LOS ANGELES, January 30, 2020 — Following the apartment fire on Thursday, Jan. 29 in Brentwood at the Barrington Plaza the American Red Cross Los Angeles Region urges residents to test their smoke alarms and practice their escape plan with everyone in their household.

Local Red Cross volunteers helped 70 people affected by these apartment fires, providing snacks, water and safe space to gather and learn more information. Red Cross staff and volunteers have helped more than 1,950 people affected by about 350 incidences including home fires in Los Angeles by addressing their urgent needs like food and lodging and providing recovery support.

“Our thoughts are with everyone affected by the Barrington Plaza Fire, and we will continue to provide support to those who need it,” said Guillermo Sanchez, Preparedness Manager and Acting Regional Disaster Officer. “Home fires are small disasters, but it’s still important to remember to map out a plan, have an emergency kit and know where to get information. We encourage everyone to take the steps to get prepared.”

HOW TO STAY SAFE Residents can follow these tips to help stay safe:

• Learn the building’s fire safety features, including fire alarms, sprinklers and evacuation plans.
• Make sure all exits are clearly marked and not blocked.
• Know locations of all available exit stairwells, as one or more of the exits might be blocked by fire.
• Individuals with access or functional needs, including a disability, should learn where the closest area of safe refuge is.
• Identify a meeting place for members of your household that is outside and away from the building.
• Talk to your apartment management if you have concerns about alarms or sprinklers in your unit.
• If smoke or fire enters your unit and you cannot immediately escape, call 9-1-1 to report your location. Open a window slightly; wave a bright cloth or a light at night to identify your location. If smoke enters the unit, stay low to the floor to breathe the best air.

For home fire safety resources and tips, visit redcross.org/fire or download the free Red Cross Emergency App (search “American Red Cross” in app stores or go to redcross.org/apps).

Free preparedness classes are available online and by request across Southern California as part of PrepareSoCal, a Red Cross campaign designed to address the needs of individuals and families to prepare for disasters by providing tips, tools, and training, and to promote community resiliency with a focus on Southern California’s most vulnerable communities. More information on this campaign and available resources can be found at preparesocal.org.

HOME FIRE CAMPAIGN SAVE LIVES Home fires take seven lives each day in the U.S., most often in homes without working smoke alarms. That’s why the Red Cross is working with partners to install free smoke alarms in high-risk communities and help families create escape plans through its Home Fire Campaign — which has reached more than 2.2 million people and saved 699 lives nationwide. In the Los Angeles Region, the volunteers and local partners installed more than 12,200 free smoke alarms and made more than 3,800 households safer from the threat of home fires during 2019.

About the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org/la or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCrossLA or @CruzRojaLA.