If a fire starts in your home, you may have as little as two minutes to escape. Every second counts – that’s why Red Cross volunteers across the country are joining together to ‘Sound the Alarm.’ A campaign to reduce fire-related deaths and injuries in the United States by 25%.

During the month of April, Red Cross volunteers and fire department officials will spread awareness about fire prevention by:

• Canvasing at-risk communities
• Installing free smoke alarms
• Changing current smoke alarm batteries
• Providing fire prevention education to families and kids

Essential Steps for Fire Safety in Your Home

About 36 people suffer injuries from home fires each day. The Leon S. Peters Burn Center at Community Regional Medical Center treats many of those victims.

"At the Burn Center, from the first of this year, we've actually had six people hospitalized due to home fires. Half of those people did not have working smoke alarms," said Shana Henry, RN and injury prevention specialist at the Leon S. Peters Burn Center.

Every second counts and early alerts can save your life or minimize your injuries from a home fire. Follow these steps below to make sure you and your home are ready in the event of a fire:
 

• Install the right number of smoke alarms. Test them once a month and replace the batteries at least once a year. 
• Ensure household members know two ways to escape from every room in your home. Also, establish a family meeting spot outside of your home.
• Establish a communications plan during family emergencies. Household members should know who to contact if they cannot find one another.
• Practice escaping from your home at least two times a year. Press the smoke alarm test button or yell "Fire!" to alert everyone they must get out.
• Make sure everyone knows how to STOP, DROP and ROLL if their clothes catch on fire. Lastly, call 9-1-1.

 

Make a Difference with Fire Prevention

Since 2014, The Red Cross’s Sound the Alarm Campaign has saved 552 lives, installed 1,623,358 smoke alarms and made 672,885 households safer.

Stay current with trending fire prevention education to keep your family, pets, and property safe! Learn about fire safety, fire prevention and post-fire disaster responses with these Red Cross resources:

• Fire prevention essentials
• Factors making your home a fire hazard
• Fire safety for kids
• Pet fire safety
• Fire safety equipment
• What to do if a home fire starts
• How to recover after a home fire
• Cleaning up after a home fire

Be a part of the ‘Sound the Alarm’ movement by practicing fire prevention and educating your community/family. Remember, every day 7 people die in home fires. You can help change that!