Conducting safety checks throughout your home or apartment can help prevent a fire. Our community partner, The American Red Cross in Indiana, has provided these easy steps you can take to keep you, your family, your friends and your home or apartment safe.
Home fire safety checklist
Always monitor while cooking and grilling. Never leave an open flame unattended. Read more about grilling tips to help keep you safe during grilling season.
Place furniture, curtains, dish towels and anything that could catch fire three feet from any type of heat source such as fireplaces, space heaters, baseboards, etc.
Never smoke while you are in bed.
Ensure small and large appliances are plugged directly into the walls.
Make sure lighters and matches are locked away from children.
Change smoke alarm batteries every year unless it has a long-life battery. The American Red Cross holds an annual home fire safety campaign called Red Cross Sound the Alarm. This campaign provides educational, volunteering and financial support opportunities to the community.
Join the American Red Cross to Sound the Alarm!
The American Red Cross is rallying together volunteers that will install 50,000 free smoke alarms throughout the country. This is part of their annual Sound the Alarm campaign which was created to help provide home fire safety to individuals and families nationwide.
This month the American Red Cross will install free smoke alarms in homes and apartments nationwide and, while doing so, share safety information with at-risk communities. Additionally, they will fundraise to help assist families to prepare, respond and recover from home fires.
For those interested in taking part in the Sound the Alarm campaign. there are a few different ways to get involved:
Educational involvement – If you and your family are interested in learning more about home fire safety you can sign up for an at-home fire safety visit which will include a free smoke alarm installation in your home from your local American Red Cross.
Fitness challenge – Register now for the 2-minute Fitness Challenge! This challenge is all about getting as many reps in as you can in two minutes (e.g., pull-ups, push-ups, squats, jump rope). Once you join the challenge you will also need to record that you have completed your time too. The purpose behind the two-minute timer is that American Red Cross advises that’s exactly how long someone has to escape from a home fire safely.
Donate financially – Your financial donations can help support home fire relief and can potentially help save lives. A donation may provide food and comfort to those who have lost their home to a fire, help with the installation of free smoke alarms throughout the community or help educate fire safety to families nationwide.
What is the American Red Cross
Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance is a proud long-time partner of the American Red Cross in Indiana. The American Red Cross has been around for more than 130 years.
The organization depends on its strong community of volunteers, donors and partners to help them provide support to communities everywhere in times of need. The Red Cross delivers aid by mobilizing the power of many volunteers and donors like you.
Did you know that one of the easiest ways for you to contribute is by donating blood? Right now, American Red Cross is in need of blood donations. Make an appointment today or set up a blood drive at work, school or in your community today to help save lives!
Your community needs your help! Take part in the Sound the Alarm campaign in May or find out where you can donate blood to help save lives today.