veterans and military hospitals. In many communities, this program has been introduced for crippled children, who are learning the satisfaction and excitement of excelling in the water. The Red Cross safety programs are carried on by 69,730 trained instructors whose en¬thusiasm stems from the realization that in every class they teach there may be one whose knowledge will help save a life. During the year, 383,557 first aid, 52,195 accident prevention, and 677,368 water safety certifi¬cates were issued. Since 1910, Red Cross Safety Services have issued more than 18,000,000 certificates for courses com¬pleted. 18 Nursing Services Nursing Services programs assure adequate nursing care for disaster-torn and epidemic- stricken communities; train instructors to teach Red Cross courses in home care of the sick and mother and baby care; provide in¬struction of volunteer nurse's aides to serve in public and private health agencies, in clinics and hospitals; and maintain locally a roster of nurses available for these programs and for assistance in other community health projects. During the last fiscal year, 1,572 nurses served 12,667 days in 72 Red Cross disaster relief operations following fires, floods, hurri¬canes, tornadoes, earthquakes, explosions, blizzards, and transportation accidents in 32 states. Their service through Red Cross included recruitment to supplement local nursing staffs, staffing of shelters, emergency medical stations, home visits to ill and in¬jured disaster victims, and continued nursing care for those without other resources. Inten¬sive training»for these nurses continues as preparation for future catastrophes. In 1948, during the nation's second worst polio epidemic, the Red Cross recruited 2,010 nurses for polio duty, who were paid by the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis. By the end of the first 9 months in 1949, indica¬tions were that the 1948 total would be exceeded by the Red Cross-recruited nurses assigned to 37 states and the District of Co¬lumbia. Also, during the 1948-49 fiscal year non-nurses for the first time were trained by the Red Cross to teach home nursing, an impor- 19