By William CrumStaff writer wcrum@oklahoman.comGrowing up in Okeene, Sid Ellington remembers going with his mother, a Red Cross nurse, to the local hospital where she taught CPR. Now, as the new executive director of the Central and Southwest Oklahoma Chapter of the American Red Cross, he is leading the organization in an era of technological innovation, where smartphone apps deliver training, connect blood donors with those in need, and advise individuals how to be safe should disaster strike. In a state that ranks third for the number of presidentially declared disasters (behind California and Texas), it is difficult to overstate the role the Red Cross plays. "The Red Cross is always just a phone call away when our firefighters are working extended incidents," said Battalion Chief Benny Fulkerson, spokesman for the Oklahoma City Fire Department.Read more on NewsOK.com