KENAI, Alaska, January 27, 2020 – As the cold weather continues to creep into every part of the state, the risk of deadly home fires increases across Alaska. Heating equipment is the second most common cause of home fire fatalities, which on average take seven lives every day in the U.S., according to the National Fire Protection Association. Working smoke alarms can double a person’s odds of survival in a home fire.
As such, the American Red Cross of Alaska serving the Kenai Peninsula asks everyone to take these three simple steps to stay safe:
AMERICAN RED CROSS OF ALASKA HOME FIRE CAMPAIGN
Every eight minutes, the Red Cross responds to a disaster, the vast majority of which are home fires. Through the Home Fire Campaign, the Red Cross of Alaska works with community partners to help reduce deaths and injuries from home fires, which take more lives each year than all other natural disasters combined in the U.S. In Alaskan communities and across the country, Red Cross volunteers and partners go door-to-door year-round to install free smoke alarms and help residents create home fire escape plans.
In the last year alone, the Red Cross of Alaska has reached thousands of Alaskans across the state by:
Visit redcross.org/homefires to learn more about home fire preparedness or call the Red Cross of Alaska Kenai Peninsula volunteer team at 907-232-2698 to request an installation appointment for free smoke alarms.
About the American Red Cross of Alaska:
In Fiscal Year 2019, the American Red Cross of Alaska responded to 435 disasters by offering food, shelter, relief supplies, comfort, hope and recovery services to 1,096 Alaskans in 50 communities statewide. Our preparedness teams installed 2,171 free smoke alarms and educated 1,409 youth through The Pillowcase Project. Our Training Services department enrolled 19,665 students in first aid/CPR/AED, aquatics and caregiving classes. Our Service to the Armed Forces staff exchanged 1,299 emergency messages for U.S. military service personnel and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. In Fiscal Year 2019, our statewide workforce of 729 volunteers logged 40,735 hours in service to our mission and their fellow Alaskans. For more information, please visit redcross.org/Alaska or visit us on Twitter at @redcrossak.
###