LOS ANGELES, April 5, 2021 — The American Red Cross Los Angeles Region experienced an unusually busy March this year, responding to 35 home fire events during the course of 31 days. 

Home fires account for 90 percent of all disaster responses, and for the month of March, Red Cross volunteers provided 293 people support and guidance through their disaster recovery journey.  

The evening of March 31, a large industrial area fire in Compton spread to a residentially occupied area, forcing dozens of people to evacuate, damaging multiple homes. The Red Cross Disaster Action Team (DAT) initially supported the community by setting up a Temporary Evacuation Point (TEP). Located in a nearby school parking lot, evacuees safely gathered and received water, snacks and updated information from the Red Cross workforce. Those whose homes were damaged or were unable to return to the smoke-filled area for health reasons received continued support from the Red Cross to meet their specific recovery needs. 

Earlier in the month on March 5, the Red Cross DAT volunteers responded to a devastating fire in Panorama City that impacted an apartment building and a condominium complex, initially displacing more than 100 individuals. For two weeks, 14 families received hotel lodging, meals and resources to support all affected towards their recovery. A Red Cross workforce of 96 people responded in some capacity, including caseworkers, mental health and healthcare professionals and community liaisons.  

The Red Cross also worked closely with community partners to find solutions to urgent needs, including the Salvation Army’s assistance to secure long-term housing solutions and utility companies to return services to unaffected units ahead of schedule. 

“We reached across many different lines of services to help ease this heartbreaking situation” said Grant Graves, volunteer mass care chief for the operation. “This response demanded we extend our usual capacities further into the community to better support the residents’ many needs.”  

Every day, people are forced from their homes due to fires, storms and other disasters. Trained and available volunteers are ready to respond to these emergencies, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. From offering a caring ear to meeting immediate to connecting people with long-term recovery, our volunteers help ensure that families do not have to face tough times alone. 

Red Cross volunteers have been trained to maintain social distancing and follow proper safety procedures to continue serving communities impacted by local disasters, during the coronavirus outbreak.

STAY SAFE FROM HOME FIRES

We want everyone to be safe with working smoke alarms — which can cut the risk of dying in a home fire by half. The Red Cross urges everyone to follow these safety tips to prevent fires and keep everyone safe:

1. Test your smoke alarms each month and practice your escape plan until everyone can get out in less than two minutes — the amount of time you may have to get out of a burning home before it is too late.
2. In your escape plan, include at least two ways to exit every room in your home. Select a meeting spot at a safe distance away from your home, such as your neighbor’s home or landmark like a specific tree in your front yard, where everyone knows to meet.
3. While practicing your escape plan, teach children what a smoke alarm sounds like. Talk about fire safety and what to do in an emergency.
4. Place smoke alarms on each level of your home, including inside and outside bedrooms and sleeping areas. Change the batteries at least once a year, if your model requires it.
5. Also check the manufacturer’s date of your smoke alarms. If they’re 10 years or older, they likely need to be replaced. Follow your alarm’s manufacturer instructions.

During the month of April, help #EndHomeFires by attending our virtual one-on-one home fire safety classes. Visit redcross.org/lahomefire for more information, including an escape plan to practice with your family and book your virtual class. You also can download our free Emergency App (search “American Red Cross” in app stores).

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.