Volunteer disaster responders with the American Red Cross of Chicago & Northern Illinois responded to 21 fires from Monday, September 2 to today across the region in Bolingbrook, Calumet City, Carpentersville, DePue, Naperville, Oak Forest and Rockford with 9 of the fires occurring in Chicago.
The Red Cross helped 83 individuals, including 62 adults and 21 children who were affected with temporary housing, food, clothing and comfort kits with toiletry items, information about recovery services and health and mental health services and, depending on the circumstances, financial assistance.
The Red Cross responds to 3 to 4 home fires every day in 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. For more Red Cross fire safety and preparedness information visit www.redcross.org/prepare.
In addition, twenty volunteers with the Red Cross of Chicago
& Northern Illinois deployed ahead of Hurricane Dorian to help set up shelters, logistics, meals and provide disaster mental health and health services to people who were on the path of Dorian and forced to evacuate. Two of those volunteers are still on the ground in West Palm Beach, Florida to support relief efforts for evacuees arriving from the Bahamas.
It’s estimated that at least 76,000 people have been impacted by Dorian with the vast majority of those affected being residents of Abaco and Grand Bahama islands. The American Red Cross has committed an initial $2 million dollars to support the Bahamas relief efforts.
HOW YOU CAN HELP Disaster relief involves complex responses and the Red Cross needs the public’s support to help the people affected. You can make a difference in the lives of people impacted by Hurricane Dorian. Visit redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS, or text the word DORIAN to 90999 to make a $10 donation. These donations enable the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small.
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.