Red Cross offers free smoke alarms in La Pine, Sunriver
Home fires are the greatest disaster threat Americans face. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, nearly 47,000 home fires occur during the winter holiday season, claiming more than 500 lives and causing more than 2,200 injuries.
On Saturday , Jan. 9, between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., trained Red Cross volunteers will install smoke alarms to make neighborhoods in the LaPine and Sunriver areas safer in the event of a home fire.
Volunteers will install smoke alarms free of charge, review a fire safety and home hazard checklist and provide information about creating a fire escape plan. Volunteers also will share other emergency-preparedness information with residents.
Start the New Year by making home fire safety a priority. Schedule an appointment to have smoke alarms installed on Jan. 9 by calling (503) 528-5783 .
“Fire officials say people have as little as two minutes to escape a burning home before it’s too late to get out and that working smoke alarms can double the chance of surviving a home fire,” says Lisa Stroup, executive director for the Central and Eastern Oregon Chapter of the American Red Cross Cascades Region. “I encourage residents to take advantage of this free community program.”
Stroup also notes the program is part of a national campaign launched by the Red Cross last year. So far, the Red Cross has installed more than 125,000 smoke alarms in nearly 2,400 cities and towns and saved 26 lives. In Oregon, the campaign is a partnership with the Office of the State Fire Marshal.
The Red Cross advocates emergency preparedness: Get informed. Make a Plan. Build a Kit., and suggests taking a few moments to review your family’s exit plan should there be a fire in your home. Know what to do before, during and after a home fire. This information, and more, is available at http://www.redcross.org or in a free Prepare! Resource Guide published by the American Red Cross Cascades Region. The guide can be downloaded at http://rdcrss.org/1zq8XW6
The Red Cross in Oregon and Southwest Washington responds to two home fires every day. Financial contributions to the Red Cross train our local disaster responders, equip our emergency response vehicles, preposition supplies, activate shelters, provide a safe place and warm meals for those in need, and help families begin their road to recovery through direct financial assistance and other support. Donations to support the Red Cross Cascades Region, serving Oregon and Southwest Washington, can be made online at http://www.redcross.org/local/or , by mail (P.O. Box 4125, Portland, OR 97208), or by phone 1-800-RED-CROSS.
