Red Cross Seeks Volunteers to Help
The American Red Cross responds to nearly 64,000 disasters a year, the majority of which are home fires. Here in Utah, the Red Cross responds to a home fire once every 1 to 3 days. Sadly, 7 people a day die in a home fire in the U.S. Working smoke alarms in a home cuts that risk by half, and having an escape plan further improves the odds of survival. You may only have two minutes to escape when a fire occurs, but most people mistakenly believe they have more than twice as long toget out. Here is what the Red Cross suggests:
o Home fire escape plans should include at least two ways to escape from every room of your home.
o Select a meeting spot at a safe distance from your home where family members can meet after a fire.
o Discuss the plan with everyone in the household and practice it at least twice a year. Make sure that you practice that plan until every member of your household can escape in less than two minutes.
To address the home fire problem, the Red Cross launched the Home Fire Campaign in 2014 to end these tragedies and save lives. Across the country, the campaign is making a difference. The Red Cross and its partners across the country have saved at least 380 lives by installing over 1,135,000 free smoke alarms paired with home fire safety education.
Sound the Alarm in Utah is part of the nationwide Red Cross effort to help reduce the number of deaths and injuries from home fires. By volunteering with the Red Cross, you can truly make a difference in someone’s life. The Red Cross Greater Salt Lake Area Chapter is seeking people 16 years and older to volunteer their time and help save lives at the Sound the Alarm home fire safety and smoke alarm installation events on May 2nd and May 12th targeting at-risk neighborhoods in South Salt Lake and West Valley City. Those interested can sign up at www.soundthealarm.org/utah Also to learn more about the Home Fire Campaign, visit redcross.org. To arrange for the installation of up to three smoke alarms per household contact the local Red Cross by calling 211.
