BUTTE, AK Oct. 12, 2017— The American Red Cross of Alaska will be at the Butte Fire Department this Saturday, October 14 from noon until 4 p.m. offering sign-ups for smoke alarms and installation. The fire department is located at 3355 S Old Glenn Hwy, Palmer, Alaska 99645. Smoke alarms and installations are free of charge, and sign-ups are open to all members of the community.
“Home fires can be a deadly threat because they happen so quickly,” said Bill Morrow, Disaster Program Manager, Red Cross of Alaska Mat-Su Valley. “National Fire Prevention Week is a perfect time for Butte residents to learn what they should do to prevent a fire in their home.”
Every day in this country, on average, seven people are killed in a home fire and another 36 people suffer injuries. The Butte Fire Department free smoke alarm event is part of the ongoing Red Cross Home Fire Campaign, a nationwide movement launched by the Red Cross in 2014 with the goal of reducing the number of home fire deaths and injuries by 25 percent.
During National Fire Prevention Week, the Red Cross is asking every household in Alaska to take some simple steps that can help prevent home fires and save lives.
INSTALL AND TEST SMOKE ALARMS
Working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in a home fire in half:
-Place smoke alarms on every level of your home, including inside and outside bedrooms.
-Test smoke alarms once a month.
-Change the batteries at least once a year – if your model requires it.
-Replace smoke alarms every ten years.
MAKE A PLAN People may only have two minutes to escape when a fire occurs. The Red Cross recommends that households develop a fire escape plan and practice it at least twice a year. Everyone should know two ways to escape from every room and designate a safe place to meet outside the home in case of a fire. Discuss the plan with all household members and practice it until everyone – including children – can escape in less than two minutes.
DOWNLOAD RED CROSS APPS The Red Cross Emergency App includes content on how to prevent home fires and what to do if one occurs. Parents can download the Monster Guard App to help their children learn what to do and how to protect themselves. Both apps can be downloaded for free in app stores or by going to redcross.org/apps.
About the American Red Cross of Alaska:
In FY17, the American Red Cross of Alaska offered food, shelter, comfort and hope to 949 Alaskans. We responded to 305 disasters. Our preparedness / Health and Safety teams installed 2,311 smoke alarms statewide and educated 1,884 youth through our Pillowcase Project. Additionally, our Service to the Armed Forces staff exchanged 957 emergency messages for U.S. military service personnel and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org/Alaska or visit us on Twitter at @redcrossak.
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