When smoke from a neighboring house fire filled her Philadelphia home, Tammy Williams escaped safely. Today, she shares her story to encourage others to create and practice a home fire escape plan before disaster strikes.

In May 2026, Tammy Williams was awakened in the early hours of the morning by flashing lights outside her home. Assuming the emergency response was for someone else, she tried to drift back to sleep. What she didn't realize was that smoke from a fire in a neighboring home was already filling her house.

As she lay in bed, she began to smell smoke.

"I remember thinking, something's wrong. My house might be on fire," Williams said. "I got out of bed and made sure to put on shoes instead of slippers because I didn't know what I might have to walk through."

When she stepped into the hallway, she immediately realized the severity of the situation.

"The hallway was completely filled with smoke. I couldn't see anything," she recalled. "Somehow, despite the smoke filling the house, I didn't bump into anything or miss a step. I made my way downstairs and all the way to the front door. When I opened it, there was a firefighter standing on my porch."

The firefighter asked if anyone else was inside. When Williams told him no, he urged her to leave immediately.

Once outside, she learned just how dangerous the situation had been. A neighbor had jumped from a second-floor window to escape the fire and was injured in the process.

Although Williams safely made it out of her home, the experience left a lasting impression. Today, she thinks often about fire safety, escape planning and how quickly conditions can change during an emergency.

"I'm so grateful to be alive, and I think about escape routes a lot now," Williams said. "How do I get out if something happens? I know when a fire starts, I may not have time to get through the front door. I might need to use the back door or a window."

While the fire did not originate in her home, the smoke damage was extensive. Her belongings, floors, carpets and important documents were affected, making it unsafe for her to remain there.

When a Red Cross disaster responder assessed the damage, she encouraged Williams to stay at the Red Cross House while she navigated the immediate aftermath of the fire.

"Sometimes you don't know what help is available, especially when you're dealing with an emergency," Williams said. "The person from the Red Cross looked at my home and told me, 'Please let us help you.' That kindness and compassion made all the difference."

For families affected by a home fire, preparedness is only part of the recovery journey. Many also need a safe place to stay while they begin rebuilding their lives. The Red Cross House, the only facility of its kind in the nation, provides short-term housing and support services in a safe, welcoming environment. Families stay in private rooms and have access to resources that help them recover and regain stability.

Williams stayed at the Red Cross House for several weeks.

"I had access to laundry facilities, a private room and three meals a day. I was incredibly grateful for everything that was provided," she said. "Every time I went to the dining room for a meal, I made a point of thanking the person serving me. Then, before I left, I would go back and thank them again."

"It's such an honor to know there's someone out there willing to do that for you, and you can tell it's sincere," she added. "It didn't cost me anything to say thank you."

What Williams remembers most, however, was the sense of peace the Red Cross House provided.

"The room I had was wonderful," she said. "I could look out over the community garden. It gave me a place to sit, gather my thoughts, figure things out and even cry when I needed to. Having that quiet space to process everything was exactly what I needed at that time."

When asked what it meant to know help was available when she needed it most, Williams struggled to put it into words.

"There are no words to describe it. It's priceless," she said. "Sometimes you don't know what help is available, and during difficult situations you're not always thinking clearly. Sometimes it's the way people speak to you and the kindness they show that is exactly what you need."

One of her strongest messages is that people often need emotional support just as much as practical support after a disaster.

Several months after the fire, she was still cleaning, repairing and replacing smoke-damaged belongings. She estimates that she lost nearly 90% of her possessions because of smoke contamination and continues to work through repairs today.

The experience has changed the way she thinks about preparedness. She now regularly considers home escape routes, emergency preparedness kits, the needs of elderly neighbors and how mobility challenges can affect evacuation.

Her message to others is simple: don't assume you're prepared.

"Think through exactly how you would get out of your home if there were a fire," she said. "Have a plan, practice it and know your escape routes before you need them. A fire doesn't give you time to figure it out."

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- Written by Akriti Farmahan