I love the holidays! Every night at our house candles glow, the Christmas tree sparkles, and I dream of my first white Christmas. But, a forgotten burning candle can cause a devastating fire. So at bedtime, my mom and I make sure every candle is out. Because even though candles are beautiful, they can also be dangerous.
Candle fires are four times as likely to occur during the winter holidays. Make sure no candles are burning when you go to bed.
Be safe this holiday season.
Two separate home fires have claimed the lives of two children, a woman, four dogs and a cat in just two days in the Sacramento area. A reality that is more common during this time of year as temperatures drop.
The American Red Cross has partnered with the Sacramento Metro Fire and Sacramento City Fire Departments to offer free smoke alarm installations to residents in the 17 Sacramento neighborhoods this weekend.
On Saturday, volunteers from the Red Cross and partner organizations will be going door to door, offering free smoke alarm installations in one- and two-family homes that need them. They plan to stop at more than 1000 households.
“While our hope is that no family ever has to experience a fire, we know the reality is that fires happen and we want our residents to be prepared,” said Gary Strong, CEO of the American Red Cross Gold Country Region. “This program will ensure that Sacramento residents have working smoke detectors and are educated on how they can best be prepared in the event of a fire in their home.”
The Red Cross launched the Home Fire Preparedness Campaign last year, a nationwide initiative to reduce fire deaths by about 25 percent over five years. Since then 26 lives have been saved in six states and more than 125,000 smoke alarms have been installed in nearly 2,400 cities and towns.
Volunteers will be in uniform on Saturday distributing fire safety information and speaking with families about how they can be prepared if a fire breaks outs.
The American Red Cross Gold Country region is always recruiting volunteers for future canvassing events; the next one is scheduled for January 16, 2016.
Here are some Smoke Alarm Recommendations from the United States Fire Administration:
In just one year, the American Red Cross’ nationwide Home Fire Campaign is credited with saving at least 28 lives.
More than 63,000 families are safer thanks to the smoke alarms and safety education they received in their homes from Red Cross volunteers, firefighters and other community partners. And more than 311,000 children have learned to be safer in emergencies from Red Cross volunteers and apps.
“In this country, seven people lose their lives every day from a home fire,” said Lilly Wyatt, Spokesperson for the American Red Cross Gold Country Region. “Even one death from a home fire is tragic. Over the next few years, the Home Fire Campaign will keep on going to help protect people and prepare them for emergencies like a fire in their home.”
Here in the Gold Country Region, the Red Cross and its partners achieved the following in this first year of the Home Fire Campaign:
· Conducted 2,235 in-home visits.
· Installed more than 1,192 smoke alarms.
· Replaces 348 smoke alarm batteries.
· Created 839 evacuation plans.
· Reached XXX youth with preparedness information.
· Visited 27 cities and towns in our region.
People of all ages are vulnerable to home fires. During the course of this campaign, the lives saved included a two-month-old baby, a 73-year-old grandmother, and 11 members of an extended New Orleans family by new smoke alarms that the Red Cross and our partners installed.
The Home Fire Campaign is a multi-year effort to reduce the number of home fire deaths and injuries by 25 percent. Working alongside fire departments and community groups across the country, the Red Cross and its partners have installed more than 125,000 smoke alarms in nearly 2,400 cities and towns.
Launched across the country in October 2014, the Red Cross and more than 1,900 local partners and 40 national partners have:
Key supporters include: local fire departments, state fire marshals, International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC); Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); United States Fire Administration (USFA); National Fire Protection Association (NFPA); Rebuilding Together; Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation; Meals on Wheels America; Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS); National Council on Independent Living (NCIL); Fire Department Safety Officers Association (FDSOA); Vision 20/20; Project Paradigm; Hope worldwide; Habitat for Humanity; Portlight Strategies, Inc.; and Lott Carey.
TWO MINUTES TO ESCAPE
It is estimated that someone may have only two minutes to get out after a fire starts in their home. As part of the campaign, the Red Cross is also asking every household in America to take two simple steps that can save lives: check their existing smoke alarms and practice fire drills at home. Every family should develop a fire escape plan, and practice it.
GET INVOLVED People can visit redcross.org to find out more about how to protect themselves and their loved homes from fire or contact their local Red Cross to find out about smoke alarm installation events in their community. They can also help by volunteering their time or making a donation today to Red Cross Disaster Relief by visiting redcross.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS or texting the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Donations to Disaster Relief will be used to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small. We respond to nearly 70,000 other disasters every year, from home fires to hurricanes and more. Learn more about how Disaster Relief donations have helped people affected by previous disasters including home fires.
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The American Red Cross invites volunteers to participate in the nationwide smoke alarm installation and Home Fire Safety Education initiative, to be held from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. December 5 in 17 Sacramento neighborhoods.
Participants must be 13 or older and are asked to bring a battery-operated drill, a Philips-head screwdriver and a step ladder. Teams of five will work on smoke alarm installation, home fire safety education, data collection and neighborhood canvassing.
Register to volunteer at http://bit.ly/Goal1000 . The deadline to sign up to volunteer is November 20, 2015.
For more information visit: www.redcross.org/GoldCountry.
By Sarah Layton
I didn’t make it 30 feet into Jo-Ann Fabric before stopping at a shelf.
“50 percent off decorative pumpkins and it’s not even November yet?” I said partially to myself, partially to make a case to my begrudging husband who had accompanied me craft shopping earlier this season. That pumpkin, made of twigs and festooned with ribbon, is now a perfect addition to my kitchen island.Aforementioned twig and leaf decor.
CANDLES
Guess what else is on my kitchen island — a candle. A yummy smelling, frequently-lit candle. Even though it may not be the ideal arrangement, that pumpkin now stays three feet from the heat. Just as any item in your home should stay three feet from heat sources, including your stove, a space heater and all candles.
If your expertly carved pumpkin has survived Halloween and you can’t resist using a real candle to make it shine, make sure the candle gets blown out when you can’t monitor it, especially when you leave your home. To light the candle, use something that will keep your appendages safe, such as a long fireplace lighter. Fun fact: My family used to deploy dry spaghetti noodles for our pumpkin-lighting purposes.
LIGHTS
Are you the proud household with gigantic spiders on your roof and orange lights illuminating every window? Maybe an inflatable turkey or two in the yard? My apartment has been reduced to one string of lights in our picture window, but even with that we are super careful to unplug them every time we leave the house.
Always remember to turn off any running electric appliances before you leave home, blow out candles and unplug fire hazards such as lights that might get too hot. Especially if they are near those new curtains you spent so much money on…
LEAVES
Toddler Sarah in leaf pile. Photo credit: Sarah’s mom.While I may think the piles of leaves in my yard are super festive fall decor on a grandiose scale, I understand some people out there collect leaves from their yards and dispose of them. (So many leaf pile jumping missed opportunities. But I digress). If your household is serious about leaf collection, here’s how you can also be serious about fire hazards when you dispose of them:
Use caution when burning leaves – Clear leaves away from the home and other buildings. Burn leaves only when permitted and in accordance with local laws and guidelines. Use extreme caution to ensure safety and control of the fire.
Prepare your home – Select building materials and plants that resist fire. Regularly clean your roof and gutters to remove flammable debris. Identify and maintain an adequate water source outside your home.
Gather firefighting tools – Set aside household items that can be used as firefighting tools: rake, ax, bucket, shovel, etc. You may need to fight a fire before emergency responders arrive.
ROASTING YOUR DECOR
Raise your hand if the pumpkins and gourds scattered strategically around your home are soon to be chopped up for roasted fall treats. I didn’t even carve my pumpkin this year, so it’s a perfect candidate for yummy toasted seeds. Knowing the majority of home fires start in the kitchen, I always have the Red Cross cooking safety tips in mind:
Stay in the kitchen when frying, grilling or broiling food. If you leave the kitchen, even for a short period of time, turn off the stove.
Stay in the home while simmering, baking, roasting or boiling food. Check it regularly and use a timer to remind you that food is cooking.
Keep anything that can catch fire—like pot holders, towels, plastic and clothing— away from the stove.
Keep pets off cooking surfaces and countertops to prevent them from knocking things onto the burner.
Remember, we have plenty of other fire safety tips on redcross.org, as part of the Home Fire Campaign. Stay tuned for more holiday, cooking and heat-related information to keep your family safe this fall and winter!
With a heat wave upon us, Red Cross has Tips to keep safe during extreme heat
Since summer’s clearly sticking around for the time being, this is a good time to refresh your memory of what you should do in a heat wave. The American Red Cross has some simple steps you can take to keep you and your kids safe.
During a Heat Wave:
Sports Safety
The return to school means many student athletes will be outside for practice. But during a heat wave, athletes should avoid workouts and exercise during the hottest times of the day—these should be scheduled for early in the day or later in the evening. Other ways to stay safe include:
FIRST AID APP Could you tell if someone were suffering from heat exhaustion or heat stroke? Would you know how to respond? The American Red Cross First Aid App puts that information at your fingertips, helping you prepare and respond to heat emergencies and other events. Available for iPhone and Android devices, the free First Aid App gives you instant access to the information you need to know to handle the most common first aid emergencies. It also features videos, interactive quizzes and simple step-by-step advice. Download the app from the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store for Android or go to http://www.redcross.org/mobileapps.
Learn how to treat heat-related and other emergencies by taking First Aid and CPR/AED training online or in person. Go to http://www.redcross.org/take-a-class for information and to register.
Download the Red Cross Heat Wave Safety Checklist at http://rdcrss.org/1NpU79T
After losing his childhood home in a house fire at the age of 15, singer/songwriter Dakota Bradley has a personal connection to those who know all too well what the fire takes from people. Growing up in St. Louis, MO, Bradley moved to Nashville, TN at the age of 16 after his family lost everything in a house fire. This life-changing experience is the inspiration behind Bradley’s passion to partner with the American Red Cross and to serve as an Ambassador for our home fire campaign to reduce fire deaths and injuries by 25%.
“Losing my home in a fire was devastating. I am honored to partner with the American Red Cross in hopes to prevent similar tragedies, as well as a way to help fire victims,” says Bradley.
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To kick off the yearlong giving campaign, Bradley will donate $0.50 to the American Red Cross for every digital purchase of “Name On It” sold between now and September 30, 2015. You can download his new single by visiting iTunes. Your gift to Home Fire Relief enables the Red Cross to provide critical services to people impacted by home fires along with the lifesaving tools and information to support home fire prevention efforts.
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In the early morning hours on June 2, two homes on Tilden Drive in Roseville were caught on fire. Neighbors spotted smoke coming from the homes and called their local fire department, which arrived shortly after.
Homeowner Jim Meron was asleep when the fire broke out, but his smoke detector’s loud alarm alerted him to danger.
“It’s surreal,” Meron said. “You’re not awake and you can’t believe it’s happening. You’re awestruck. No doubt, no doubt, the smoke detector saved my life.”
The two-alarm fire completely destroyed one of the homes, and the other home was damaged by smoke. Thankfully, everyone made it out safely.
Incidents like this are a clear reminder of why the American Red Cross Gold Country Region is pushing to reduce the number of home fires with the Home Fire Campaign.
The number of residential fire death actually increased by nearly 15% in 2013. Smoke alarms cut the risk of death from a fire in half, so the Red Cross is focusing the efforts of our coalition of organizations on installing smoke alarms in homes in some of the most fire-affected neighborhoods around the country.
We’re joining with fire departments and community groups to canvass neighborhoods, install smoke alarms and deliver fire prevention information in places we know have high numbers of fires.
The Red Cross also is asking every household in America to join us in taking the two simple steps that can save lives: checking their existing smoke alarms and practicing fire drills at home.
Here are some alarming facts:
Our region’s goal was to install 1,000 Smoke detectors in 2014-15, and with help for our local fire departments and volunteers, we have been able to install 1,131! Our other accomplishments include:
-2,190 homes canvased
-781 emergency plans developed
-436 CO monitors installed
-339 batteries in smoke alarms and CO monitors replaced
Round of applause and a big ‘thank you’ goes out to everyone who made this happen.
People can visit redcross.org/GoldCountry to find out more about how to protect themselves and their loved homes from fire and find out the location of local smoke alarm installation event.
Gold Country News and Notes 