Red Cross Volunteers Respond to 20 Fires in the Past Week
20 Ways to Stay Safe as You Celebrate the Fourth of July
20 Ways to Stay Safe as You Celebrate the Fourth of July
Volunteer disaster responders with the American Red Cross of Illinois responded to 20 fires from June 22 to today in the Chicagoland area. Our volunteers assisted families affected by home fires in Chicago, Blue Island, Des Plaines, Justice, Kankakee, Plainfield and more, including an incident in Braidwood, Illinois that sadly resulted in the loss of life.
On Sunday, June 28, Red Cross volunteers also assisted 12 residents who were displaced after their apartment building collapsed in the 8600 block of South Maryland Avenue in Chicago. In this past week, the American Red Cross helped a total of 124 individuals, including 98 adults and 26 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. In Chicago and Northern Illinois, the Red Cross responds to 3 to 4 home fires every day. If you need assistance, please call our dispatch Line: 1-877-597-0747. 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.
American Red Cross Offers 20 Ways to Stay Safe this Fourth of July
The Fourth of July is just ahead, a time when people typically enjoy the summer holiday with backyard barbecues, fireworks or water fun. But this year, celebrating Independence Day will be different due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The American Red Cross offers tips you can follow.
FIREWORKS SAFETY
Many public fireworks shows are canceled this summer to avoid holding events where large crowds will gather. If you plan to use your own fireworks, check first if it is legal in your area.
GRILLING SAFETY
Grilling fires spark more than 10,000 home fires on average each year in the U.S. To avoid this:
WATER SAFETY
Warmer weather means enjoying the water. Be “water smart,” have swimming skills and know how to help others. This includes home pools — where young children are most at risk of drowning — and open water, such as ponds, rivers and lakes — where people are more likely to drown than any other location. With less access to lifeguarded aquatic facilities this summer, some may consider open water environments that are not designated for swimming.
DOWNLOAD RED CROSS APPS The Red Cross offers a series of free mobile apps to put lifesaving safety information in the palm of your hand. Download these apps by searching for “American Red Cross” in your app store or at redcross.org/apps.
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, Clark, Clay, Clinton, Cook, Coles, Christian, 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 @IllinoisRedCross.