Volunteer disaster responders with the American Red Cross of Chicago & Northern Illinois responded to 37
fires from Monday, November 11 through today in the Chicago & Northern Illinois area including fires in Aurora, Bensenville, Glendale Heights, Glenview, Joliet, Oak Lawn, Rock Falls, St. Charles and more, with 24 of these fires happening in Chicago.

The Red Cross helped 139 individuals, including 97 adults and 42 children. Our volunteers provided assistance with temporary housing, food, clothing and comfort kits with toiletry items, information about recovery services and health and mental health services.

On Saturday, the Red Cross also helped a family displaced due to a gas leak in their home in Calumet City. Our volunteers assisted with immediate housing, comfort kits with toiletry items and health services. 

Also, Thanksgiving is almost here, and many people are getting ready to prepare their favorite recipes to enjoy the festivities with their loved ones. The American Red Cross have the following tips below to stay safe this holiday.

10 THANKSGIVING COOKING SAFETY TIPS

1. Keep an eye on what you fry. Stay in the kitchen and never leave cooking food unattended. If you must leave the kitchen, even for a short period of time, turn off the stove.

2. Clean and clear the area around the stove before turning on the heat.

3. Move items that can burn away from the stove. These include towels, bags, boxes, paper and curtains.

4. Avoid wearing loose clothing or dangling sleeves while cooking.

5. Keep children and pets at least three feet away from the stove.

6. Turn pot handles to the back of the stove, so no one bumps them or pulls them over.

7. Fires can start when the heat is too high. When frying food, turn the burner off if you see smoke or if the grease starts to boil. Carefully remove the pan from the burner.

8. Keep a pan lid or a cookie sheet nearby. Use it to cover the pan if it catches on fire. This will put out the fire. Leave the pan covered until it is completely cooled.

9. Use a timer to remind yourself that the stove or oven is on.

10. Check the kitchen before going to bed or leaving home to ensure all stoves, ovens and small appliances are turned off. Watch this video for more cooking safety information.

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. In fact, last Tuesday, Red Cross volunteers installed 21 free smoke alarms in homes in Chicago. To schedule an appointment to get a free installation in your home, visit www.getasmokealarm.org.

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.