WILMINGTON, DE October 9, 2006—The American Red Cross urges families to prepare for a home fire during Fire Prevention Week, October 8-14, and every week of the year. According to a recent poll by the Red Cross, four out of five Americans are unaware that home fires are the most common disaster in the United States, and only 26 percent of families have actually developed and practiced a home fire escape plan. Since fires kill more Americans each year than all natural disasters combined, the Red Cross urges families to use Red Cross resources to develop a fire escape plan and to take steps toward fire prevention and safety.

The theme of this year’s Fire Prevention Week sponsored by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is
"Prevent Cooking Fires – Watch What You Heat." According to the 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.

“Ever year, home fires are the single most common disaster threat,” said Margi Prueitt, Chief Executive Officer for the American Red Cross of the Delmarva Peninsula. “In fact, your local Red Cross responded to almost 200 home fires last year right here on the Delmarva Peninsula, and provided more than 1,020 people with immediate emergency assistance.”

“It’s vital for all families to plan for a potential fire, and the good news is that preparing for a home fire doesn’t require a lot of expensive equipment or training,” said Ms. Prueitt. “In addition to functioning smoke alarms, one of the easiest ways you can prepare is to develop and practice a home fire escape plan so that every family member, including young children and the elderly, can escape quickly and safely.”

Recent fires that the American Red Cross of the Delmarva Peninsula has responded to, include:

• A home fire in Smyrna where a family with three children was helped by the Red Cross with temporary accommodation, clothing and food.
• An apartment fire in Cambridge, Maryland, where three adults and two teenagers where helped by the Red Cross.
• A mobile home fire in Magnolia where a family of seven was helped with their disaster-caused needs.
• A townhouse fire in Dover where Red Cross Disaster Action Team volunteers provided a family of six with temporary housing, foods and clothing.
• A townhouse fire in Dover where an adult and 4 children were helped with emergency assistance.
• A fatal fire in Wilmington where the Red Cross was able to assist with food, clothing and referrals to other community partners.
• An apartment fire in Lewes affecting three adults, who Red Cross volunteers assisted with lodging and food.

According to the NFPA, heating fires are the second leading cause of home fires. A recent Red Cross poll found that nearly half of American families use heating alternatives such as a space heater, fireplace or wood/coal stove to stay warm, and the U.S. Fire Administration reports that alternative heating sources are involved in 74 percent of fire-related deaths.

To prevent heating related fires, the Red Cross recommends that you keep 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. Also, read and follow the manufacturer’s instructions on how, when and where to safely use heating equipment, such as space heaters and water heaters.

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 is made possible by 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.