Media Contact: Ashley Henyan
(843) 571-8945 | Ashley.henyan@redcross.org

Washington, DC, Baltimore, Wilmington, October 6, 2022 — This Fire Prevention Week (October 9-15), the Red Cross of the National Capital & Greater Chesapeake Region urges everyone to practice their two-minute home fire escape plan and test their smoke alarms to stay safer from home fires.

Two minutes is the amount of time that fire experts say you may have to safely escape a home fire before it’s too late. These crises account for most of the 60,000-plus disasters that the Red Cross responds to each year across the U.S. — where home fire responses are 30% higher during cold months than warmer times of year. On average, the Red Cross responds to around 1,300 home fire-related emergencies each year, across the DMV.

“As the threat of home fires increases with colder temperatures, Fire Prevention Week serves as an important reminder to prepare now,” said Emily Aloto, Interim Disaster Officer for the Red Cross of the National Capital & Greater Chesapeake Region. “Practice your two-minute home fire escape drill and test your smoke alarms monthly to help keep your family safe.”

HOW TO PRACTICE YOUR TWO-MINUTE DRILL Practice your plan with everyone in your household; also teach children what a smoke alarm sounds like and what to do in an emergency. Visit redcross.org/fire for more information, including a printable escape plan and safety tips for cooking and home heating — the leading causes of home fires, according to the National Fire Protection Association, which is sponsoring Fire Prevention Week with the theme, “Fire Won’t Wait. Plan Your Escape.”

• Include at least two ways to exit every room in your home in your escape plan.
• 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.
• Place smoke alarms on each level of your home, including inside and outside bedrooms and sleeping areas. Test alarms monthly and change the batteries at least once a year, if your model requires it.
• Check the manufacturer’s date of your smoke alarms. If they’re 10 years or older, they likely need to be replaced because components such batteries can become less reliable. Follow your alarm’s manufacturer instructions.
• Tailor your escape plan to everyone’s needs in your household. If you or a loved one is deaf or hard of hearing, install strobe light and bed-shaker alarms to help alert you to a fire. Visit redcross.org/ASL-disaster-resources for more information, including resources in American Sign Language. 

Red Cross Home Fire Safety BROLL: https://vimeo.com/529111667/07e283e95f

HURRICANE IAN RESPONSE CONTINUES While home fires continue to be the nation’s most frequent disaster, Hurricane Ian—along with the earlier wildfires out west and storms in Puerto Rico and Alaska—are clear examples of the increasing frequency and intensity of climate disasters. Year after year the Red Cross is supporting families who are struggling to cope following tragic, large-scale emergencies; and right now, over 1,500 trained disaster workers from across the U.S. (including nearly 40 from the DMV) are working day and night to support those impacted by Ian.

Hurricane Ian Red Cross response BROLL: https://vimeo.com/755855805/0caf24fa32

About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.