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 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.

Scientific and Humanitarian Lessons from The Haiti and Japan Earthquakes

Our friends (and partners) at OMSI have piqued our collective Red Cross interest again with February 22nd's Science Pub Portland topic! "Scientific and Humanitarian Lessons from The Haiti and Japan Earthquakes" promises to be an elucidating and relevant lecture, held in the comfort of the Mission Theatre.  For more information and the address, visit: http://www.omsi.edu/node/1007. 

Grab a drink and a snack and get ready for a discussion about the scientific processes that led to these disasters as well as an overview of the overwhelming global humanitarian response. 
Dr. Wayne Pennington will also discuss how lack of public awarenesss or disaster preparedness magnified the Haitian earthquake's and Japanese tsunami's effects - and how this danger lurks globally for ill-prepared areas. 

Pretty relevant stuff, given that we are due for an enormous earthquake and ensuing tsunami in our little corner of the world! 
Red Cross also has a wealth of information on disaster preparedness; you can visit oregonredcross.org to learn about preparedness, schedule a class or presentation, buy safety products and print materials, and learn about blood donation.  As always, we love to remind you to "Be prepared for anything!" 

Photo courtesy of mcmenamins.com

Blaze sparks at SE Portland apartment complex

Oregon Red Cross volunteers are assisting several SE Portland residents displaced by an apartment fire in the 2000 block of SE 122nd Avenue. Red Cross volunteers are prepared to provide humanitarian assistance, which is provided free of charge, and may include comfort kits, lodging, food, clothing and information about health and mental health services.

As reported by KOIN Local 6, investigators believe the two-alarm fire at a Southeast Portland apartment complex on Saturday night was caused by a careless smoker. The blaze broke out sometime before 7:39 p.m. at the El Moro Apartments, located at 2016 SE 122nd Avenue.

Alisa Cour, spokesperson for Portland Fire and Rescue, says the fire initially started in a one-story unit, but arriving crews discovered that strong east winds had spread it to three others through a common attic space, prompting the second-alarm.

Firefighters cut a hole in the roof of all four one-story units, which had all been safely evacuated prior to their arrival. The fire was brought under control within about 40 minutes.

There were no injuries, but an elderly woman was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation. The Red Cross is assisting displaced residents with housing. TriMet also sent a bus to the scene to help residents stay warm.

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.