Red Cross assisting local family after fire
American Red Cross disaster-trained volunteers are assisting a family whose home, located on Philadelphia St in Darlington, was damaged by a fire yesterday evening. The Red Cross is helping four people by providing financial assistance for immediate needs such as food, clothing, and shelter, along with referrals to much needed resources.
As Thanksgiving approaches, it’s a time to prepare the holiday feast and brush up on home fire safety. Thanksgiving is one of the country’s peak days for cooking fires, and the American Red Cross of South Carolina encourages family chefs to follow simple steps to prepare the holiday feast safely.
“Home fires are a real threat to communities across South Carolina over the Thanksgiving holiday,” said Rod Tolbert, Chief Executive Officer for the Red Cross of South Carolina. “In particular, cooking fires are the number one cause of home fires, and year after year, Thanksgiving is the peak day for these tragedies. We at the Red Cross are urging families to follow cooking safety steps to help prevent your holiday celebrations from going up in smoke.”
To help keep you and your loved ones safe this Thanksgiving, the American Red Cross offers these safety tips:
- Keep an eye on what you fry. Never leave cooking food unattended. If you must leave the kitchen, even for a short period of time, turn off the stove.
- Move items that can burn away from the stove. This includes dishtowels, bags, boxes, paper and curtains. Also keep children and pets at least three feet away.
- Avoid wearing loose clothing or dangling sleeves while cooking.
- Keep a pan lid or a cookie sheet nearby. Use it to cover the pan if it catches on fire. This will put out the fire. Leave the pan covered until it is completely cooled.
- Turn pot handles to the back of the stove, so no one bumps them or pulls them over.
- Use a timer to remind yourself that the stove or oven is on. Check the kitchen before going to bed or leaving home to ensure all stoves, ovens and small appliances are turned off.
You can also help keep your family safe by testing your smoke alarms monthly and practicing your home fire 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’s too late.
HOW TO HELP: Help families get back on their feet by giving the gift of a second chance. Gifts from Hometown Heroes provide financial assistance so families can pay for their immediate needs such as food, clothes, personal care items, and a safe place to stay. Become a Hometown Hero by clicking here or visiting www.redcross.org/HometownHero.
