Volunteers with our Disaster Action Team responded to five home fires across Northwest Illinois this past week. Our volunteers assisted families impacted by incidents in Ogle and Winnebago Counties including 20 individuals, 15 adults and 5 children, with temporary housing, health services, disaster mental health services, financial assistance, and recovery planning.
A fire can take a home in as little as two minutes. Therefore, escaping in less than two minutes can be the difference between survival and tragedy. The American Red Cross encourages everyone to talk to their children about fire safety to help families stay safe and prepared.
If you need assistance after a home fire or disaster, please call our dispatch line: 1-877-597-0747.
Sound the Alarm: Since the campaign launched in 2014, our volunteers have helped save lives by installing more than 12,000 free smoke alarms.
This month, the Red Cross rallied volunteers across the state of Illinois to join the nationwide Sound the Alarm campaign to install free smoke alarms.
This critical work is made possible with the support of our partners and volunteers, who helped us install over 2,000 free smoke alarms in 800 vulnerable homes. And, thanks to donations, our services are free and available for all those in need.
IF YOU NEED A SMOKE ALARM The Red Cross is always available to install free smoke alarms for anyone who needs them. If you, or someone you know, want to make your home safer, visit www.redcross.org/local/illinois or call 312-729-6100.
To help protect your household, test your smoke alarms each month and practice your escape plan until everyone can get out in less than two minutes.
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, Christian, Clark, Clay, Clinton, Cook, Coles, 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 @RedCrossIL.
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