Author: American Red Cross California Gold Country Region

The American Red Cross urges residents to take extra precautions with cooking and decorating around the holidays.

“Cooking is the leading cause of home fires, and as people are cooking, entertaining, and stringing lights this holiday season, we’re urging that they take safety measures to ensure that their homes and loved ones are safe from the threat of fire,” said Kathleen Weis, Chief Executive Officer for the Red Cross Capital Region. Continue reading Red Cross Issues Safety Tips to Prevent Holiday Home Fires

And we’re off! Holiday season is upon us and it’s time once again for family, football, good cheer, yada yada yada. What we’re REALLY excited about is all the FOOD! We’ve been thinking about it since last year. Turkey, stuffing, pies, something clever you found on Pinterest….NOW IS THE TIME!!

But before you spark up that flame thrower to try out the latest cooking technique, take a few minutes to understand the risks and take appropriate safety precautions. While singeing off your eyebrows may be a funny story down the road, that’s probably not how you and your family want to remember this time together. Continue reading Cook Safe this Holiday Season

~Avoid injuries, costume mishaps, traffic accidents~

With Halloween right around the corner, the American Red Cross would like everyone to stay safe when they don their costumes and go out to Trick-or-Treat.

Halloween’s greatest hazards aren’t vampires and villains, but falls, costume mishaps and traffic accidents, so the Red Cross is offering the following tips to help make this Halloween safe: Continue reading Red Cross Offers Tips for a Safe, yet Spooky Halloween

It has been a busy few weeks around the state as wildfires have taken full advantage of the dry conditions, moving swiftly and placing communities in danger. In the Capital Region, the Rim Fire in Tuolumne County and the Clover Fire in Shasta/Tehama Counties have threatened homes and led to the opening of Red Cross evacuation shelters. Continue reading When Disaster Strikes, Volunteers are Ready to Help

For more than two weeks the Rim Fire has raged through the wooded terrain of Tuolumne County, fast becoming one of the largest wildfires in California history (as of this writing, the fire is the 4th largest recorded in California). The fire has ravaged the landscape, and sent smoke as far north as Canada. Continue reading Community Gives Back to Support Neighbors Impacted by Rim Fire

As firefighters from around the state continue to battle the rapidly expanding Rim Fire in Tuolumne County, volunteers with the American Red Cross Capital Region are working hard to meet the needs of evacuated residents. Since Tuesday, Red Cross volunteers have been operating an evacuation shelter in the Manzanita Building at the Sonora Fairgrounds – 220 Southgate Drive in Sonora – where there has been a steady increase in residents as evacuation orders continue to expand. Continue reading Red Cross Prepares for more Evacuations as Rim Fire Continues to Burn