Did you know you only have a maximum of two minutes to escape a home fire? In fact, home fires are the nation's most frequent disaster and devastatingly claim seven lives daily in the U.S. Thankfully, the Red Cross is equipped with the knowledge and resources to respond efficiently. With the launch of the Home Fire Campaign in 2014, the Red Cross helps prepare families to act quickly if a home fire occurs. To date, the Red Cross has documented 1,788 lives saved from the efforts of the Home Fire campaign and with the support of their partners, the Red Cross has installed more than 2.5 million free smoke alarms nationwide. Since July 1, 2022, the South Florida Red Cross has responded to more than 761 home fires, helped 3,057 individuals with various forms of assistance, installed 3,351 smoke alarms, and created 1,386 fire escape plans as part of the Red Cross Home Fire Campaign.

Cooking and heating equipment are deemed two of the leading causes of home fires. That is why it is important never to leave heating equipment like stoves unattended when cooking and to ensure they are turned off when not in use. Space heaters should also never be left unattended; when used, they should be placed on a level, hard and nonflammable surface. Fire safety is particularly significant in the prevention of home fires. You can stay safe with two simple steps: test your smoke alarms monthly and practice your escape plan until everyone in your household can get out in less than two minutes. Smoke alarms should be installed in every level of your home and children should be familiarized with the sound and what to do when they hear it. Escape plans should include at least two ways to exit every room in your house and be practiced at least twice a year.

The Red Cross has a team of local, specially trained Red Cross volunteer responders who answer the call to help families affected by disasters like home fires 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, called the Disaster Action Team (DAT). DAT members provide care and comfort to those affected in various ways, from being a shoulder to lean on to providing assistance and resources to help families recover after a disaster. Christine Thompson is a long-time DAT member who responds to home fire calls and has also participated in several smoke alarm installation events. She is originally from Georgia but has resided in Florida for over 50 years. Christine joined the Red Cross in 2019 with the encouragement of a friend and fellow Red Crosser, who she now deploys with to disasters. "I’m glad that I joined because it is so fulfilling to be able to give back,” said Christine.

Since joining the Red Cross, Christine has enjoyed being part of the Disaster Action Team. She shared, “When I am working with DAT, it feels good to be able to respond to home fires and go there to be a supportive shoulder for someone. It’s not like I personally have anything to give to them other than my time and empathy. The best part of it for me is being able to be a listening ear.” Recently, Christine returned from a disaster deployment in Mississippi, where she saw and met many people who lost everything. She told us it was incredibly powerful to witness the hope in someone’s eyes when they saw the Red Cross arriving to help. She added that seeing a friendly face and having someone there to help no matter what time of day can make a difference in someone’s life.

In addition to responding to home fire calls, Christine regularly enjoys participating in smoke alarm installation events, a core component of the Red Cross Home Fire Campaign. She has taken on every role offered during the event, including pre-event canvassing, educating homeowners on home fire safety, documenting essential information and installing the smoke alarms. Christine said, “Having the opportunity to install smoke alarms promotes proactivity and helps to prevent tragedies from happening. When someone says that the result of what we installed helped to save their family, it’s something that really makes me think and say thank God that I was able to do this.”

Christine has the unique perspective of helping to prevent a tragedy and also being able to assist when a disaster does occur. After volunteering with various non-profits throughout her life, she told us, "Since I have been with the Red Cross, I find that I am much more considerate of others and have grown to see that I have so much to be appreciative of.”

The Red Cross aims to keep you, your families, and your home safe from home fires. Remember, you can promote prevention by following these simple steps: testing your smoke alarms monthly and preparing a home fire escape plan. For more information, including safety tips and free resources, visit redcross.org/homefires, download the free Red Cross Emergency app here or search for ‘American Red Cross’ in app stores.

Written By Sarai Logan, American Red Cross Public Affairs