Home fire preparedness campaign reminds residents to stay safe
on October 25, 2016
On a Saturday in early October, members of the American Red Cross and the Oakland Fire Department knocked on Fruitvale residents’ homes to install and inspect new smoke alarms as part of the initiation of their Home Fire Campaign. The campaign to remind Oakland residents that “Working smoke alarms saves lives … Let’s be fire safe!” as it said on their press release.
According to the American Red Cross, on average, 7 people die every day from a home fire, 36 people suffer injuries and over $7 billion in property damage occurs every year. The Home Fire Campaign is part of a national effort by the organization, which has set a goal to reduce fire-related deaths and injuries in the US by 25 percent by 2020.
According to Engineer Felicia Bryant, an Oakland firefighter and secretary of the Oakland Black Firefighters Association, the smoke alarm program is already benefitting Oakland residents. “It has helped, because we haven’t had fires in the homes that we have helped so far” she said.
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- The American Red Cross and the Oakland Fire Department knocked on Fruitvale residents’ homes to install and inspect new smoke alarms as part of the initiation of their Home Fire Preparedness Campaign on Saturday, October 8, 2016. (Yesica Prado/Oakland North)
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- Eduardo Robles, Bay EMT, and American Red Cross volunteer work on a home, chaging an old smoke alarm in Fruitvale on Saturday, October 8, 2016. (Yesica Prado/Oakland North)
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- An American Red Cross volunteer holds an old smoke alarm in her hands in Fruitvale, Oakland on Saturday, October 8, 2016. (Yesica Prado/Oakland North)
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- Eduardo Robles drills a hole in the ceiling of a Fruitvale resident’s home to install a new smoke alarm as part of the Home Fire Preparedness Campaign on Saturday October 8, 2016. (Yesica Prado/Oakland North)
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- Amanda Deng, volunteer of the American Red Cross, explains fire safety to Fruitvale resident, Michael McGee, as part of the Home Fire Preparedness Campaign on Saturday October 8, 2016. (Yesica Prado/Oakland North)
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- Eduardo Robles, Bay EMT, and Michael McGee, Fruitvale resident, laugh in the house basement after sharing a joke on Saturday October 8, 2016. (Yesica Prado/Oakland North)
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- American Red Cross volunteer goes down the steps of a Fruitvale home after installing three new smoke alarms in the residence of Francisco Fonseca as part of the Home Fire Preparedness Campaign on Saturday October 8, 2016. (Yesica Prado/Oakland North)
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- Eduardo Robles prepares a step ladder to install a new smoke alarm in the resident’s home Francisco Fonseca in Fruitvale, Oakland as part of the Home Fire Preparedness Campaign on Saturday October 8, 2016. (Yesica Prado/Oakland North)
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- Francisco Fonseca, left, and Eduardo Robles, right, go over how to test out your smoke alarm and run their annual drills to ensure their functuonality in Fruitvale, Oakland as part of the Home Fire Preparedness Campaign on Saturday October 8, 2016. (Yesica Prado/Oakland North)
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- Three old smoke alarms sit in the table of Francisco Fonseca after getting three new smoke alarms installed in his home in Fruitvale, Oakland as part of the Home Fire Preparedness Campaign on Saturday October 8, 2016. (Yesica Prado/Oakland North)
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- American Red Cross volunteer discusses fire safety with Francisco Fonseca, right, after installing three new smoke alarms as part of the Home Fire Preparedness Campaign on Saturday October 8, 2016. (Yesica Prado/Oakland North)
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- Eduardo Robles, left, and American Red Cross volunteer, right, work together in a Fruitvale resident’s home to install a new smoke alarm as part of the Home Fire Preparedness Campaign on Saturday October 8, 2016. (Yesica Prado/Oakland North)
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