Volunteers with the American Red Cross responded to 18 home fires from March 22 through today in Des Plaines, Harvey, Park City and more, with of 11 of these incidents occurring in Chicago, including a home fire early this morning that sadly resulted in the loss of life.

In the past week, our volunteers helped 60 individuals, including 35 adults and 25 children with temporary housing, financial assistance, health services, disaster mental health services and recovery planning.

A fire can take a home in as little as two minutes. Therefore, escaping in less than two minutes can be the difference between survival and tragedy. The Red Cross encourages everyone to talk to their children about fire safety to help families stay safe. We want to ensure families and children are prepared.

TWO STEPS TO PREVENT FIRE TRAGEDIES To help protect your family year-round, test your smoke alarms monthly and practice your home fire escape plan until everyone can escape in less than two minutes.

For free home fire safety resources, including an escape plan, visit redcross.org/fire or download the free Red Cross Emergency App. In addition, the free Monster Guard app teaches children how to prepare for emergencies by playing an engaging game. Download the apps by searching “American Red Cross” in app stores or going to redcross.org/apps.

If you need assistance after a home fire or disaster, please call our dispatch line: 1-877-597-0747.

April is the Month of the Military Child
Over the last year, families all over the world have been tested – emotionally and physically – by COVID-19. Frontline workers like our U.S. service members have not stopped throughout this pandemic and this service takes a toll on them as well as their kids. That’s why during this April’s Month of the Military Child, celebrating and supporting military children is more important than ever.

Throughout this last year, U.S. military families have faced personal hardships due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Military children across the country have experienced extended separation from parents due to extra-long deployments, military spouses have lost their jobs resulting in financial insecurity, and whole families have been separated from their extended support systems even though life has not paused during the pandemic. In light of that, extra support has been needed to safeguard military kids and families from the added emotional, financial and physical stress felt by many.

Military kids and parents can find a variety of resources through the Red Cross to get additional support:

• Virtual mental wellness courses offered by mental health professionals are available for kids and parents to combat feelings of stress. A variety of courses are available to help military families connect during this difficult time, including tips for service members on how to smoothly reconnect with their children when they return from deployments and planning for how to manage extended periods of separation.
• Families facing financial hardship can apply for financial assistance through the Red Cross in conjunction with the Military Aid Societies by calling the Red Cross Hero Care Network toll-free at 1-877-272-7337.
• If a military child or spouse experiences an emergency, they can send an emergency message to the deployed parent to alert them through our Red Cross Hero Care Network by calling toll-free at 1-877-272-7337 or by downloading and sending a message through the Red Cross Hero Care App.
  
  

WHAT YOU CAN DO
If you are a military mom or dad that is seeking support for your family, we encourage you to connect with us by visiting our website at redcross.org. You can also learn more by downloading the Red Cross Hero Care App, available for all devices.

If you would like to volunteer to help support military kids and parents in need, please visit redcross.org/volunteer to sign up.

About the American Red Cross of Illinois
The American Red Cross of Illinois serves 12.4 million people in 88 counties in Illinois, Iowa and Missouri including Adams, Bond, Boone, Brown, Bureau, Carroll, Cass, Champaign, Christian, Clark, Clay, Clinton, Cook, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, DeKalb, De Witt, Douglas, DuPage, Edgar, Effingham, Fayette, Ford, Franklin, Fulton, Green, Grundy, Hamilton, Hancock, Henderson, Henry, Iroquois, Jasper, Jefferson, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Knox, LaSalle, Lake, Lee, Livingston, Logan, Macon, Macoupin, Marion, Marshall, Mason, McDonough, McHenry, McLean, Menard, Mercer, Montgomery, Morgan, Moultrie, Ogle, Peoria, Perry, Piatt, Pike, Putnam, Richland, Rock Island, Sangamon, Schuyler, Scott, Shelby, Stark, Stephenson, Tazewell, Vermillion, Warren, Washington, Whiteside, Will, Williamson Winnebago, Woodford. Iowa: Lee, Muscatine, Scott and Van Buren. Missouri: Clark, Lewis, Marion and Ralls. 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 us at Redcross.org/Illinois or visit us on Twitter @RedCrossIL.