Red Cross, Cairo Fire Department and Cairo High School Beta Club Members Partner to Promote Fire Safety

Cairo, Illinois�Saturday, January 20, 2018 � With home fires as the biggest disaster threat facing families in Cairo, Illinois, the American Red Cross has joined up with the Cairo Fire Department and members of the Cairo High School Beta Club to conduct fire safety activities. The Cairo Fire Department, a valued partner of the Red Cross, will have volunteers go door-to-door in local neighborhoods on January 20, 2018 to install smoke alarms, discuss fire safety and distribute fire safety information to local residents.

In the past year, the Southeast Missouri Chapter has provided food, shelter, comfort and hope to 18 individuals in 11 households in Cairo, IL affected by home and apartment fires.

�Working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in home fires by half,� said Julian Watkins, Executive Director of the Southeast Missouri Red Cross. �As a part of our work to prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies, the Red Cross and its partners are educating the community and providing vital information on fire safety and the importance of maintaining working smoke alarms. We are excited to have the support of the Cairo Fire Department and the amazing students at Cairo High School to help us carry out this life-saving service.�

Reducing deaths and injuries from home fires goes beyond the means of any one organization. It is a national problem that needs a collaborative solution. �We have an opportunity to make a change in our community. We�re committed to working together to make a dent in home fire deaths and injuries,� said Watkins.

When a home fire or other disaster occurs, the American Red Cross provides food, shelter, comfort and hope to meet the immediate needs of those affected. People can support those in the local community affected by home fires by making a donation to the Red Cross of Southeast Missouri by going to redcross.org/mo/semo or calling (573) 335-9471. Those wishing to learn more about home fire safety should visit redcross.org.

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 or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.