Wilmington, DE, November 13, 2006 – A family of two, whose home was destroyed by a fire early Monday morning on Merry Street, in North East, Maryland received emergency assistance from the American Red Cross of the Delmarva Peninsula. The family members (one adult and one child) were provided with temporary accommodation, food and clothing by Red Cross Disaster Action Team volunteers. The family was also referred to other community agencies for their longer term disaster recovery needs.

The Red Cross urges families to take precautions to avoid preventable home fires, which account for the majority of personal disasters in local communities. As the weather becomes colder, fires caused by heating sources also become more common. Safety tips and information on home fires can be found at www.redcrossdelmarva.org.