Fire Prevention Week: Keeping Our Homes and Families Safe

Imagine being at home with your family when suddenly the smoke alarm starts ringing. A fire can spread very quickly, and you may have less than two minutes to get out safely. This is why fire safety is so important.

Fire Prevention Week is a time to remind everyone to take fire safety seriously. It is also a chance to learn how to prevent fires, prepare for emergencies, and keep our loved ones safe.

  

Make Sure Your Smoke Alarms Work

Smoke alarms are one of the most important safety devices in a home. They warn us when there may be a fire, giving us time to escape.

Here are some things every family should do:

 

●    Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, including inside and outside bedrooms.

●    Test your smoke alarms every month to make sure they work.

●    Replace the batteries when needed.

●    Check the age of your smoke alarms. Most smoke alarms should be replaced after 10 years.

●    Never ignore a smoke alarm when it goes off.

 

Having a working smoke alarm can make a big difference during a fire.

 

Create and Practice a Fire Escape Plan

 

Every family should have a plan for getting out of the house during a fire. Everyone should know at least two ways to escape from each room, when possible.

 

Choose a safe meeting place outside your home, such as a neighbor’s house or a specific tree in your yard. This way, everyone will know where to meet after getting out.

 

It is also important to practice your escape plan. Try doing a two-minute fire drill with your family. Make sure children know what the smoke alarm sounds like and what they should do when they hear it.

If a fire happens, get out as quickly as possible and stay outside. Never go back inside for people, pets, or belongings. Call 911 once you are safely outside.

 

 

Be Careful When Cooking

 

Cooking is one of the main causes of home fires. Sometimes, people leave food cooking while they go to another room, and this can lead to a fire.

 

To stay safe in the kitchen:

 

●    Never leave food cooking unattended.

●    Turn off the stove if you need to leave the kitchen.

●    Keep paper towels, bags, curtains, and other things that can catch fire away from the stove.

●    Avoid wearing loose clothing while cooking.

●    Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove.

●    Keep a lid nearby in case a small pan fire starts.

 

If a grease fire starts, never pour water on it. If it is safe to do so, turn off the heat and cover

the pan with a lid. Leave the pan covered until it is completely cool. If you are unsure what to do, leave the area and call 911.

 

 

Teach Children About Fire Safety

 

Children should learn that matches, lighters, and fire are not toys. Parents and caregivers should keep matches and lighters in a safe place where children cannot reach them.

 

It is also important to teach children what to do if they find matches or lighters. They should tell a trusted adult instead of touching or playing with them.

 

Parents can also help children feel less afraid of firefighters by teaching them about the important work firefighters do to protect people.

 

 

Protect Your Family from Carbon Monoxide

 

Carbon monoxide is a dangerous gas that you cannot see, smell, or taste. It can come from fuel-burning appliances, generators, and other equipment.

 

To protect your family:

 

●    Install carbon monoxide alarms on every level of your home and near sleeping areas.

●    Have your heating systems, chimneys, and vents checked regularly.

●    Never use a generator, grill, or camp stove inside your home, garage, or basement.

●    Never use a gas oven or stove to heat your home.

●    Keep heating equipment and vents clear.

 

Carbon monoxide poisoning can cause headaches, dizziness, nausea, weakness, and confusion. If you think carbon monoxide is in your home, get everyone outside into fresh air immediately and call 911.

 

 

Make Sure Everyone Is Included in Your Plan

 

Not everyone can escape a fire in the same way. Some people may need extra help, including young children, older adults, and people with disabilities.

 

When making your escape plan, think about how you can help everyone in your household get out safely. For example, someone who is deaf or hard of hearing may need a special alarm, while someone with mobility difficulties may need assistance leaving the home.

 

Practicing together helps everyone feel more prepared.

 

 

How the Red Cross Helps

 

The American Red Cross works with communities to help families stay safe from home fires. Through its Home Fire Campaign, the Red Cross and its partners help install free smoke alarms, teach families about fire safety, and create home fire escape plans.

 

The Red Cross also helps families after a home fire by providing support, emergency assistance, and information about recovery resources.

 

 

Start Preparing Today

 

Fire Prevention Week is a great reminder that a little preparation can help protect your family. You do not have to wait for a fire to happen before taking action.

 

Take a few minutes today to:

 

●    Test your smoke alarms.

●    Check your fire escape plan.

●    Practice a two-minute fire drill.

●    Learn how to prevent kitchen fires.

●    Make sure everyone in your home knows what to do during an emergency. For more information about fire safety and Red Cross resources, visit redcross.org/fire.

Written by: Amarachi Arize-Nwokoye, Communications Volunteer, American Red Cross of WNY

There's No Place Like Home: Protect Yours This Fire Prevention Week

There’s no place like home…

There’s no place like home and the sense of security that you feel surrounded by loved ones. Now imagine that all taken away from you in a matter of minutes. 

Firefighters face fierce flames on a daily basis, whether they are paid or volunteer, their duty is the same to protect the public. Every 8 minutes, the American Red Cross responds to a disaster-related incident – the majority of which are home fires. I had the pleasure of speaking with AmeriCorps member Kayla McCall, who serves the American Red Cross of Western New York in the way of fire safety, on this topic.

It’s especially important this Fire Prevention Week as the Red Cross seeks to prepare families against the threat of home fires, which claim seven lives each day in the United States. These disasters are most common now, in the cooler months, when we tend to spend more time inside.

McCall was extremely knowledgeable and shared with me that fire safety is more than just fires and flames. As a person who experienced a home fire herself some years ago, she is now tasked within the ARC to educate families on the topic of residential safety and preparedness, and she has trained well over 30 families! On average, only 26% of families have actually practiced a home fire escape plan with their immediate family.  Regardless, children tend to fall back on their training and “hide from the bad guy” in an attempt to remain safe.  Sadly, if they hide during a fire, they are more likely to perish in the home not due to the fire but instead because of the thick and toxic smoke associated with fires. Statistics say that if there is a fire safety plan in place it reduces panic during an emergency and improves the outcome.

Kayla also had some noteworthy tips to share with our readers: when installing carbon monoxide detectors, place them lower to the ground as the toxic air is heavy and it remains low.  Smoke detectors should be installed up higher since smoke rises quickly.  But the one that I think will hit close to home for most is to avoid daisy chaining! This is the connecting of two or more power strips into each other.  Daisy chaining accounts for a number of OSHA violations, but more importantly they contribute to a large number of electrical fires that could have easily been avoided.

You can help to keep your family safe by testing your smoke alarms, as well as practicing your two-minute escape drill. Teach children what a smoke alarm sounds like and talk about fire safety and what to do in an emergency.

·         Place smoke alarms on each level of your home, including inside and outside bedrooms and sleeping areas. Test alarms monthly and change the batteries at least once a year, if your model requires it.

·         Also check the manufacturer’s date of your smoke alarms. If they’re 10 years or older, they likely need to be replaced because components such as batteries can become less reliable. Follow your alarm’s manufacturer instructions.

·      In your escape plan, include at least two ways to exit every room in your home.

·       Select a meeting spot at a safe distance away from your home, such as your neighbor’s home or landmark like a specific tree in your front yard, where everyone knows to meet.

·        Visit redcross.org/fire for more information, including an escape plan to practice with your family.

Some additional fire safety takeaways that could help keep you and your loved ones stay safe also include keeping a fire extinguisher in your home and changing the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors when you change your clocks with daylight savings time, every six months. For those who may be deaf or hard of hearing, install strobe light and bed-shaker alarms to help alert you or a loved one to a fire. And when practicing your escape plan, include any devices or people that help you to get out safely.

And in cases where you cannot afford to purchase a smoke alarm or are physically unable to install one, the American Red Cross of Western New York is there to help.

Home fires are our nation’s most common disaster. This Fire Prevention Week, help keep your family safe and join Kayla and the Red Cross in its mission to #EndHomeFires.

Story by Holly Gassler, American Red Cross of Western New York communications volunteer

Sounding the Alarm to Save Lives

The world looks a bit different than it did when the American Red Cross kicked off its 2021 Sound the Alarm campaign on April 8 in Buffalo.

Chief Disaster Officer Ken Turner
joined a team of volunteers to install
free smoke alarms in Buffalo, NY on June 8

The weather is noticeably, and thankfully, warmer; we are beginning to climb out of the pandemic and reunite with loved ones and along with that the American Red Cross of Western New York has resumed free smoke alarm installations – a cornerstone of the Sound the Alarm campaign. 

Every 8 minutes, Red Cross volunteers respond to a disaster-related incident – the majority of which are home fires. Through the Sound the Alarm/Home Fire Safety campaign Red Cross volunteers focus on helping families across Western New York to prevent, respond to and recover from home fires. From helping families to create their two-minute escape plan to installing smoke alarms, volunteers within our 27-county footprint have reached thousands of homes helping to save lives.

In a COVID-19 environment, our methods looked a bit different this year. This spring, much of the campaign focused on a virtual home fire safety education component, with limited smoke alarm installations taking place through our partners with the Gates Fire Department, Paul Davis and the West Webster Fire Department.

Despite these challenges, Red Cross volunteers rose to the occasion reaching nearly 800 homes and installing more than 1,200 smoke alarms as part of the 2021 Sound the Alarm/Home Fire Safety campaign!

Red Cross volunteer Melanie Pandich reviews a home
 fire escape plan with Rochester resident Mary Kay Smyth
during the Sound the Alarm Day of Action on May 8

As a result, since its launch in 2014, more than 12,000 homes across the Western New York region have been reached, more than 30,000 free smoke alarms have been installed and most importantly, 39 lives have been saved as a direct result of the campaign.

This lifesaving work is a testament to the dedication of our Red Cross volunteers, partner organizations and sponsors including:

Installation Partners

·         Gates Fire Company

·         Paul Davis

·         West Webster Fire Department

·         Spencerport Fire Department

·         Laurelton Fire Department

·         Geneva Fire Department

Campaign Sponsors

·         NFA, National Fire Adjustment Inc.

·         National Grid

·         Corning Incorporated Foundation

·         Lewis Tree Service

·         Dryden Mutual Insurance Co.

·         ESL Federal Credit Union

·         Geico Buffalo

·         M&T Bank

·         Linde

·         DiMino’s Lewiston Tops

·         Ingram Micro

·         Paychex

·         Phillips Lytle, LLP

·         Rich Products

When the worst happens, the Red Cross is there. While the pandemic may have impacted the approach, it only served to strengthen the resolve of the Red Cross workforce and our mission. As many of us begin to resume normal activities, we encourage families to join the Red Cross in helping to end home fires within our community by learning more or signing up for a free smoke alarm today.

 

"Smiles for Seth" Blood Drive Held in Eight-Year-Old's Memory

‘Smiles for Seth’ Fire Safety Event to Resume in 2021

On August 13, 2020, the American Red Cross hosted a blood drive in memory of Seth Creenan at Glendale Elementary School. In 2018, Seth was in third grade when he tragically passed away at eight years old due to a fire in his family’s Tonawanda home. 

Mike Zekas, Seth Creenan’s grandfather, standing in front of a mural at Glendale Elementary School (Seth is the child holding the sign in the mural).

“The school district played a huge part in our healing process, their outreach to us was amazing,” said Mike Zekas, Seth’s grandfather. 

Seth’s family agreed to honor him through a blood drive this year after plans for the second annual Smiles for Seth fire safety and prevention event were put on hold due to COVID-19. The blood drive was successful, collecting 24 units of blood, which can help save up to 72 lives. The need for blood is constant, even during a pandemic. Each Red Cross blood drive and donation center follows the highest standards of safety and infection control.

The goal of the Smiles for Seth event is to work together with local fire departments and the Red Cross to increase awareness of the importance of fire safety among families -- and ultimately save lives. The first event was arranged in June 2019 with the help of Seth’s family, Glendale Elementary School administration and local  Red Cross leadership. 

The Red Cross provided assistance to Zekas’ family immediately following the October 2018 house fire by arranging hotel accommodations. Later on, when a local Red Cross board member learned that a fire safety event in Seth’s memory was in the works, they offered to incorporate the Sound the Alarm program.  

“The Red Cross has been on board with us through the entire process and they were just as disappointed as we are about not being able to do the event this year,” Zekas added. 

Zekas hopes the event will continue to help capture parents’ attention. “The fire departments will come to the school and often do a fire drill at the school and hand out pamphlets to take home, and a lot of the time the parents don't really pay attention,” said Zekas. “Statistics show that there are not a lot of school fires, there are a lot of fires at home.” 

Did you know that if a fire starts in your home you may have as little as two minutes to escape?

Does your family have an escape plan?

Have you practiced that escape plan? 

Do you have smoke alarms? 

When is the last time you checked to make sure your smoke alarms are working? 

It is important to educate yourself, educate your family and be prepared.

“If we can prevent one family from going through what we have gone through, then we have done our job,” said Zekas

The stage was set for this year’s Smiles for Seth event to expand, with plans to involve each elementary school and all of the local fire companies after the Sweet Home district superintendent witnessed the impact Smiles for Seth had in 2019. Zekas is thankful for the continued support from the community, and hopes to resume the event in 2021 when community members can safely attend. 

In times of crisis, the Red Cross is fortunate to witness the best of humanity as people roll up a sleeve to help those in need. Because about 80% of blood donations are made at drives hosted by community organizations, schools and businesses, the Red Cross urgently needs the help of both blood donors and blood drive hosts to ensure blood products are readily available for patients. Learn more and sign up to sponsor a drive by visiting RedCrossBlood.org/HostADrive.  

Blood and platelet donors can make an appointment through the Red Cross Blood Donor App, by visiting RedCrossBlood.org, by calling 1-800-RED CROSS, or by enabling the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device.

Story by: Nicole Mauro, American Red Cross