Red Cross Cascades responding to more home fires year over year

“The sooner an alarm alerts you to a fire, the sooner you can get out. When you turn your clocks back ... also test your smoke alarms to help prevent a tragedy in your home.”

So far this year, local Red Cross volunteers have responded to 671 home fires, which is a 10% increase over last year at this same time.

How to turn and test

When turning your clocks back, test your smoke alarms and replace the batteries if needed. Visit redcross.org/fire for more information, including an escape plan to create and practice with your family, or download the free Red Cross Emergency app by searching “American Red Cross” in app stores.

• Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, including inside and outside bedrooms and sleeping areas.

• Replace smoke alarms that are 10 years or older. Components such as sensors can become less sensitive over time. Follow your alarm’s manufacturer instructions.

• Practice your two-minute home fire escape plan. Make sure everyone in your household can get out in less than two minutes — the amount of time you may have to escape a burning home before it’s too late.

• Include at least two ways to get out of every room and select a meeting spot at a safe distance away from your home, such as your neighbor’s home or landmark like a specific tree in your front yard, where everyone can meet.

Home fire campaign saves lives

Since October 2014, the Red Cross Home Fire Campaign with community partners have made more than 1 million homes safer — including nearly 13,000 in the Cascades Region — by educating families about fire safety, helping them create escape plans and installing more than 2.4 million free smoke alarms in high-risk neighborhoods across the country.

Visit redcross.org/homefires for more information.

If you need help

If you cannot afford to purchase smoke alarms or are physically unable to install one, the Red Cross may be able to help. Contact your local Red Cross for help.