SPOKANE COUNTY (August 22, 2023) – As evacuation levels are lifted and community members begin to return home the American Red Cross serving the Greater Inland Northwest has recommendations to
ensure individuals and families stay safe. Whether or not a home was damaged by wildfire, there may be hazards that impact the area around your property. 

SAFETY BASICS

• Avoid hot ash, charred trees, smoldering debris, and live embers.
• The ground may contain heat pockets that can burn you or spark another fire.
• Avoid damaged or fallen power lines, poles, and downed wires.
• Watch for pits in the ground filled with ash. They may have hot embers underneath that could burn you. Mark them for safety and warn your family and neighbors to keep clear of the pits.
• If you have children or pets, consider leaving them with a relative or friend when you first inspect your home.
• Check the outside of your home before you enter. Look for loose power lines, broken or damaged gas lines.
• If you smell gas or hear a hissing noise, leave the property immediately and get far away. Call the fire department after you reach safety. 

HOW TO CLEAN UP SAFELY

• Protect yourself against ash when you clean up. Wear gloves, long-sleeved shirts, long pants, shoes and socks to protect your skin.
• Wear goggles to protect your eyes, and limit how much ash you breathe in by wearing an N95 respirator.
• Wash off ash that gets on your skin or in your eyes or mouth as soon as you can.
• Children, pregnant women, and people with asthma, heart or lung conditions should not breathe in dust from ash.

AFTER A POWER OUTAGE

Many neighborhoods that were previously evacuated still may not have power. If you plan on using a generator at any time, please follow these additional safety recommendations:

• Keep your generator dry and don’t use it in wet conditions.Never use a generator, grill, camp stove or other gasoline, propane, natural gas or charcoal-burning device inside a home, garage, basement or other partially enclosed area.
• Keep equipment outside and away from doors, windows and vents, which could allow carbon monoxide to come indoors.
• Plug appliances directly into the generator. Never plug a generator into a wall outlet. 

Finally, it is important to not only recognize physical threats to health and safety but that there will be emotional impacts as well. It’s normal to have a lot of feelings.

The Red Cross stresses the importance of taking care of yourself during this phase of re-entry and recovery by eating healthy food and getting enough sleep to help you deal with stress.

You can contact the Disaster Distress Helpline for free if you need to talk to someone at 1-800-985-5990 or text “TalkWithUs’ to 66746.

Remember to have photo identification available, because local authorities will only permit people who previously lived in a disaster-affected area back into the area. 

ABOUT THE NORTHWEST REGION

On average, the American Red Cross, Northwest Region responds to an emergency every 6 hours. All Red Cross disaster assistance is free of charge. For more information about the Red Cross, visit http://www.redcross.org/northwest, follow us on Twitter and Facebook @RedCrossNW or Instagram @RedCrossNorthwest. 

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Donate financially – Donations enable the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from this disaster. This includes providing food, shelter, relief supplies, emotional support, recovery planning and other assistance. Visit redcross.org/donate or call 1-800-RED-CROSS.

Sign up to volunteer – Put on a red vest and join us. Red Cross is currently recruiting additional shelter workers and disaster health services team members at redcross.org/volunteertoday