NEW JERSEY, November 8, 2024 — Residents in parts of New Jersey are facing an above-normal wildfire season as the climate crisis threatens to upend more communities. With much of the state under a Red Flag warning, the American Red Cross New Jersey Region advises everyone to learn more about potential wildfire threats that may affect their community and how to get ready now.

“Today, the Red Cross is responding to more large disasters — almost twice as many — than we did a decade ago,” said Rosie Taravella, CEO, American Red Cross New Jersey Region. “The best defense during an emergency is to be prepared and the Red Cross would like to help you get your household ready.”

As conditions are heightened for wildfires in New Jersey, the Red Cross is urging families to take action now to be ready. Families may need to evacuate quickly with little notice and should create a family plan that includes how they’ll stay connected with each other, where they’ll go, how they’ll get there, and where they’ll stay. People should sign up for free emergency alerts from local government, which will include important information such as evacuation orders in an emergency.

WILDFIRE SAFETY

A wildfire can spread very quickly, leaving you little time to get to safety. Be prepared to evacuate at a moment’s notice and obey all evacuation orders from officials.

• Back your car into the garage or park it outside, facing the direction of your evacuation route.
• Keep your pets in one room, so you can find them if you need to evacuate quickly.
• Limit exposure to smoke and dust. Keep indoor air clean by closing windows and doors to prevent outside smoke from getting in.
• Don’t use anything that burns, such as candles, fireplaces and gas stoves.

If you’re trapped outdoors, crouch in a pond, river or pool.

• Don’t put wet clothing or bandanas over your mouth or nose, as moist air can cause more damage to your airway than dry air at the same temperature.
• If there is no body of water, look for shelter in a cleared area or among a bed of rocks. Lie flat, face-down and cover your body with soil. Breathe the air close to the ground to avoid scorching your lungs or inhaling smoke.

Don’t return home until officials say it’s safe to do so.

• Inspect the roof immediately and extinguish any sparks or embers. Wildfires may have left embers that could reignite.
• Check your home for embers that could cause fires. Look for signs of a fire including smoke or sparks. Avoid damaged or downed power lines, poles and wires.
• Keep a close eye on your animals. Hidden embers and hot spots could burn them.
• Wet down debris to minimize breathing in dust particles.
• Wear work gloves and shoes with heavy soles.
• Throw out any food that has been exposed to heat, smoke or soot.

Download the free Red Cross Emergency app for weather alerts, open Red Cross shelter locations and safety steps for different emergencies. Choose whether you want to view the content in English or Spanish with an easy-to-find language selector. To download, search “American Red Cross” in app stores, or go to redcross.org/apps.

To learn more about wildfire safety, visit redcross.org/Wildfires

About the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or follow us on social media. 

About the American Red Cross in New Jersey:
The American Red Cross provides programs and services to a population of 9.2 million in New Jersey. The Red Cross trains and mobilizes more than 5,000 volunteers who support the delivery of services throughout the state. In New Jersey last year, the Red Cross responded to 1,019 local disasters, mostly home fires, assisting 7,068 people in 2,468 displaced families; collected 96,060 blood donations and 4,567 platelet donations from generous donors through blood drives and Red Cross Blood Donation Centers; provided more than 8,661 military family case services with emergency messages, helping families find assistance and/or get counseling and referrals; and trained 111,497 people with life-saving skills in CPR, AED use, first aid and aquatics. For more information, please visit redcross.org/NJ and visit us on X @NJRedCross.

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