No home is guaranteed fireproof, but all can be made safer. That’s the message that volunteers will be taking door to door in the Aurora area as part of this year’s Greater Chicago Red Cross Team Firestopper fire safety education and prevention program. Team Firestopper came to Aurora on October 22 as part of National Fire Safety Month to teach residents how to better protect their homes against fire.
Residential fires constitute the single most prevalent disaster in the seven-county area served by the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago and Aurora is one of its highest-risk flashpoints.
“Every day we see families shattered by the loss of their home or even a loved one because of a fire. That loss is unacceptable to us because we know that most fires can be prevented,” said LaForice Nealy, Managing Director of Response and Emergency Communications for the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago. “We’re bringing Team Firestopper to Aurora because we want every family to have access to the safety information and resources that can keep them from watching their dreams and their sense of security go up in smoke.”
As Chicagoland enters its traditional fire season, acting early to save lives is critical. Red Cross volunteers, with support from First Alert®, will provide safety “makeovers” for 70 homes in Aurora. As part of the Team Firestopper program, each family receives:
• An American Red Cross Emergency Supply Kit;
• Installation of insulating window films for increased heating efficiency;
• Smoke detectors, fire extinguishers and carbon monoxide detectors;
• A customized Family Disaster Plan;
• A visual inspection for other fire hazards (placement of space heaters, faulty wiring, etc);
• A fire escape ladder for residents living in multiple level dwellings;
• A free, routine furnace check by a licensed and insured HVAC contractor
“Over the past six years Team Firestopper has proven itself as an educational and preventative safety program that makes a difference for Chicago residents,” said Mark Colello, senior vice president and general manager at BRK Brands, Inc. “We’re proud to be able to partner with the Red Cross and their partners in the Aurora community to take an active role protecting individuals and homes.”
Team Firestopper is part of an area-wide effort undertaken by the Red Cross to help reduce the incidence of fires in the community. In addition to the home makeovers, hundreds of Aurora residents will receive free fire safety information “packets.” Additional education efforts will take place in Aurora schools as volunteers fan out to elementary schools to teach the city’s youngest residents how to prevent fires in the home.
All American Red Cross Team Firestopper assistance is provided free of charge, and in Aurora, the program is generously supported by First Alert, Home Depot, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, Grainger, Hewitt Associates, Fox Valley United Way, City of Aurora, Aurora Fire Department, Aurora Police Department, Aurora Regional Fire Museum, Aurora Interfaith Food Pantry, Parliament Builders Inc., and Joseph Corporation.
About the American Red Cross
Celebrating 90 years of service in Chicagoland
The American Red Cross is a volunteer-led humanitarian service organization dedicated to helping make families and communities safer at home and around the world. The American Red Cross of Greater Chicago serves more than 8.3 million people in Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will counties through the support and generous contributions of individuals, corporations, foundations, and the United Way. Each year, the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago trains nearly 350,000 people in vital lifesaving skills through health and safety courses. More than 1,400 families receive disaster assistance, and 65,000 individuals receive additional Red Cross services, including disaster training, armed forces emergency services, international services and family tracing, and various community programs. For more information, call 312-729-6100 or visit www.chicagoredcross.org.
