NEW ORLEANS, La., March 4, 2026 — Since January 1, the American Red Cross of Louisiana has been working around the clock to help families and communities facing emergencies ranging from home fires to severe winter weather. As the community  recognizes Red Cross Month, the organization is sharing a recap of the humanitarian impact made possible by dedicated volunteers and generous donors.

Home Fire Response Increases Amid Cold Weather
Cold winter conditions drove a significant uptick in home fire responses across the region. Since the start of the year, Red Cross volunteers have responded to 302 home fires, providing emergency assistance such as lodging, financial support, and emotional care to more than 1000 Louisiana residents.

Urgent Need for Home Fire Responders
The American Red Cross urgently seeks local Disaster Action Team (DAT) volunteers to meet rising demand for home fire response across Louisiana. Every day in Louisiana, families lose everything in a home fire, often with only minutes to escape. In those devastating first moments, compassionate DAT volunteers are there to provide immediate comfort, emotional support and financial assistance while helping families begin their recovery. With a few hours a month, volunteers make a life-changing impact for neighbors facing their darkest moments. Apply now at redcross.org/DAT.

“Our teams have been working around the clock to provide comfort and critical support to Louisiana families,” said Kenneth St. Charles, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of the American Red Cross of Louisiana. “This Red Cross Month, we’re calling on community members to join us as volunteers so we can continue meeting the growing needs across our state.”

Response to Winter Storm Fern
When Winter Storm Fern swept through the region in January, Red Cross teams mobilized quickly to provide critical relief services. This included:

• Supporting 41 shelters with critical supplies like cots, blankets and hygiene kits
• Providing 4,133 overnight stays to residents in shelters
• Serving 8,550 meals and 21,963 snacks
•  Serving 18,793 Louisianans with disaster relief and recovery services

Home Fire Campaign & Smoke Alarm Installations

As part of the Red Cross Home Fire Campaign, volunteers and partners installed 237 free smoke alarms in nearly 100 homes across Louisiana since the start of the year. These preparedness visits also included educational sessions on home fire escape planning and household safety.

Home fires claim seven lives every day, but having working smoke alarms can cut the risk of death by half. Residents who need a smoke alarm can visit soundthealarm.org/Louisiana to request a free installation.

Red Cross Month

Each March, the American Red Cross honors the volunteers and supporters who make its mission possible. Throughout Red Cross Month, the community can get involved by:

• Volunteering in their community: redcross.org/volunteer
• Making a financial gift: redcross.org/donate
• Taking a CPR or first aid course: redcross.org/takeaclass
• More information is available at redcross.org/RedCrossMonth.

About the American Red Cross: 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. For more information, please visit  redcross.org/louisiana.