Volunteer disaster responders with the American Red Cross of Chicago & Northern Illinois responded to 28 fires from Monday, December 9 through today in the Chicago & Northern Illinois area including fires in Chicago Heights, Machesney Park, Des Plaines, Aurora and more, with 14 of these fires taking place in Chicago including two fires that sadly resulted in the loss of lives.
The Red Cross provided assistance with temporary housing, food, clothing and comfort kits with toiletry items, information about recovery services and health and mental health services to 117 individuals, including 83 adults and 34 children in total.
On Friday, December 13, volunteers with the Red Cross were also on scene of a multi-unit fire in Skokie. Our volunteers assisted six families with temporary housing, comfort kits with toiletry items and information about recovery services and health and disaster mental health services.
The American Red Cross responds to 3 to 4 home fires every day in Chicago and Northern Illinois. The Red Cross recommends two easy steps to help protect your home and loved ones from a fire: get a smoke alarm and create a fire escape plan. The Red Cross installs FREE smoke alarms year-round. To schedule an appointment to get a free installation in your home, visit www.getasmokealarm.org.
In addition, volunteers with the Red Cross helped a family displaced after a car crashed into their home in Chicago’s Roseland neighborhood. The Red Cross provided assistance with temporary housing, comfort kits with toiletry items, information about recovery services as well as health and mental health services.
You can also help people affected by disasters like storms and countless other crises by making a gift to American Red Cross Disaster Relief. Your gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small. Call, click, or text to give: visit redcross.org, call 1-800 RED CROSS or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. To donate by check or to a specific cause, please complete this donation form by printing and mailing to your local Red Cross chapter.
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.