FLORENCE—Seven people die in home fires in the United States on a typical day. Most Americans believe they have five minutes to escape their home. They don’t.

As part of their Home Fire Campaign, the American Red Cross and its community partners will visit homes in the Little Rock-Rowland area Saturday to show people how to be prepared for home fires. The teams will install free smoke alarms where needed.

The fire safety and smoke alarm blitz will take place on Saturday, April 16, 2016. Teams of Red Cross volunteers, local firefighters, and volunteers from DHEC will be going door-to-door, meeting with families to test and install smoke alarms, helping them create a home fire escape plan. They will also discuss the importance of having everyone in the household know what to do in case of a fire.

Who:               American Red Cross

                        Department of Health & Environmental Control

                        Dillon County Emergency Management

                        Dillon County Fire Departments

                        Maxton Fire Department

                        Meadow Grove Church

                        Miller Chapel AME Church

                        Rowland Fire Department

When:             April 16, 2016

                        9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Where:            Dillon County Fire Department Station 5, 3234 SC HWY 57, Little Rock

Each year, South Carolina ranks within the top 10 states for home fire deaths per capita. Of the homes in South Carolina that the Red Cross and its partners have entered, 57% were unprotected by smoke alarms.

A Red Cross survey showed that 65 percent of respondents mistakenly believe that they have at least five minutes to escape a burning home – more than twice as long as they really have. Most parents (64 percent) believe their children would know what to do or how to escape with little help, but they haven’t taken key steps to keep their loved ones safe.

The teams of volunteers will provide information to help household members prevent fires and be safer in the event of a fire.

For more information about home fire preparedness, to become a Red Cross volunteer, or to make a financial contribution to Red Cross, call 843-477-0020 or visit www.redcross.org/SC.  

About the Home Fire Campaign in South Carolina:
The American Red Cross, along with its partners, including the South Carolina Office of State Fire Marshal, the South Carolina Firefighters Association, local fire departments, and community and corporate partners, is working to save lives, reduce injuries, and preserve property through the Home Fire Campaign. Together, they will be keeping families safe across South Carolina by installing 50,000 smoke alarms and teaching people how to lessen their chances of suffering from a home fire. The Home Fire Campaign is made possible due to the generous support of BlueCross BlueShield, Sandra Klein, Coastal Community Foundation, Colonial Life, Hilton Head Island Foundation, John I Smith Charities, Kentwool Manufacturing, McLeod Health Systems, South of the Border Foundation, State Farm, The Graham Foundation and generous individuals across South Carolina.

About the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org/SC or follow us on Twitter @RedCrossSC.