During Fire Prevention Week (October 6-12), the American Red Cross Southeastern Pennsylvania Region reminds everyone home fires claim more lives in a typical year than all natural disasters combined. 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.
“Fire now travels faster through homes, largely due to popular open-concept layouts and synthetic materials,” said Jennifer Graham, Regional CEO for the American Red Cross of Southeastern Pennsylvania. “The sooner an alarm alerts you to a fire, the sooner you can get out. This is critical because fire experts say you may have less than two minutes to escape a burning home before it’s too late.”
Tips for creating your home fire escape plan and practicing your 2-minute drill:
Smoke alarm safety:
Visit redcross.org/fire for more information, including a home fire escape plan to create and practice with your household. You can also download our free Emergency app (search “American Red Cross” in app stores).
SOUND THE ALARM
The American Red Cross Southeastern Pennsylvania Region installs lifesaving smoke alarms free of charge.·
HOME FIRE CAMPAIGN SAVE LIVES
Since October 2014, the Red Cross Home Fire Campaign, working with community partners, has saved at least 2,169 lives by educating families about fire safety, helping them create escape plans and installing free smoke alarms in high-risk areas across the country. 27 of those lives have been saved right here in Southeastern Pennsylvania. To learn more about the campaign and how you can get involved, visit redcross.org/homefires.
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