Daylight Saving Time ends Sunday, November 6, and the American Red Cross reminds everyone to ‘turn’ their clocks back an hour and ‘test’ the batteries in their smoke alarms. The Red Cross recommends having working smoke alarms on every level of your home, including inside and outside bedrooms.
“Working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in a home fire in half,” said Lyn Hruska, Chief Executive Officer of the American Red Cross Central and Southern Illinois Region. “Turn and test is a reminder to set your clocks back and take a few minutes to push the test button to make sure all alarms are working.”
It’s also an opportunity to make sure all households are prepared for home fires and other emergencies:
- Create and practice a fire escape plan. Make sure everyone in the family knows how to get out of every room and how to get out of the home in less than two minutes. Select a location outside for everyone to meet.
- Keep disaster supplies in an easy-to-carry bag to use at home or carry in case ordered to evacuate. A variety of emergency preparedness kits and supplies are available at redcrossstore.org
- Download the Red Cross Emergency App, which includes content on how to prevent home fires and what to do if one occurs. The Monster Guard: Prepare for Emergencies App is a game designed for kids. Both apps are available to download free in app stores or at redcross.org/apps.
HOME FIRE CAMPAIGN The Red Cross responds to 66,000 disasters across the country every year and most of these are home fires. Tragically, some people lose their lives in these fires and countless others are injured. The Red Cross has launched theHome Fire Campaign to reduce the number of deaths and injuries due to home fires by 25 percent over the next five years.
Since October of 2014, the Red Cross and partners have saved more than 110 lives as part of the Home Fire Campaign. The Red Cross is committing to install 2.5 million free smoke alarms in neighborhoods at high risk for fires, and to educate those residents about fire prevention and preparedness during the multi-year campaign.
More than 6,200 smoke alarms have been installed in homes in the Central and Southern Illinois Region and 14 lives have been saved because of the Home Fire Campaign. Anyone in need of smoke alarms, or who would like their smoke alarms checked, should contact the American Red Cross Central and Southern Illinois Region at 844-319-6560 and press 9 or visitgetasmokealarm.org.
WHAT PEOPLE CAN DO People can visit redcross.org/homefires to find out more about how to protect themselves and their loved ones from a fire. They can become a Red Cross volunteer. They can also help by donating to Red Cross Disaster Relief by visiting redcross.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS or texting the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Donations to Disaster Relief will be used to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small.
