CHICAGO, IL (May 2, 2017) — The American Red Cross of Chicago & Northern Illinois and La Casa Norte are partnering to host a smoke alarm installation event this Saturday in Humboldt Park.
Residents of Humboldt Park can still sign up for free smoke alarms to be installed in their home by calling 773-276-4900 or emailing info@lacasanorte.org. Residents can sign up for a smoke alarm now through Noon on Friday, May 4.
Home fires kill more people in an average year than all other domestic natural disasters combined. Smoke alarms cut the risk of death from a fire in half. The Red Cross Home Fire Campaign aims to reduce death and injuries from home fires in the United States by as much as 25 percent over a five-year span. The Home Fire Campaign has saved more than 217 lives across the country.
“The most common disaster threat people face across the country is a fire in their home,” said Celena Roldán, Chief Executive Officer of the American Red Cross of Chicago & Northern Illinois. ‘We appreciate the partnership of La Casa Norte in working with the Red Cross install smoke alarms for the residents of Humboldt Park and we encourage residents to take advantage of this free life-saving program.”
“As a housing provider, La Casa Norte’s primary goal is to contribute to building healthy homes for families,” said Sol Flores, Executive Director of La Casa Norte. “We are proud to partner with the Chicago Red Cross in reducing the risk of home fires in our neighborhood and ensuring all Humboldt Park families are safe.”
Other partners making this event happen include Peoples Gas, Center for Changing Lives, Chicago Commons, LUCHA, Molina Health and Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago.
SMOKE ALARM INSTALLATION EVENT IN HUMBOLDT PARK
FREE SMOKE ALARM SIGN-UPS | Humboldt Park residents are encouraged to sign up to have free smoke alarms installed in their home. The smoke alarms being installed by the Red Cross and La Casa Norte contain 10-year batteries. Residents can sign up by calling 773-276-4900 or emailing info@lacasanorte.org.
Smoke alarms should be installed on every level of a home, inside bedrooms and outside sleeping areas. Residents should test the alarms monthly, install new batteries at least once a year or according to the alarm manufacturer’s instructions, and replace alarms every ten years.
DOWNLOAD RED CROSS APPS | The Red Cross Emergency App contains information on how to prevent home fires and what to do if one occurs. Children can learn about fire prevention and safety through gaming with the Monster Guard: Prepare for Emergencies App. Designed for 7 to 11-year-olds, the app teaches them safety tips for a variety of disasters by having them role-play as different monster characters. Both apps are available to download for free in app stores or at redcross.org/apps.
Additional fire safety tips and resources are available at redcross.org/homefires.
About the American Red Cross of Chicago & Northern Illinois:
The American Red Cross of Chicago & Northern Illinois serves 9.5 million people in 21 counties including Boone, Bureau, Carroll, Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Jo Daviess, LaSalle, Lake, Lee, McHenry, Ogle, Putnam, Stephenson, Whiteside, Will and Winnebago. 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/il/chicago_or visit us on Twitter @ChicagoRedCross.
###