MONTEBELLO, CA, May 11, 2021 — Volunteers and community partners joined the American Red Cross Los Angeles Region to Sound the Alarm. against home fires this past Saturday by offering home fire safety education to residents of Montebello. Joined by the City of Montebello and the Montebello Fire Department, the team also was able to install free smoke alarms for residents.
The event, which resulted in 96 alarms installed and 218 residents educated, was part of the organization’s national campaign to educate 100,000 people about home fire safety in at-risk communities across the country.
SEE: Photos from the Red Cross Sound the Alarm. event in Montebello (Facebook)
Home fires are responsible for more fatalities in the U.S. in a typical year than all other natural disasters combined, killing an average of seven people every day. Most of these deaths occur in homes that lack working smoke alarms, yet many Americans remain woefully underprepared when it comes to home fire safety.
“In February, the Red Cross helped several Montebello families displaced following a building fire,” said Andea Ritter, Red Cross disaster program manager. “Though fires may keep happening, we want to make sure the community feels ready to escape and ready to react, if needed. We are thankful for the partnership with the City of Montebello and the Montebello Fire Department for coming together to Sound the Alarm. Save a Life.”
Visit redcross.org/lahomefire to schedule a 20-minute virtual training and find more ways to get involved.
SOUND THE ALARM SAVES LIVE
Earlier this spring, Red Cross volunteers and community partners launched a national Sound the Alarm effort to educate 100,000 people in at-risk communities about home fire safety. On May 8, across more than 50 cities nationwide, the Red Cross will host a day of action, where volunteers will meet with families by appointment outside their homes to review a home fire safety checklist and create an escape plan to practice their two-minute drill.
This annual Sound the Alarm initiative is a key part of the Red Cross Home Fire Campaign, which has saved at least 864 lives since launching in 2014. To learn more and to pledge to prepare your family against home fires, visit SoundTheAlarm.org.
TWO MINUTES TO ESCAPE
Most of us don’t realize we have as little as two minutes to escape a burning home before it’s too late, according to a 2020 Red Cross survey. Follow these steps to help protect your family:
HOME FIRE SAFETY ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS
Parents can enable the Pedro’s Fire Challenge skill on Alexa-enabled devices to have “Pedro the Penguin,” a Red Cross youth program character, guide children through engaging activities and games to earn virtual fire safety badges. The Red Cross created the skill to help children learn core home fire and preparedness skills, such as identifying smoke alarm locations, crawling under smoke in a fire and ways to cope after a fire. Learn more in this video: https://vimeo.com/543341112/b66beda7f8
Help #EndHomeFires by attending our virtual one-on-one home fire safety classes. Visit redcross.org/lahomefire for more information, including an escape plan to practice with your family and book your virtual class.
About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members 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/la or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCrossLA or @CruzRojaLA.
