By Sara Ponticelli

In the early morning of November 13, 2024, a massive fire broke out at an apartment complex in Southbridge, MA and quickly spread to another apartment complex next door. 30 people from 12 families were displaced.

Since this fire, the Worcester Community Action Council (WCAC) whose mission is to help people move to economic self-sufficiency through programs and partnerships, has stood up a monthly community resource fair where residents of Worcester County can learn about the programs, services and organizations in their community, including the Red Cross of Massachusetts. This event is a direct pathway to empowerment and helps provide access to a range of support services.

The Red Cross has become an active participant in this monthly fair to help educate residents on the importance of home fire safety, working smoke alarms, how to ensure the families have an escape plan as well as teaching them about our Home Fire Campaign and Sound the Alarm programs.

At our tabling event, hosted at the Southbridge Tri-Community YMCA (43 Everett St) we also give out our contact information for residents to sign up for smoke alarms to be installed in their homes as well as hand out resources about talking to their children about preparedness that are age-appropriate with easy action steps that youth can find effective.

Ensuring the residents of the greater Worcester community area know their fire escape plan, have working fire alarms and making sure everyone in the household knows how to call 9-1-1 is just some of the ways the Red Cross helps in the preparedness space. I am fortunate to work for an organization that provides these resources, and I look forward to joining this monthly tabling event to reach more of our neighbors here in the Central MA chapter.