THE FOLLOWING IS AN AMERICAN RED CROSS RELEASE
Red Cross Volunteers Assist 11 People Affected by Home Fires in Past WeekPut your New Year’s resolution to volunteer into action by volunteering with the Red Cross
January 16, 2023 — American Red Cross volunteers in the Central Illinois chapter responded to three home fires in Champaign, Georgetown and Peoria in the past week and provided assistance to 11 individuals, through supplying them with basic items to meet immediate needs after a fire, and additional support in the form of health and mental health services and one-on-one support. If you or someone you know needs assistance after a home fire or local disaster, please call our dispatch line: (877) 597-0747.Home fires are the most frequent disaster and claim seven lives every day in the U.S. Working smoke alarms can cut the risk of death in a home fire by 50 percent.Help keep your family safe by testing your smoke alarms and practicing your two-minute home fire escape drill – the amount of time experts say you may have to get out, before it is too late. Teach children what a smoke alarm sounds like and talk about fire safety and what to do in an emergency. Download the free Red Cross Emergency app for detailed home fire prevention and safety tips. Visit redcross.org/apps or search “American Red Cross” in app stores to download the app, which is compatible with Apple Watch and Android wearable devices. Volunteer on the Red Cross Disaster TeamWe have an idea for how to put your New Year’s resolution to volunteer into action – sign up as a Red Cross disaster volunteer! This is a great opportunity to get out in your community and help others.Please visit redcross.org/volunteer to sign up as a disaster volunteer, if you would like to help people affected by home fires and other disasters. About the American Red Cross of Illinois The American Red Cross of Illinois serves 12.4 million people in 88 counties in Illinois, Iowa and Missouri including Adams, Bond, Boone, Brown, Bureau, Carroll, Cass, Champaign, Christian, Clark, Clay, Clinton, Cook, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, DeKalb, De Witt, Douglas, DuPage, Edgar, Effingham, Fayette, Ford, Franklin, Fulton, Green, Grundy, Hamilton, Hancock, Henderson, Henry, Iroquois, Jasper, Jefferson, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Knox, LaSalle, Lake, Lee, Livingston, Logan, Macon, Macoupin, Marion, Marshall, Mason, McDonough, McHenry, McLean, Menard, Mercer, Montgomery, Morgan, Moultrie, Ogle, Peoria, Perry, Piatt, Pike, Putnam, Richland, Rock Island, Sangamon, Schuyler, Scott, Shelby, Stark, Stephenson, Tazewell, Vermillion, Warren, Washington, Whiteside, Will, Williamson Winnebago, Woodford. Iowa: Lee, Muscatine, Scott and Van Buren. Missouri: Clark, Lewis, Marion and Ralls. The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit us at Redcross.org/Illinois or visit us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @RedCrossIL.
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