Know the hazards to help prevent a disaster

Pittsburgh---The American Red Cross Southwestern Pennsylvania Chapter helped more than 1,700 people affected by disasters last year, 96 percent of which were home fires. During the winter months and holiday season, the Red Cross urges local residents to remember that holiday decorations and alternative heating sources can be potential fire hazards if they are not cautious.

"Every year we see at least a dozen fires caused by holiday decorations, overloaded electrical outlets, candles or space heaters," said Pauline Duncan, a Red Cross caseworker with the chapter for seven years. "Fires are preventable disasters. Paying attention to the hazards of using alternative heat sources and holiday decorating could potentially prevent these fires."

Fire prevention tips:

• Place portable space heaters at least 3 feet away from anything combustible. Drying wet mittens or other clothing over space heaters is a fire hazard.
• Have your chimney connections and flues inspected by a professional and cleaned if necessary prior to the start of every heating season. Use a sturdy screen when burning fires. Burn only wood - never burn paper or pine boughs. Do not hang holiday decorations from or on your fireplace if you plan to use it as a heat source.
• Make sure smoke detectors are working properly and new batteries are installed.
• Never leave candles unattended. And do not use candles as lights should you lose power; use battery-operated flashlights.

• Decorate Christmas trees with only laboratory-approved lights.
• Unplug holiday lights when leaving home or going to bed.
• Do not decorate metal trees with lights.
• Use appropriate extension cords when decorating using surge protectors for multiple decorations at once, such as strands of lights.
• Keep candles away from decorations and other combustible material.
• Place both live and artificial trees away from heat sources and exits.
• Water trees daily.
• Do not wear loose-fitting clothing when cooking to avoid ignition by stove burners.
• Create a disaster supplies kit — get together lifesaving items in both your home and vehicle that you can grab should you need to evacuate quickly.

For more information on how to keep your families safe through the winter months and holiday season or for a list of disaster kit supplies, visit www.swpa.redcross.org or call 888-217-9599.

PITTSBURGH--- Last year 770 local military families depended on the American Red Cross Southwestern Pennsylvania Chapter to send messages to their U.S. service members during times of crisis through the Armed Forces Emergency Services (AFES) program. Courses are being offered to train volunteers needed for this essential Red Cross team.

The Red Cross plays an instrumental role in validating the messages with the most current information available. AFES volunteers are taught the regulations and protocol for communicating between the military and families.

For more than a century, the Red Cross has provided these services to members of the U.S. military and their families---a tradition started by Clara Barton, the organization’s founder during the Civil War. Two trainings will be held locally for volunteers wanting to join this dedicated team.

• 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Jan. 27, 2007 at Fayette County Branch, 108 Morgantown St., Uniontown, PA 15401.
• 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Feb. 10, 2007 at Red Cross Chapter Headquarters, 225 Boulevard of the Allies, Pittsburgh, PA 15222

"The military looks to the Red Cross to verify family emergency situations. We report to the national communications center and then the military makes the final call on the situation, said Dick Ritchie, an AFES volunteer for the past three years from Upper St. Clair.

"Sometimes I can go an evening with no calls; sometimes I’ll have five calls in five hours. AFES is a great volunteering opportunity with the Red Cross because you can do it from home and yet you’re helping people thousands of miles away."

Volunteers for AFES answer calls regarding important news from military families such as the death of a loved one, serious illness or the birth of a child. AFES volunteers are the key to verifying and processing this important information for the families’ loved ones currently serving in the U.S. Armed Forces using a worldwide network of Red Cross staff and volunteers. The volunteers may call such places as hospitals, funeral homes or a doctor’s office to obtain the proper verification. The approval for leave is granted by the serviceperson’s command and not by the Red Cross.

All trainings are free and open to the public. Volunteers will be asked to provide references and complete a background check. Registration is required; visit www.swpa.redcross.org or call 888-217-9599.