ST. LOUIS — The American Red Cross is urging Missourians to follow fire safety tips after an uptick in fatal fires over the winter.
The Red Cross has responded to 20 fatal fires in Missouri since July 1, 2019. Fifteen of those fires happened between November 2019 and January.
“The Red Cross is typically called to more fatal fires in the winter, and unfortunately, that’s what we have seen the past three months in Missouri,” said Chris Harmon, Regional Disaster Officer for the American Red Cross of Missouri and Arkansas in a press release. “The majority of these fatal fire responses have occurred just since November 1, with several of them affecting children and individuals age 60 and over.”
Harmon said two things drastically reduce fatal fires: working smoke alarms and having a family escape plan.
“Once a fire starts, residents might have just two minutes or less to escape before they’re overcome by smoke, so having working smoke alarms installed throughout the home provides early warning, which could mean the difference between life and death," said State Fire Marshal Tim Bean.
Bean said fires increase during cold weather because people use heating sources like space heaters.
Here's how to safely use a space heater:
- Always follow the manufacturer's proper use recommendations
- Keep them three feet away from anything that can burn
- Never leave them on when you leave a room or go to sleep
To get a free smoke alarm, request alarms through getasmokealarm.org or call 1-800-Red-Cross or your local Red Cross chapter.
More local stories:
