In Indiana, 70 people die each year due to home fires, and having a working smoke alarm can cut the risk of death in half. For this reason, volunteers with the American Red Cross of Indiana Northeast Chapter and community members will be installing free smoke alarms and providing home fire safety training from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 22, 2023. Volunteers will meet at the American Legion building, 7605 Bluffton Rd in Fort Wayne at 9 a.m.
During their visit, Red Cross volunteers along with members of the community will share information on how to prevent home fires, what to do if a fire starts and how to create an escape plan
The American Red Cross Home Fire Campaign with the support of community partners has achieved its goal of installing 2.5 million free smoke alarms and making 1 million households safer across the country.
Since launching in October 2014, the campaign has saved at least 1,583 lives nationwide — including 35 people in Indiana — from the threat of home fires, which claim seven lives every day in the U.S. Most often, these tragedies occur in homes without working smoke alarms.
“The Northeast chapter of the American Red Cross of Indiana has installed 240 smoke alarms and responded and supported 191 families after an emergency in 2022,” says Executive Director Olivia Lusher. “Although we count with the support of about 250 volunteers in our chapter, we are always in need of more volunteers to help us build a more resilient community,” concludes Lusher.
How to Help If you want to be a part of a mission that brings hope to those impacted by disaster, get involved today at https://www.redcross.org/volunteer/become-a-volunteer.html#step1.
The Red Cross Northeast Chapter builds community resiliency, one smoke alarm and one conversation at a time. If you need a smoke alarm, and you are not in the Waynedale community area for the Home Fire Campaign event on April 22, 2023, you can call 260-255-3721 to schedule a free smoke alarm installation:
Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Home fires account for most of the more than 60,000 disasters that the Red Cross responds to annually. Read more stories and see the campaign’s national impact at redcross.org/HomeFireStories.
HOW TO PROTECT YOUR FAMILY To help stay safe from home fires, place smoke alarms on each level of your home, including inside and outside bedrooms and sleeping areas. Test alarms monthly and change the batteries at least once a year if your model requires it. Create a home fire escape plan with at least two ways to exit every room in your home. Practice your plan until everyone in your household can get out in less than two minutes.
HOW TO GET INVOLVED Help save lives through the campaign by becoming a volunteer to help families recover from home fires. Learn more at redcross.org/volunteer.
You can also help your family by testing your smoke alarms monthly and practicing your two-minute home fire escape plan. Additional safety tips are available at redcross.org/fire and on the free Red Cross Emergency app (search “American Red Cross” in mobile app stores).
About the American Red Cross Indiana Region:
The American Red Cross of Indiana Region serves 6.9 million people in 104 counties in Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Ohio through its six chapters: Central, Northeast, Northwest, Southeast, Southwest, and Greater Indianapolis (Regional Headquarters). 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/Indiana or follow us on Facebook, Twitter @INRedCross and Instagram @indianaredcross.