Red Cross partners with Upper Merion Township to make homes safer

By Alana Mauger

Red Cross and Upper Merion Fire Department volunteers line up before hitting the streets on Saturday in Bridgeport. Photo by Alana Mauger

On Saturday, American Red Cross volunteers hit the streets to help save lives in Montgomery County. Joining them were members of the Upper Merion Township Fire Department, and the day’s project was to install smoke alarms and talk about fire safety with residents of King of Prussia and Bridgeport. The event was the last in a series of three this fall; combined, 308 10-year lithium battery smoke alarms were installed and 263 homes were made safer through fire safety education.

According to Dennis Rubin, Upper Merion’s Chief of Fire and EMS, partnering with the Red Cross has led to “well over 2,000″ Upper Merion homes safer over the past three years.

“The National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA) has been very clear in pointing out that the technology exists in our nation to cut fire deaths in half by the installation of smoke alarms,” said Chief Rubin. “Our goal is to tap on everyone’s door and to install alarms if they’re needed. Then in 10 years, we’ll do it again.”

Red Cross and Upper Merion Fire volunteers go door to door on Oct. 16 in King of Prussia. Photo by Alana Mauger

As fire and EMS volunteers entered homes to put up the free alarms (one in every bedroom and one on each floor), Red Crossers gave out packets of vital fire safety info and talked with family members about home fires and evacuation planning.

Elisabeth Von Baldas, volunteer lead for the Red Cross Home Fire Campaign in Montgomery County, appreciates the support of Upper Merion Township.

“We have gotten to know each other well after working in this partnership for three years,” she says. “They are very well organized and plan the logistics meticulously. We’ll continue to work with Upper Merion for the next several years as they continue their goal of reaching out to the entire township.”

Elisabeth Von Baldas, Red Cross Home Fire Campaign lead for Montgomery County, provides instruction on Sept. 18 at Swedeland Volunteer Fire Company. Photo by Alana Mauger

Around 30 volunteers took part in each event. For some, like Selena Pham, a new Disaster Action Team volunteer from Philadelphia, Saturday’s outing was a new experience. Selena teamed up with Deb Tevlin of Montgomery County, a seasoned volunteer who estimates that she’s participated in at least 20 smoke alarm installation events.

“I really appreciated working with the Upper Merion Fire volunteers,” says Tevlin, who took part in all three events this fall. “They were very willing to walk with us and answer all our questions.”

She also commended Von Baldas for her leadership.

“Liz is always organized. She’s so consistent and is such a good leader,” says Tevlin. “She has a loyal following of teammates who step up to help, even across county lines.”

Jennifer Graham, executive director, Red Cross Delaware Valley Chapter, provides fire safety information to an Upper Merion resident on Sept. 18. Photo by Alana Mauger

The township already has another event penciled in for spring 2022 to coincide with the annual Red Cross Sound the Alarm campaign, as well as two more in the fall.

“There are two days when you know you’re going to do good in the community—donating blood and installing smoke alarms,” says Chief Rubin, who is a 10-gallon blood donor. “And we’re doing both of those with the Red Cross.”

Since its launch in 2014, the American Red Cross’s Home Fire Campaign has led to the installation of over 2 million smoke alarms and helped make close to 950,000 homes safer. Visit the Home Fire Safety section of our website to learn more.

TURN your clocks! TEST your smoke alarms!

By Judith Weeks

As clocks “fall back” when daylight saving time ends on Sunday, November 7 it’s also the perfect time to test your smoke alarms and replace the batteries if needed.

Home fires are the nation’s most frequent disaster, taking seven lives every day in this country. With the colder season and holidays approaching, the risk of deadly home fires increases! Heating equipment is a leading cause of home fires. And with the COVID pandemic, the risk increases as more people are working and staying at home. 

Its critical to take action now to be as safe as possible. There is no doubt that home smoke alarms save lives. You can take a few simple steps to help protect your loved ones and those who live in your home or apartment.

The American Red Cross asks everyone to follow these three fire safety steps to keep everyone safe from home fires.

1. Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, including inside and outside bedrooms and sleeping areas.
2. Replace smoke alarms that are 10 years or older. Components such as sensors can become less sensitive over time. Follow your alarm’s manufacturer instructions.
3. Practice your two-minute home fire escape plan. Make sure everyone in your household can get out in less than two minutes – that’s the amount of time you may have to escape a burning home before it’s too late. Include at least two ways to get out of every room and select a meeting spot that is a safe distance away from your home, such as your neighbor’s home or landmark like a specific tree in your front yard, were everyone can meet.

The Red Cross Home Fire Campaign helps save lives by installing free smoke alarms in homes that do not have them, and by educating people about fire safety. Southeast Pennsylvania Region volunteers work with local fire departments canvassed neighborhoods, installing free smoke alarms and talking to the residents about preparedness and prevention

For more information, including safety tips and free resources, visit redcross.org/homefires or download the free Red Cross Emergency app by searching for “American Red Cross” in app stores.

From June 2020 through June 2021, the Southeast Pennsylvania Region Red Cross responded to 689 local disasters, including home fires, and helped a total of 3,855 people.

Fire Prevention Week: Test smoke alarms now before cold weather brings increased threat of home fires

By Dave Skutnik

This Fire Prevention Week (October 3-9), the American Red Cross Southeastern Pennsylvania Region urges you to test your smoke alarms before the threat of home fires increases with colder weather.

The Red Cross of Southeastern Pennsylvania responds to 25% more home fires in November through March than in warmer months from April through October. In fact, in Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties, the number of home fire responses nearly doubles from October to January. According to the National Fire Protection Association — which is sponsoring Fire Prevention Week with the theme, “Learn the Sounds of Fire Safety” — home fires are most common in colder months when people spend more time inside, and cooking and heating equipment are the leading causes of these crises.

“Every day, people’s lives are devastated by home fires — a threat that’s increasing as winter approaches,” said Guy Triano, CEO for the American Red Cross Southeastern Pennsylvania Region. “Help keep your family safe now by testing your smoke alarms and practicing your two-minute fire escape drill.”

HOW TO PROTECT YOUR FAMILY During Fire Prevention Week, test your smoke alarms and practice your two-minute home fire escape drill — the amount of time that experts say you may have to get out before it’s too late. 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.
• 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 batteries can become less reliable. Follow your alarm’s manufacturer instructions.
• Include at least two ways to exit every room in your home in your escape plan.
• 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.
• Tailor your escape plan to everyone’s needs in your household. If you are deaf or hard of hearing, install strobe light and bed-shaker alarms to help alert you to a fire. When practicing your plan, include any devices or people that can help you to get out safely.

If you cannot afford to purchase smoke alarms or are physically unable to install one, the Red Cross may be able to help. Contact the Red Cross Southeastern Pennsylvania Region for more information. Due to COVID-19 safety guidelines, smoke alarm installations are limited to where they’re safe to do so.

PREPARING NOW CAN SAVE YOUR LIFE Since October 2014, the Red Cross Home Fire Campaign with community partners has educated families about fire safety, helping them create escape plans and installing free smoke alarms in high-risk areas. Locally in Southeastern Pennsylvania, Red Cross volunteers and partners have installed more than 16,500 smoke alarms and helped make more than 7,000 households safer. To learn more about the campaign and how you can get involved, visit redcross.org/HomeFires.

Philadelphia homes made safer during ‘Sound the Alarm’ Day of Action

By Marta Rusek and Alana Mauger

Southwest Philadelphia residents Aaron and Mohammed Zoe had their home made safer on May 8 by members of the Philadelphia Fire Department and Red Cross Southeastern Pennsylvania Regional CEO Guy Triano and volunteer Elizabeth Von Baldes. Photo by Donn Greenberg

Create an escape plan. Practice a two-minute drill. Test your smoke alarms monthly. These are the core messages delivered by American Red Cross volunteers and staff during the 2021 Sound the Alarm Day of Action on May 8.  Adjusting tactics for the pandemic, four small groups of volunteers and Red Cross staff partnered with the Philadelphia Fire Department to help make 135 homes safer through fire safety education.

Three groups met with residents outside their homes in the Elmwood neighborhood of Southwest Philadelphia, while members of the Philadelphia fire department installed smoke alarms – 38 total – for those who requested them. Red Cross volunteers included Board member David Poindexter, Mary Noll and Elizabeth Von Baldes.

At the Pennsylvania Convention Center, the fourth group of Red Crossers introduced home fire safety tips to community members participating in the vaccine clinic there. Volunteers Heidi Dampman, Diane Minanno, and Will Dobnak were on-site to provide information, share escape planning tips, and schedule no-cost smoke alarm installations by the Philadelphia Fire Department with community residents. Thanks to the dedication and enthusiasm of our volunteers, 111 people received information to keep their households safe.

Volunteers at the Pennsylvania Convention Center (from left): Heidi Dampman, Diane Minanno, Marta Rusek, and Will Dobnak. Photo by Donn Greenberg

Residents were most shocked to learn that a fire can double in size every 60 seconds (hence the reason the Red Cross encourages homeowners to create and practice escape plans that are no more than two minutes long). In addition to a two-minute escape plan, our volunteers shared the importance of planning and practicing two escape routes.

Though the weather was chilly outside, volunteers radiated excitement for the campaign and a desire to share life-saving information. “Sound the Alarm is so much fun!” said Diane Minanno. “It’s not just for volunteers – [in non-pandemic years] you can bring your family, and some family members eventually become volunteers themselves!”

Check out our full Sound the Alarm Day of Action Flickr album.

The Day of Action built on two months of fire safety education by teams of volunteers at the Convention Center. As of May 19, over 1,000 homes were made safer in Greater Philadelphia, with the Southeastern Pennsylvania region leading the nation. This number will grow as teams of volunteers continue their work at the Convention Center through June 15.

Our Sound the Alarm work is made possible thanks to generous financial donations from regional partners: FMC Corporation, Morgan Properties, The Triumph Group, and The Wawa Foundation. 

To learn more about Sound the Alarm and to take the pledge to be prepared for home fire safety, visit SoundTheAlarm.org.

Red Cross volunteers and staff and members of the Philadelphia Fire Department met at Elmwood Park in Southwest Philadelphia before breaking into groups for May 8’s Day of Action. Photo by Donn Greenberg

‘Sound the Alarm’ returns May 8th

By Dave Skutnik

This Saturday, May 8, Red Cross volunteers and Philadelphia firefighters will Sound the Alarm in Southwest Philadelphia as part of a national effort to educate 100,000 people about home fire safety in high-risk neighborhoods this spring. Volunteers will meet with residents outside their homes to share fire safety information and help them create an escape plan to practice their two-minute fire drill.

“Home fires remain the most frequent disaster during COVID-19, yet most of us don’t realize we have just two minutes to safely escape,” said Guy Triano, Regional CEO for the American Red Cross of Southeastern Pennsylvania. “As families continue to spend more time at home during the pandemic, it’s critical that we help our vulnerable neighbors protect themselves from these everyday disasters.”

Philadelphia is among more than 50 at-risk communities participating in the national Red Cross Sound the Alarm initiative with partners. Year after year, the Red Cross and Philadelphia Fire Department work together to provide free smoke alarms and home fire safety education to city residents. 

HOW TO KEEP YOUR FAMILY SAFE 

You can help protect your family against home fires with this four-step action plan:

• Create an escape plan with 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.
• Practice your escape plan until everyone in your household can get out in less than two minutes.
• Place smoke alarms on each level of your home, including inside and outside bedrooms and sleeping areas. Change the batteries at least once a year if your model requires it.
• Check the manufacturer’s date of your smoke alarms. If they’re 10 years or older, they likely need to be replaced. Follow your alarm’s manufacturer instructions.

This work is made possible thanks to generous financial donations from regional partners: FMC Corporation, Morgan Properties, The Triumph Group, and The Wawa Foundation. 

Visit SoundTheAlarm.org for more information and to pledge to prepare your family against home fires.

Primary image description: a design featuring the Sound the Alarm logo (a blue hand pressing a red button on a smoke alarm), above the words “Save a life” and the Red Cross logo. On the right-hand side are three house fire prevention safety tips: “Create an escape plan., Practice your 2-minute drill., and Test your smoke alarm.”

After an Apartment Fire, Melissa Haley Is Grateful for Red Cross Support

By Alana Mauger

In December 2020, 29-year-old Melissa Haley found herself displaced from her third-floor West Philadelphia apartment after a fire. Even though the flames were extinguished quickly, the residents had no electricity or heat and their homes were filled with smoke.

Thankfully, Melissa had renter’s insurance, which allowed her and cat, Nelita, to have a safe place to stay. But they still had nothing but the clothes (and fur) on their backs and were not sure where to turn. That’s when Philadelphia Fire Department responders pointed her toward the American Red Cross of Southeastern Pennsylvania.

“I didn’t even know that [the Red Cross] was a resource available to me,” she said.

Melissa recalls that “within minutes” of contacting the Red Cross, a caseworker called her back.

“They asked me what I needed and went through a very easy and efficient process. I didn’t feel overwhelmed.”

After verifying her information, Red Cross Disaster Action Team (DAT) members were able to get Melissa funds for food, clothing, toiletries, and other essentials.

“I was able to get everything I needed in less than 24 hours and was safely settled by the end of the night, largely due to their kindness and efficiency,” she said. 

The Red Cross also offered Melissa emotional support and checked back with her regularly.

“My experience with the Red Cross has been amazing,” she shared. “It’s not an experience I ever want to repeat, but for something that was difficult to go through, I honestly feel like [the Red Cross] made it super easy and super convenient by guiding me through the process. I felt very supported.”

Today, Melissa and Nelita are happily back home in their renovated apartment, from which Melissa recorded a video for Red Cross staff and volunteers. “I just want to say thank you all for the amazing work that you do,” she told them.

Photo Description: Melissa Haley plays with her cat, Nelita.

Children at home? Make a home fire safety plan!

By Judith Weeks

When a fire disaster occurs, do you know who’s most at risk? Your kids—especially those under 5, who are twice as likely as others to die in a home fire. And here’s another scary fact: Because fire can spread rapidly, your family has as little as two minutes to escape before it’s too late.

With the pandemic keeping everyone at home more, you may be looking for kid-friendly activities. The American Red Cross has some ideas on ways to keep the kids engaged while teaching them vital survival skills. Talk to them about fire safety, and make a Home Fire Safety Plan!

Most children have a fear of fire. I know! When I was 8 years old, a fire occurred in my home. We all evacuated safely, but my bedroom had no outside exit. After the fire, I worried about the fire reoccurring and even worse, having no escape. I had nightmares of being trapped in my bedroom!

Talking about fire safety with kids helps reduce their fear, and they’ll feel more confident if they know what to do. Be prepared for questions, especially if you have pets. Be as honest as you can, in a developmentally appropriate way.

Here are some tips for making your Home Fire Safety Plan with your children.

• Start by showing the kids where a fire can begin, such as a stove, fireplace, or portable heater. Banish candles from your home! Instead, use electric ones that won’t catch fire. Keep matches and flammable items safely stored.

• Take a home tour with your kids, showing them smoke alarms and talking about escape routes. Teach them what a smoke alarm sounds like. Then repeat this phrase over and over: GET OUT, STAY OUT, CALL FOR HELP. Let it sink in. Emphasize they must never go back inside! Ask them to suggest an outdoor meeting place where the whole family can gather during an emergency.

• Assign an adult to evacuate infants and toddlers under 5 years old. Stress to the older children that it is an adult’s responsibility—not theirs—to evacuate the younger siblings.

• Draw a Fire Escape Map. Use the map format by downloading copies here.

• Ask each child to make a Fire Escape Map of their bedroom. Include two escape routes. Make sure they can open windows and doors. Include everyone in mapping the entire house.

• Make a checklist for testing smoke alarms monthly and practicing the Fire Escape Plan twice a year. Post the Fire Escape Map and Checklist on a bulletin board. Have each child attach their map to their bedroom wall.

YOU CAN SAVE YOUR CHILD’S LIFE BY PRACTICING YOUR HOME FIRE SAFETY PLAN!

Now for the “fun” part: Practice your fire escape plan as a family. Crawl low and go to the outdoor meeting site. The escape should only take two minutes. Reward each child after each smoke alarm check and evacuation practice. Perhaps you could give them a smiley face sticker to attach to the Fire Escape Map in their room.

Here are additional resources for kids’ emergency preparedness:

• Prepare With Pedro (4 to 8 years old): English | Spanish
• Monster Guard: Prepare for Emergencies

Primary image description: A young girl holds up her Red Cross Home Fire Escape Plan.

Second image description: A graphic from the American Red Cross entitled Mapping Out Your Escape Plan: Single Family Home, with an image of a single-family home interior with directions on identifying at least two exits from every room, making there are smoke alarms on all levels of the home, and that the members of the household know where to meet outside in the event of a fire emergency.

Third image description: A graphic from the American Red Cross entitled Mapping Out Your Escape Plan: Multi-Family Dwelling, with an image of a multi-family home interior with directions, including identifying at least two exits from every room, making there are smoke alarms on all levels of each individual dwelling, and that the members of the household know where to meet outside in the event of a fire emergency.

Fire Prevention Week is October 4 – 10: Test your Smoke Alarms and Practice your Escape Plan

By Judith Weeks

If you live in or around the city of Philadelphia, your evacuation plan may look something like this. | Design by the American Red Cross

Did you know that if a fire starts in your home you may have as little as two minutes to escape? Home fires claim seven lives a day in the U.S., but a new 2020 national Red Cross survey shows most of us aren’t taking the steps to protect ourselves.

Testing your smoke alarms each month helps ensure that they’re working — which can cut the risk of dying in a home fire by half. Still, the study shows 65% of us don’t. Practicing your escape plan twice a year also increases the odds of survival. But 70% of us don’t. Escaping in less than two minutes can be the difference between survival and tragedy, according to fire experts. Yet more than half of us think we have more time.

During a fire, early warning from a smoke alarm plus having a practiced escape plan in place can save lives. Smoke alarms should be placed on each floor and strategically located throughout your home. Each alarm should be tested once a month. Replace batteries at least once a year and check the manufacturer’s date of your smoke alarms. If they’re 10 years or older, they need to be replaced because the sensor becomes less sensitive over time. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

These two safety tips will protect your family in the event of a fire. | Design by the American Red Cross

MAKE AN ESCAPE PLAN.

• Include at least two ways to exit every room in your home. 

• Make a map showing the location of each exit using this template.

• 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.

• Teach children what a smoke alarm sounds like. Talk about fire safety and what to do in an emergency.

• Practice evacuation with all occupants, including caregivers and babysitters until everyone can get out in less than two minutes.

• If a smoke and fire alarm is activated, evacuate immediately.

Is an escape plan in your family’s playbook? We can help you make one! Design by the American Red Cross

Many row homes are old with few escape options. Consider all exit possibilities. Fire can quickly spread from one row house to another. If you see or smell smoke from your house or someone else’s, immediately evacuate. Once you and others are safely out of your home, knock on your neighbors’ doors to notify them of a fire.

Apartments, high rise buildings, and school dormitories are required to have an escape map posted on each floor with designated exits and reminder not to use the elevator. When moving a student into a dorm make sure the student knows where the escape map and exits are. If possible, practice an escape. This is probably an “aw Mom” moment but explaining the ‘why’ could save a life.

Even in a year filled with wildfires, hurricanes and other storms, home fires remain the most common disaster that the American Red Cross responds to. From July 1 through August 31, the American Red Cross Southeastern Pennsylvania Region responded to 104 local emergencies, providing assistance for 443 families and 1,296 people in the five-county area.

For more home fire preparedness tips, head to our Home Fire Preparedness page.

Fire Prevention Week: Red Cross Urges Everyone To Practice Home Fire Drills, Install Smoke Alarms

Home fires kill seven people everyday. Fire Prevention Week begins October 7, and the American Red Cross reminds everyone to take two simple steps – practice fire drills at home and test smoke alarms monthly – to stay safe from the nation’s most frequent and deadliest disaster.

On average, seven people die every day from home fires, which take more lives each year than all other natural disasters combined in the U.S., according to the National Fire Protection Association. But working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in a home fire in half.

That’s why the Red Cross is working with community partners to install free smoke alarms, help families create home fire escape plans, and provide public fire prevention and safety resources through its Home Fire Campaign, a nationwide effort to reduce fire-related deaths and injuries. Since the campaign began in October 2014, it’s reached more than 1.6 million people and is credited with saving 472 lives nationwide.

CTSY Adam Jennings/American Red Cross

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO

Experts say that today’s home fires burn faster than ever, leaving people with only as little as two minutes to escape a burning residence. But many mistakenly believe they have more time, according to a Red Cross survey last year. During Fire Prevention Week, the Red Cross urges everyone to take these lifesaving steps:

• Develop a fire escape plan with everyone in your household and practice it at least twice a year. Need help with your plan? Use these free Home Fire Campaign resources.
• Install smoke alarms in your home, on every level and outside each sleeping area. Test them once a month and replace the batteries at least once a year if required.
• Teach children what smoke alarms sound like and what they should do if they hear one.
• Make sure all household members know two ways to escape from every room.
• Establish a family meeting spot outside.

Volunteers Raise Fire Safety For Neighborhood During Sound the Alarm

Written by David Haas

 

In a typical year, home fires kill more people than all other natural disasters combined in the United States. The Red Cross has set a goal to reduce fire-related deaths and injuries in the US by 25% through the Home Fire Campaign. Each spring during the last weekend of April and first two weeks of May, Red Cross hosts the National Signature Event – Sound the Alarm. The 2018 Sound the Alarm campaign promotes fire safety and seeks to install 100,000 fire alarms in at-risk communities nationwide.

The Red Cross of Eastern PA held a large event Friday, May 4^th in the Port Richmond neighborhood of Philadelphia. Helping to kick off the morning’s event were a wide range of senior leaders of the Philadelphia and Pennsylvania safety community.  Dan Bradley, the Director of Philadelphia’s Office of Emergency Management highlighted the importance of our involvement in Sound the Alarm by stating that “Fires are the #1 most frequent hazard occurring across the city, and the most important thing someone can do to prevent fire is to install a smoke alarm; the second most important thing is to have an emergency escape plan.”

Approximately 150 volunteers and partners from Wawa, PECO, FEMA, Boston Consulting Group, Philadelphia Fire Department, Duke Realty, CapTech Ventures, Temple University and Philadelphia Soul fanned out across the Port Richmond neighborhood for five hours installing smoke detectors and educating residents on fire safety. Through the volunteers’ hard work, 125 homes were made safer and 267 smoke alarms were installed free of charge.

Volunteers received a warm welcome from the community and several instances of non-working and outdated detectors were found and replaced.  Said Interim Red Cross CEO Angela A. Broome Powley: “You never know which smoke alarm installed today will save a life tomorrow.”  To date, over 400 lives have been saved through the Home Fire Campaign.

From left, Boston Consulting Group David Webb, Red Cross Eastern Pennsylvania Interim CEO Angela A. Broome Powley, Director of Philadelphia’s Office of Emergency Management Dan Bradley, Pennsylvania Acting State Fire Commissioner Bruce Trego, FEMA Region 3 Administrator MaryAnn Tierney and Philadelphia Fire Commissioner Adam Thiel

Go to www.SoundTheAlarm.org/EasternPA to learn more, or access Volunteer Connection to sign up for an upcoming event.