3 HOT Tips for Home Fire Safety

by Carmen Wright, volunteer contributor

Only you can prevent fires.
Home or wild.

Remember when the firemen came to talk to your class in kindergarten? Learning stop, drop, and roll? Watching Smokey the Bear ads on TV?  If you’re like me, that was probably the last time you thought about fire safety. 

Thankfully, there is a whole week devoted to Fire Prevention, and it’s here! 

While the wildfires in Colorado, California and even the plant explosion in West, Texas this summer may seem like they are a world away, home fires occur regularly in North Texas. In fact, the majority of Red Cross Disaster Relief responses are to fires. And while the Red Cross is always there to support you in such an emergency, we hope remembering and following these three tips will mean you’ll never need our help. 

SMOKE DETECTOR 

One of my least favorite sounds—besides my alarm going off at 6AM—is the incessant chirp of a smoke detector that needs new batteries. But it’s annoying for a reason! You either go crazy listening to the high pitched B E E P....B E E P...B E E P or you go check it out and make sure it’s working.  

Taking the time to make sure your smoke detector is functioning properly is a small sacrifice when you consider the money and trouble it can save you by alerting you to a fire. 

Fact: Almost two-thirds of home fire fatalities result from lack of a functioning smoke alarm. 

Did you know? Some fire departments offer reduced price or sometimes free smoke detectors, and they may even install it for you. 

ESCAPE PLAN

It’s important for you and everyone that lives with you to know how to get out in case of a fire. It may seem silly to go so far as to plan an escape from your own house, but in a real emergency, having a plan you can easily recall will be helpful when panic sets in. 

Planning an escape route is especially important for families with small kids, elderly family members, or relatives with disabilities. Make sure everyone knows where every door and window are located and make sure there are at least two escapes from every room. 

DRILLS

An escape plan is useless if you never practice it. In an emergency, you may panic, so its helpful if your mind and body have already gone through the process of escaping. Make sure you practice your plan at least twice a year and both in the day and at night. 

If you have pets, make sure to include them in the plan and drills by having leashes ready and practicing taking them out of the house. For more information on pet preparedness, visit the Red Cross page.

In a real fire, NEVER go back into a burning building for anything. Alert firefighters of any pets or people trapped inside, and they will conduct the rescue.

Celebrate Fire Prevention Week all year round by making your home fire safe and preparing your family for an emergency. 

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Weather and Wildfires Keeping Red Cross Busy Across Texas

On Friday, fire officials fighting fires near Possum Kingdom Lake in Texas sought help from the American Red Cross by asking our teams to provide bottled water and Gatorade around the clock to their teams protecting life and property. Within hours, Red Cross volunteer had trucks loaded and hit the road. As those crews continue their work near the lake, new crews are loading other trucks and getting ready to assess storm damage across Tarrant and Johnson Counties. The work never ends, and we can't do it without you. To become a volunteer or make a financial donation to help the Red Cross always be ready to roll, go to www.redcross.org.

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CPR Saves While Working the Wildfire

Written by: Rusty Surette / American Red Cross Public Affairs

Recently, an American Red Cross volunteer proved why everyone should be certified in CPR and First Aid.

Israel Pinkney, 55, was working in wildfire-ravaged Bastrop, Texas when someone suddenly yelled into a crowd, "who knows first aid?"

Pinkney, a former Emergency Medical Technician, immediately ran across the street to a car parked outside a gas station. Inside the vehicle was an elderly man having chest pains. His wife was with him and pleaded for help.

"He was having difficulty breathing and I knew he was likely having a heart attack," said Pinkney. "I told his wife to call 9-1-1 immediately."

Pinkney, a Louisville, Kentucky resident, stayed with the man to monitor his symptoms and condition until paramedics arrived. Pinkney also kept the gathering crowd calm and collective.

"You just never know when this kind of thing will happen," said Pinkney who joined the American Red Cross in May 2010.

"It just proves that everyone should know CPR and First Aid, or at least have one person in your house who knows it. You just never know when it will be used or when someone will need you."

To find a CPR / First Aid / AED class near you, go online to www.redcross.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS.

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Answers Amid the Ashes

Red Cross disaster worker Felicia Adams comforts shelter resident Shannon Shine after she learns her house has been destroyed in the wildfires. (Photo by Dennis Drenner/American Red Cross)

"I don't know what to do," sobbed Shannon Shine, a resident of Bastrop, Texas whose house was destroyed by the recent wildfires. Last week alone, wildfires burned more than 170,000 acres.

Unfortunately her grief is not unique. Thousands of people were forced to flee from their homes, and many now find they will never be able to return. They don't know what to do, but with the help of the American Red Cross, they have a place to start.

Overwhelmed after learning her house had been engulfed by flames, Shine met with veteran Red Cross disaster worker, Felicia Adams.

Adams is no stranger to destruction, having worked in a shelter following Hurricane Katrina. Adams offered a shoulder to cry on and an answer to each question. More than 200 disaster workers like Adams are working in Texas, using not only their expertise in disaster relief and recovery, but their compassion to bring comfort to residents who have lost everything.

Not Done Yet

Conditions could not be worse for firefighters desperately trying to quell the flames and save communities. Texas is currently experiencing its worst drought since 1895 and this summer has been the second warmest on record, helping sustain the fires that first responders have battled since December. Strong winds from Tropical Storm Lee literally fanned the flames, helping the fire to spread. Today, there are 180 different wildfires burning in Texas.

One of the worst affected areas is Bastrop County, where more than 34,000 acres have burned and the fire is only 60 percent contained. Of growing concern are Cass and Marion counties in northern Texas along the Arkansas and Louisiana border, where thousands of homes are threatened.

In response to the growing wildfires, the Red Cross has opened seven shelters, hosting more than 800 overnight stays. We've provided more than 2,000 health and mental health consultations. Many people have reported breathing problems from inhaling smoke in the air, and the Red Cross is providing care for them.

American Red Cross workers assist at a community run shelter at Bastrop Middle School after wildfires sweep the region, driving thousands of people from endangered neighborhoods and burning hundreds of houses to the ground. American Red Cross volunteer and respiratory therapist Albert Hernandez checks on young Samantha Pollitt, age 10, who is undergoing nebulizer treatment after having trouble breathing. Many Bastrop residents, both young and old, were having respiratory problems due to the large amount of smoke in the air from the wildfires. (Photo by Dennis Drenner/American Red Cross)

We're distributed nearly 1,000 comfort kits providing hygiene items such as toothbrushes, soap and shampoo, and 17,000 additional relief items like cleaning supplies. As residents are allowed back into their neighborhoods, Red Cross disaster workers are assisting residents, providing emotional support as well as water and snacks as they survey the damage.

Support for Military Families

The Red Cross is providing special assistance to military families affected by the wildfires near Fort Hood. Many families are struggling through this disaster without the support of spouses, parents and other important family members who are currently deployed. Beyond comfort and care the Red Cross is also helping verify damages and sending emergency notifications to deployed service members on behalf of family members.

Our verification services help military authorities make critical decisions about granting leave to service members so they can return home to support their families. The local chapters in Waco and Austin are helping identify needs and facilitate the communications between service members and their loved ones at home. Trained caseworkers follow up with military families to make sure they are aware of additional programs and services outside of traditional disaster referrals. Such partnerships exist with the National Guard Foundation, Military OneSource and other organizations like those that provide military-specific mental health support.

This is also a part of the Red Cross mission year-round. From the earliest days of Red Cross work on the battlefields of the Civil War, our organization continues to provide assistance to our military members today. We have Service to the Armed Forces staff and volunteers on 58 U.S. military installations and deployment sites including Afghanistan and Kuwait. Each year, the Red Cross delivers more than 600,000 emergency communications. The Red Cross also assists military families as well as wounded service members both at home and abroad by offering services such as hospital visits, courses on coping with deployment and financial assistance. The Red Cross briefs service members when they enter the military, at pre-deployment events and almost every week at military bases across the country to ensure military members and their families are aware of available resources.

The Red Cross will continue to help all those affected in Texas. As firefighters continue to battle the blaze, we will expand our response to assist new communities, while continuing to meet the recovery needs of those in existing operations. With the generosity of American donors, we can answer the call for help whenever we are needed.

American Red Cross workers visit the Tahitian Village neighborhood of Bastrop soon after homeowners are allowed to return. Red Cross worker Barbara Behling looks around a burned out house in the Tahitian Village neighborhood of Bastrop. (Photo by Dennis Drenner/American Red Cross)

The Support of Donors

You can help people affected by disasters like wildfires, as well as countless crises at home and around the world, by making a donation to support American Red Cross Disaster Relief. Your gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for and provide shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance in response to disasters. To make a donation, visit redcross.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767). Contributions may also be sent to the American Red Cross-North Texas Region, 4800 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, TX 75235.

To learn more about the work of the American Red Cross in the U.S. and around the world, please visit redcross.org.

Sifting through the ashes of Texas wildfires

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Photos: Central Texas Wildfires

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American Red Cross Responds Across the Country to Wildfires, Floods and Tornadoes

The American Red Cross provided food and shelter for more than 1,000 people around the country Monday night from multiple disasters, including residents impacted by wildfires in Texas and Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee, which left severe weather in its wake over the Labor Day weekend.

In Texas, more than 450 residents spent Monday night in 10 Red Cross shelters as wildfires burned hundreds of homes and forced residents to evacuate. The Red Cross disaster response in Texas now joins multiple other Red Cross operations underway across the U.S. in response to floods, other wildfires and tornadoes.

Tornadoes spawned by remnants of Lee damaged homes and caused evacuations in Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee on Monday, leading the Red Cross to open shelters in all three states. Red Cross shelters were also opened in Louisiana and Mississippi as Lee dumped torrential rain on the Gulf Coast. Heavy rains and extensive flooding are expected to continue as Lee’s remnants expand northeast into the Tennessee Valley and central Appalachian mountains through Tuesday.

The Red Cross is also continuing to help people impacted by Hurricane Irene. To date, the Red Cross has served more than 1.6 million meals and snacks and provided approximately 58,000 overnight shelter stays since the storm made landfall on August 27. The Red Cross is also distributing supplies to help residents who are cleaning up homes damaged by Irene’s wind, rain and floods. So far, the Red Cross has given out more than 516,000 relief items such as hygiene kits, mops, brooms, tarps, work gloves and coolers.

“Right now our focus is making sure people forced from their homes by floods and wildfires have a safe place to stay and a good meal,” said Charley Shimanski, Red Cross senior vice president of disaster services. “The Red Cross works year-round to be prepared to help people affected by emergencies, and that’s why we’re able to respond to so many disasters at one time.”

The Red Cross currently has disaster relief operations active in more than a dozen states, and current estimates for Red Cross relief for Hurricane Irene alone are from $10 million to $15 million.

Those who want to help can make a donation to support American Red Cross Disaster Relief. This gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for and provide shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance in response to disasters. Visit www.redcross.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS; you can also text the word “REDCROSS” to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Contributions may also be sent to local American Red Cross chapters or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013.

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Red Cross Responds to Fires Across Texas

Photo: AP Photo/Austin American-Statesman, Jay Janner

Destructive wildfires have taken their toll across the state of Texas. Far and wide, the fires have scorched thousands of acres and forced the evacuations of hundreds of families.

In North Texas, Red Cross teams spent the day yesterday ensuring that no families had lost their homes, while also providing hydration support to area firefighters. As of this time, no families have needed Red Cross assistance in the North Texas area. Today, teams remain on standby in the event of another fire outbreak.

Further south, the picture is much more grim. The American Red Cross chapter in Austin is reporting some 300 families impacted by yesterday's fast moving fire. They have opened up three shelters with an overnight population of 250 people.

Red Cross teams remain in touch with families affected by the Possum Kingdom Lake fire and at fire scenes in East Texas.

Right now, the Red Cross is urging those who are unaffected by recent disasters to support not just Texans, but the people on the east coast as they clear debris left by Hurricane Irene, to help the folks in Louisiana as they contend with Tropical Storm Lee and to help the next unknown disaster victim. The best way to help is to make a financial contribution at www.redcrossdallas.org or to text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to donate $10. Donations will be used where the need is greatest.

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So Far, 2011 A Costly Disaster Year

Damaged homes in Tuscaloosa, Alabama after a devastating tornado.

Photo: Dennis Drenner/American Red Cross



Experts estimate disasters caused more than $35 billion in losses



It’s been a costly year for disasters in the United States and the American Red Cross has been responding all over the country to help the thousands of people affected by flooding, tornadoes, drought and extreme heat, wildfires and other emergencies.



The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) estimates the country’s economic loss attributable to disasters at more than $35 billion so far with several disasters each adding up to losses of $1 billion or more. The country is in the midst of hurricane season, which experts predict could be very active, so these numbers could grow.



The disasters in the NOAA report include:

• flooding in the upper Midwest (Montana, North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas and Missouri)
  
  
  
  
• flooding along the Mississippi River, especially in Arkansas, Tennessee, Missouri and Louisiana
  
  
  
  
• extreme drought and heat combined with wildfires in Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona, Kansas, Arkansas and Louisiana
  
  
  
  
• deadly tornadoes in the Midwest and southeast (Missouri, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Arkansas, Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia, Iowa, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia, North and South Carolina, Tennessee)

Nearly 14,000 Red Cross disaster workers from across the country supported 46 relief operations spread over more than half of the country this spring. They opened 287 shelters, served 3.5 million meals and snacks, distributed 1.7 million relief items, and provided 81,000 mental health and health consultations.



Their work is not over. More than 100 people in North Dakota remain in shelters after the disastrous flooding in the Minot area. Every day chapters respond to smaller disasters such as home fires. One fire involving multiple families in Montgomery County, MD, resulted in 85 residents coming to a Red Cross shelter.



Every year, the Red Cross spends an average of approximately $450 million preparing for and responding to nearly 70,000 disasters across the country and around the world. This includes both large disasters such as hurricanes and earthquakes and smaller disasters such as house fires.



If you would like to help, please consider making a donation today by visiting www.redcross.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or texting the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Contributions may also be sent to your local Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013.



Resources on RedCross.org

• Heat Wave Safety
• Wild Fire Safety
• Preparing for Drought

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Firefighter's Receive a Hero's Welcome at a Red Cross Shelter in Texas

In small towns all across West Texas, one group of workers has earned the love and admiration of the townspeople; and that’s the firefighters who work around the clock to save their homes. While there is much sadness and devastation for many families, there is also great joy. In all, some 300 families have lost all they own, but hundreds more homes are still standing because of the courageous men and women in the fire service who risked their own lives to save the homes of strangers.

In Mineral Wells, Texas, local residents gather outside the American Red Cross shelter each night to cheer their heroes as they return from the field.

“The guys send us a text message to let us know they’re on their way home,” said Tina Draper, American Red Cross Shelter Manager. “That’s when the community begins to assemble. When the guys pull up on their trucks, they’re so exhausted and covered in soot, but they perk right up when they see all of the people lined up to cheer them on.”


Inside the shelter, drawings of support from area school kids line the walls and the smell of good southern home cooking wafts through the air.

“We just want to do all we can to help these firefighters through this difficult time,” said Draper. “The Red Cross, all the local churches, the schools, everyone has been working side-by-side to make sure that every family and every firefighter is cared for.”

The Red Cross and the community appear to have made their mark as the firefighters now refer to this shelter as the “Red Cross Ritz”.

Fire crew staying at the Red Cross shelter in Mineral Wells, Texas have been deployed from Southlake, Watauga, Keller, Grapevine, DFW Airport, Euless and Bedford, all in the DFW Metroplex.

Story and video by Anita Foster, American Red Cross, Dallas, Texas

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The Winds of Change Leave West Texans on Pins and Needles

By Anita Foster, American Red Cross worker assigned to the West Texas Wildfires

Texans are a resilient people, but even they’re reeling from a series of never-ending wildfires that have destroyed more than 150 homes, scorched at least one million acres and claimed the life of a volunteer firefighter in Eastland County. And they know that the fires are not close to being contained—and there’s not a drop of rain in the forecast.

Each day brings with it its own set of challenges. Just yesterday, our team was in a small town near Palo Pinto, Texas. We could see the fire burning on the other side of the hill. We knew it was close. Firefighters and State Troopers patrolled the streets alerting residents that they had one hour to pack up and get out because the fire was coming right at them. The residents were told to take the things that really mattered to them because they wouldn’t likely have a home upon their return.

Imagine being told that you have one hour to pack up your life. What would you take? The women grabbed the wedding albums, baby pictures and important documents while the men caught the pets and secured the property. Cars were loaded down and without panic, everyone left the area.

Most of the folks went to stay with loved ones in neighboring towns, but a few did come to the Red Cross shelter in Graford, Texas. Cots and blankets were set up and ready to go but in an instant, the winds shifted and flames were heading toward Graford too.

Our team faced some precarious moments in Graford as the fire neared. Barely making it out in time, we were able to move our workers and shelter supplies up to a nearby town where a new shelter opened last night in the gymnasium of a junior high school.

As we begin our day this morning, we’re not certain yet if the people who left with one hour’s notice have a home or not because the winds are still blowing in that direction. But we’re hoping that the winds will change again soon, and for the better.

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Red Cross Responding to Deadly Tornadoes and Wildfires

The past 72 hours in the southern sector of the United States have been wrought with fright and destruction. Wildfires burn out of control in Texas and Oklahoma and one of the most destructive, and deadliest, tornado outbreaks made its way through OK, TX, AR, MS, AL, GA, NC and VA. Thousands of families are in need of help, and the Red Cross is there to help. Shelters are open across the region. Meals, snacks, bottled water and cleaning supplies are being delivered in neighborhoods near and far. On top of that, Red Cross Mental Health workers are on hand to help those who've lost the most precious gift of all...a loved one.

Mother Nature showed her fury. Now, the Red Cross is asking those who are unaffected by these storms to show their mercy. Click on www.redcross.org, Text the word REDCROSS to 90999 or call 1-800-RED-CROSS to make a gift to help those in need right now.

On behalf of everyone at the American Red Cross and all of the people that we serve, we thank you for caring.

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