OXNARD, FEBRUARY 14 2024 — The American Red Cross Pacific Coast Chapter has saved a woman’s life in Oxnard as part of the national Red Cross Home Fire Campaign.

The life saved is among at least 2,030 lives saved nationwide since the campaign launched in 2014 to reduce deaths and injuries from home fires.

“Home fires are the nation’s most frequent disaster, and we want to ensure everyone knows how to protect themselves and their loved ones from these everyday crises,” said Tony Briggs, Executive Director of the American Red Cross Pacific Coast Chapter. “We are grateful for the support of Oxnard Fire Department, our volunteers and partners who are committed to saving lives.”

“MISSION ACCOMPLISHED” – Red Cross volunteer, Dick Bellman, is typically responding to disasters to provide comfort and care to those affected by emergencies in Ventura County. But he is also passionate about preventing those disasters from happening in the first place. That’s how he got involved with the Red Cross Sound the Alarm campaign. At a recent event held in Oxnard, his team helped a 90-year-old woman who likely could have experienced tragedy.

“We walked in and smelled some gas. She pointed to a detector on the wall and said that [carbon monoxide detector] keeps going off. We thought something wasn’t right, and we looked over and saw her stove was on, but not lit, which was the source of the gas. We immediately turned it off,” Bellman explained. “I told her probably ten times to make sure that is turned off because that is very dangerous and shared when to call emergency services.”

When asked about the impact he and his teammates made, Bellman exclaimed, “Well the whole purpose of what we do is to save lives! I would like to think we saved that woman’s life. If she had let that go on and gone to bed, she might not have woken up in the morning. Mission accomplished.”

HOW TO GET INVOLVED Through the Home Fire Campaign in Ventura County, the Red Cross, Oxnard Fire Department and local partners have installed more than 1,670 free smoke alarms and made more than 595 households safer from the threat of home fires at five events in the last four months, and the work is not over yet.

On Saturday, February 24 from 8:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., the Red Cross and Oxnard Fire Department are holding the final event in their Sound the Alarm six event series to install as many smoke alarms as possible. Volunteers are needed to help visit area homes to install free smoke alarms and share fire safety information with local residents. Community members are invited to volunteer at the Wilson Senior Center and are encouraged to register at SoundTheAlarm.org/CCR. No experience is necessary and training will be provided.

IF YOU NEED A SMOKE ALARM Residents across the Pacific Coast who need assistance can visit SoundTheAlarm.org/CCR to schedule an appointment for a free smoke alarm installation year-round. During the 20-minute home visits, Red Cross volunteers and partners will also share information on the causes of home fires, how to prevent them, what to do if a fire starts, and how to create an escape plan.

This work is made possible, thanks to generous financial donations from regional partners: Arthrex, Bank of the Sierra and California Resources Corporation.

About the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or follow us on social media.