WILMINGTON, DE, February 7, 2007 – Several families were helped by American Red Cross volunteers during the past week, when house fires left changed their lives.

Two fires within a week in Cambridge, MD left two families homeless. Last week, 3 adults living on Hilcrest Drive whose home was completely destroyed were assisted with their basic emergency needs by Red Cross volunteers. A family of an adult and two children, living on Washington Street, was also helped by the Red Cross earlier today after a house fire.

In Felton, DE, a family of 2 adults and a teenager, was provided with temporary housing, groceries, seasonal garments and other basic necessities by the Red Cross, after an afternoon fire destroyed their home on Peach Basket Road on Monday February 5th.

On the same day, Red Cross volunteers responded to a home fire on Black Diamond Road, in Smyrna, DE, and assisted the family of 2 adults and 2 children with food and clothing, as the family had made alternative housing arrangements.

Yesterday, Tuesday February 6th, Red Cross volunteers were on site to assist a family of six, left homeless after a morning fire destroyed their home on Michele Lane in Ellendale, DE. The family, which has four children under the age of 10, was provided with temporary housing, groceries and other basic needs.

Today, a family with an infant lost their home on Bridge Street in Denton, MD, after an early morning fire. Red Cross volunteers provided the family with temporary lodging, food, infant supplies, clothing and seasonal garments.

With all disasters, large or small, Red Cross assists with the immediate disaster-caused needs of those affected – primarily temporary shelter, food and clothing – free of charge to the recipients. The families are also referred to other community partners for their longer term needs, and provided with information on the steps they should take to cope with the disaster and plan their recovery.

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), home fires are more likely to start in the kitchen than any other room of the home, and the leading cause of home cooking fires is unattended cooking. Fires caused by heating sources are the second leading cause of home fires. American Red Cross urges families to prepare for a home fire every week of the year, by keeping all potential fuel sources, including newspapers, matches, clothing and bedding, at least three feet away from heat sources such as a space heater or fireplace.

On average, more than twice a week, the American Red Cross of the Delmarva Peninsula provides fire victims with assistance for food, clothing, prescription medications, temporary shelter and other special needs an affected family might have. This relief would not be possible without the generous donations from the one million people it serves in Delaware and the eastern shore of Maryland.

Simple Steps to Prevent Fires

• Keep all sources of fuel (paper, clothing, bedding, and carpets or rugs) at least three feet away from all heat sources when cooking, or using alternative heating like a space heater.
• Provide constant adult supervision during cooking or in rooms with lit candles or fires. Do not leave burning candles unattended.
• Keep matches and lighters away and out of reach of children.
• Teach young children to tell an adult if they see matches and lighters and not to touch them.
• Teach adolescents to resist peer pressure and not to play with fire if curious or bored.

Simple Steps to Make Your Home Safer

• Smoke alarms save lives. Install a smoke alarm outside each sleeping area and on each additional level of your home. If people sleep with doors closed, install smoke alarms inside sleeping areas. Use the test button to check each smoke alarm once a month. When necessary, replace batteries immediately. Replace all batteries at least once a year. Smoke alarms become less sensitive over time, so replace your smoke alarm every 10 years.
• Consider having one or more working fire extinguishers in your home. Get training from the fire department in proper use of your extinguishers.
• Consider installing an automatic fire sprinkler system in your home.
• Determine at least two ways to escape from every room of your home. Consider escape ladders for sleeping areas on the second or third floors. Learn how to use escape ladders and store them near windows.
• Select a location outside your home where everyone would meet after escaping.
• Practice your escape plan, especially with children and older adults, at least twice a year and revise as necessary.

Safety Tips During a Home Fire

• Once you are out, stay out! Call the fire department from a neighbor’s home.
• If you see smoke or fire in your first escape route, use your second way out. If you must exit through smoke, crawl low under the smoke to your exit. If you are escaping through a closed door, feel the door before opening it. If the door is warm, use your second way out.
• If smoke, heat, or flames block your exit routes, stay in the room with the door closed. Signal for help using a brightly colored cloth at the window. If there is a telephone in the room, call the fire department and tell them where you are.