Volunteer disaster responders with the American Red Cross of Chicago & Northern Illinois responded to 22 fires from Monday, January 13 through today in the Chicago & Northern Illinois area in Harvey, Joliet, Palatine, Princeton, Rockford and more, with 16 of these fires occurring in Chicago including a fire in the 3000 block of W. 85th St. that sadly resulted in the loss of life.
Our volunteers provided assistance to 93 individuals, including 71 adults and 22 children with temporary housing, food, clothing and comfort kits with toiletry items, information about recovery services and health and 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.
Also, the Red Cross currently has a critical need for blood donors of all blood types, especially type O. Donors are urged to make an appointment to give now using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1 800-733-2767) or enabling the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Eco device.
Puerto Rico
Two Red Cross volunteers from Chicago, Ida Roldán and Morrie Bowie are among the more than 180 trained disaster workers that the American Red Cross has on the ground in Puerto Rico helping thousands of people who have sought refuge in government-run shelters after more than 1,000 earthquakes rattled the island.
The Red Cross is also providing assistance to people staying outdoors for fear of more tremors with relief items such as blankets and water.
In addition, Red cross volunteers are going neighborhood by neighborhood to give out emergency supplies, including hygiene kits and comfort items, and sharing preparedness information. Our volunteers are also providing health and disaster mental health services. All of these services are art of the help people need while they begin to plan their next steps.
You can find more information about earthquake safety here: English/ Spanish.
HOW YOU CAN HELP You can help people affected by the Puerto Rico earthquakes by texting the word EARTHQUAKES to 90999 to make a $10 donation or by writing a check with “Puerto Rico earthquakes” in the memo line and sending it to your local Red Cross chapter. Your gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from this disaster. You can also help people affected by disasters big and small by visiting redcross.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS, or texting the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.
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.