Volunteer disaster responders are assisting families affected by an extra-alarm fire in Glendale Heights. Our volunteers are providing comfort and emotional support to residents as well as food and temporary emergency lodging.
In addition, our volunteers responded to 19 fires in the Chicagoland area in the past week. Volunteers with the American Red Cross helped residents affected by fires in Lockport, Oak Lawn, Sandwich, wheeling and more, with seven of these incidents happening in Chicago.
The Red Cross helped 42 individuals, including 29 adults and 13 children with temporary housing, health and mental health services and information about recovery services.
Since this coronavirus pandemic, Red Cross volunteers have been responding virtually to fires whenever possible. If you need assistance, please call our dispatch line: 1-877-597-0747. In Chicagoland, the Red Cross responds to 3 to 4 home fires every day. You can take two easy steps to protect your home and loved ones from a fire: get a smoke alarm and create a fire escape plan. Having a working smoke alarm cuts the risk of dying in a home fire in half.
Derecho Response
Over 100 Red Cross volunteers responded to help families impacted by the derecho that ripped through our region on August 10th. The Red Cross provided temporary emergency lodging to more than 350 people and distributed over 5,000 meals and snacks to residents affected.
Volunteers also provided health and mental health services and information about resources to recover.
The Red Cross also distributed over 570 emergency clean-up supplies, including shovels, rakes, and tarps to assist with clean-up efforts, and continues to work with those impacted in their recovery process.
HOW YOU CAN HELP - Help people affected by disasters like storms and countless other crises by making a gift to Red Cross Disaster Relief. Your gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small. Visit redcross.org, call 800-RED-CROSS or text the word DISASTER to 90999 to make a $10 donation.
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.