Oregon Red Cross Assisted at Five Home Fires Last Week

Home fires are devastating for families, and almost twice a day in Oregon, a family is displaced by fire and left on their own. That's when the Oregon Red Cross steps in to help.

"I am in awe. You and your team helped us out so much," said Jan B. "I thank you for all you did for my family."

In the past week, Red Cross volunteers responded to five home fires in Oregon. Our volunteers provided humanitarian assistance to 17 adults, 13 children and three pets displaced by these fires. Sadly, one person and several pets were also lost in these blazes.

"The tragedy of home fires touches so many lives," said Maree Wacker, Regional Executive of the Oregon Red Cross. "Friends, neighbors and the community are also affected when families are forced from their homes, but in the immediate aftermath, when a family needs help the most, the Red Cross is there." 

Red Cross assistance for these families included immediate lodging, food, clothing, comfort kits, medical supplies and information on health and mental health services. These services are given free of charge as part of the Red Cross mission to provide relief to victims of disaster and help people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies. It is a voluntary relief movement, supported by the American people, and not prompted in any manner by desire for gain.

To learn more about how the Red Cross helps families following a home fire, see our video on YouTube: http://youtu.be/lPWb2D82u5E.

Oregon Red Cross Responds to Fatal House Fire

Oregon Red Cross volunteers responded to a house fire on Failing Street in Portland, OR early this morning. They provided humanitarian assistance to at least two people displaced by the fire. All services were provided free of charge and may have included lodging, food, clothing, comfort kits and mental health services.

As reported on OregonLive.com, Portland firefighters arrived at the Failing Street home about 4 a.m. and found people evacuating from the basement and first floor windows, according to Paul Corah, spokesman for Portland Fire & Rescue. Some were woken up by the lights of the fire engine because there were no working smoke alarms in the home, fire investigators said.

On the second floor, it was so hot firefighters' helmet shields were melting and they had to crawl on their stomachs to look for any trapped victims, according to Station 13 Capt. Rob Hutchens. They knew they had to get out, but they gave it one more shot, he said, and that's when they found a man in the hallway.

Firefighters carried the man downstairs to paramedics, who determined that the 39-year-old man had died. His name has not been released, pending notification of his family. An investigation is continuing.

Corah urged people to make sure they have a working smoke alarm in every sleeping area, on every floor of their home. 

Four people were in the house at the time of the fire. Rooms in the home were rented out to individuals, Corah said. The Oregon Red Cross helped at least two displaced adults get shelter and other services.

Oregon Red Cross Assisted at Six Metro House Fires Last Week

In the past week, Oregon Red Cross Disaster Action Team volunteers responded to six home fires in the Portland Metro area. Our volunteers provided humanitarian assistance, free of charge, to 13 adults, 16 children and four pets displaced by these fires.

Assistance for these families included immediate lodging, food, clothing, comfort kits, and information on health and mental health services. One child required special needs accommodations, and one woman was transported to the hospital, treated for smoke inhalation, and then released.

Home fires are the number one disaster facing families in Oregon and last year, the Oregon Red Cross responded to almost 600 home fires across our state. That's an average of almost twice each day that Red Cross volunteers are assisting families who have no place else to turn in the immediate aftermath of a devastating fire.

Practice fire safety at home

Be Red Cross Ready - Fire Prevention & Safety Checklist [PDF]

Smoke Alarms

• Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, inside bedrooms and outside sleeping areas.



• Teach children what smoke alarms sound like and what to do when they hear one.



• Once a month check whether each alarm in the home is working properly by pushing the test button.



• Replace batteries in smoke alarms at least once a year. Immediately install a new battery if an alarm chirps, warning the battery is low.



• Smoke alarms should be replaced every 10 years. Never disable smoke or carbon monoxide alarms.



• Carbon monoxide alarms are not substitutes for smoke alarms. Know the difference between the sound of smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms.

Fire Escape Planning

• Ensure that all household members know two ways to escape from every room of your home.



• Make sure everyone knows where to meet outside in case of fire.



• Practice escaping from your home at least twice a year and at different times of the day. Practice waking up to smoke alarms, low crawling and meeting outside. Make sure everyone knows how to call 9-1-1.



• Teach household members to STOP, DROP and ROLL if their clothes should catch on fire.

For more information, see additional fact sheets on Fire Safety & Prevention.

Red Cross responds to McMinnville Apartment Fire

Oregon Red Cross volunteers responded to an apartment fire on Sesame Street in McMinnville, OR. They provided humanitarian assistance to 15 people displaced by the fire. All services were provided free of charge and may have included comfort kits, lodging, food, clothing and mental health services.

As reported by KWG news, two young children, a 5-year-old girl and a 6-year-old boy, were home alone when a fire started in a McMinnville apartment and spread to three other units Friday morning, authorities said. A neighbor pulled the girl to safety from the burning apartment.

Emergency crews were called just before 11 a.m. on Friday to a report of a fire in the 1700 block of Sesame Street. A blanket had caught on fire and the flames quickly spread through the apartment, according to the McMinnville Fire Department. Neighbor Tonya Wright said by the time she got downstairs the boy had already jumped out of a bedroom window. But his 5-year-old sister was still trying to get out.

“She was standing there and I just grabbed her by the arm and pulled her out,” Wright told KGW. Investigators said one of the children or a dog inside the apartment started the fire by knocking over a candle. That unit and a nearby apartment were heavily damaged.

Two other units were also damaged. There were no reports of injuries. A total of 15 tenants were displaced by the fire and Red Cross was assisting at the scene.

Fire Hurts: Red Cross Helps

On Thursday, January 05, 2012 at 8:19pm, Oregon Red Cross volunteer Kenneth Rislow responded with humanitarian assistance to a duplex fire in the 700 block of Erie Avenue, Astoria, OR. On site Red Cross volunteers assisted one adult, one child and a dog by providing, free of charge, assistance with immediate lodging, food, comfort kit, and information about Health and Mental Health services to insure the safety and well-being of those displaced in this fire.

On Friday, January 06, 2012 at 3:08am, volunteers from the Oregon Red Cross also responded with humanitarian assistance to a 2-alarm house fire in the 3300 block of SW Golf Course Road, Cornelius, OR. Red Cross volunteers assisted two adults and three dogs by providing, free of charge, immediate lodging, food, clothing, comfort kits and information about Health and Mental Health service to insure the safety and well-being of those displaced in this fire.

Firefighters determined the blaze was caused from an electrical malfunction near an electrical panel, located in the residence's garage, said Matt Johnston, a Forest Grove Fire & Rescue inspector who serves as a spokesman for the Cornelius Fire Department. Johnston said the initial damage estimate to the home is $30,000.

Johnston also said the home did not have any smoke alarms, so the residents were fortunate to notice the fire. Firefighters encourage residents to have a working alarm on each floor and outside bedrooms.

Every Day, the Oregon Red Cross is There

On Wednesday, December 28, 2011, Red Cross volunteers Ed Rentz, Mac McCawley and Geoff Jutzy responded to a disaster in the 9900 block of N Smith Street, Portland, OR. The fire occurred around midnight, and the family remained in their garage until all entrances were secured by a restoration company. The Red Cross provided assistance with immediate lodging, food, clothing, comfort kits, and information about Health and Mental Health services.

About three hours later, Red Cross volunteers Susan Nash and Judy Drescher responded to a disaster in the 900 block of SE Reynolds Street, Portland, OR. The Red Cross provided assistance with food, clothing, comfort kit, and information about Health and Mental Health services.

The Oregon Red Cross empowers ordinary people to perform extraordinary acts in emergency situations. We train. We mobilize. We connect donors and volunteers to those in urgent need of a helping hand.

Ten times a week, somewhere in Oregon, volunteers help a family who has lost everything in a house fire or other disaster. All disaster services are provided for free and supported solely by donations.

Thanks again to all the wonderful people, our generous donors and our amazing volunteers, who have helped us "be there" for the people of Oregon in 2011. It's not too late for you to join them: http://www.serve.com/redcross/?extlink=pa-us-serve-arc-intranet-201111