They included:ĭuring these events, volunteers met with local families to install free smoke alarms, helped them create a two-minute fire escape plan and shared safety information on home fires and other local disaster risks. From April 22 to May 12 staff and volunteers in northern Ohio, in partnership with local fire departments, held Sound the Alarm events in 11 communities across the region. In Northern Ohio, the Red Cross responds to more than three home fires, on average, every 24 hours.Īs part of the national Sound the Alarm campaign, Red Cross staff, volunteers and community partners set aside specific weeks throughout the year to focus on educating residents about home fire safety and installing free smoke alarms where they are needed.

Home fires are the most frequent disaster in the country, claiming seven lives every day in the U.S. But it’s not the large-scale disasters that keep Red Cross volunteers busy day in and day out. Trees uprooted and tossed aside, homes with missing roofs or destroyed by floodwaters. When people think of the American Red Cross responding to disasters, they often imagine the aftermath of a massive hurricane or deadly tornado.

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