By Dave Skutnik

This Saturday, May 8, Red Cross volunteers and Philadelphia firefighters will Sound the Alarm in Southwest Philadelphia as part of a national effort to educate 100,000 people about home fire safety in high-risk neighborhoods this spring. Volunteers will meet with residents outside their homes to share fire safety information and help them create an escape plan to practice their two-minute fire drill.

“Home fires remain the most frequent disaster during COVID-19, yet most of us don’t realize we have just two minutes to safely escape,” said Guy Triano, Regional CEO for the American Red Cross of Southeastern Pennsylvania. “As families continue to spend more time at home during the pandemic, it’s critical that we help our vulnerable neighbors protect themselves from these everyday disasters.”

Philadelphia is among more than 50 at-risk communities participating in the national Red Cross Sound the Alarm initiative with partners. Year after year, the Red Cross and Philadelphia Fire Department work together to provide free smoke alarms and home fire safety education to city residents. 

HOW TO KEEP YOUR FAMILY SAFE 

You can help protect your family against home fires with this four-step action plan:

• Create an escape plan with 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.
• Practice your escape plan until everyone in your household can get out in less than two minutes.
• 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.
• 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.

This work is made possible thanks to generous financial donations from regional partners: FMC Corporation, Morgan Properties, The Triumph Group, and The Wawa Foundation. 

Visit SoundTheAlarm.org for more information and to pledge to prepare your family against home fires.

Primary image description: a design featuring the Sound the Alarm logo (a blue hand pressing a red button on a smoke alarm), above the words “Save a life” and the Red Cross logo. On the right-hand side are three house fire prevention safety tips: “Create an escape plan., Practice your 2-minute drill., and Test your smoke alarm.”