American Red Cross Volunteers Respond to 18 Fires
Red Cross offers safety tips for the summer
Red Cross offers safety tips for the summer
Volunteer disaster responders with the American Red Cross of Chicago and Northern Illinois responded to 18 fires from June 15 to today. Our volunteers assisted families affected by home fires in Aurora, Bolingbrook, Machesney Park, Round Lake Beach, Van Orin and more, with six of these fires taking place in Chicago.
In this past week, the American Red Cross helped 44 individuals, including 30 adults and 14 children with temporary housing, health and mental health services and information about recovery services.
Since this coronavirus pandemic, Red Cross volunteers have been responding virtually to fires whenever possible. In Chicago and Northern Illinois, the Red Cross responds to 3 to 4 home fires every day. If you need assistance, please call our dispatch Line: 1-877-597-0747. You can take two easy steps to protect your home and loved ones from a fire: get a smoke alarm and create a fire escape plan. Having a working smoke alarm cuts the risk of dying in a home fire in half.
Volunteers deliver supplies to emergency homeless shelters
On June 16, Red Cross volunteers were out delivering items for personal hygiene and other supplies for personal use to two emergency homeless shelters in Chicago. The Broadway Armory in Edgewater and Calumet High School in the Auburn Gresham are among five emergency shelters opened by the city of Chicago to protect those who are homeless from the coronavirus.
Tips to keep yourself and others safe while enjoying the Summer
Summer is officially here! While it’s the perfect time to enjoy the outdoors, this year summer fun will be different due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The American Red Cross of Chicago & Northern Illinois offers safety tips you can follow.
As communities are transitioning to different stages in the reopening process, know what precautions to take in public settings.
WATER SAFETY Many public pools and beaches may be closed. Follow the guidance of state and local officials. Make sure the area is designated for swimming. Once there, maintain social distancing, both in and out the water, between you and people who don’t live with you. If you don’t think your child can do this, come up with another activity.
GRILLING SAFETY Summer is a popular time for grilling family meals at home. Yet grilling fires spark more than 10,000 home fires on average each year. To avoid this:
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES The Red Cross has several resources to help you prevent and respond to summer emergencies.
About the American Red Cross of Chicago & Northern Illinois:
The American Red Cross of Chicago & Northern Illinois serves 9.5 million people in 21 counties including Boone, Bureau, Carroll, Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Jo Daviess, LaSalle, Lake, Lee, McHenry, Ogle, Putnam, Stephenson, Whiteside, Will and Winnebago. 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 us at redcross.org/IL/chicago or visit us on Twitter @ChicagoRedCross.