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Family Meets at their Reunion Point when Escaping from House Fire
The Vesely family had attended a Red Cross presentation about family emergency plans

PORTLAND, Ore. – May 20, 2005 – American Red Cross Oregon Trail Chapter volunteers were notified by Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue at 2:00 a.m. on May 20 that a family was displaced by a fire that occurred in their home on SW 87th. The Red Cross provided cash assistance for lodging until the family could reach their insurance company the following Monday.

The Red Cross was later informed by Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue that the Vesley family had attended a presentation from the Red Cross regarding preparing for disasters and emergency situations. The Vesleys had recently practiced a family emergency plan and attributed their escape from the home to the plan they had developed.

The fire started under the hood of the family car in the garage of their home. The parents and their three young boys attribute their escape to their plan to meet at the apple tree in the back of the house or the mailbox in the front of the house.

The Red Cross encourages families to discuss the following steps to respond to a fire in the home by: (1) have two escape routes from every room (2) agree on a reunion point outside of the home to meet (3) practice crawling out of the home with your eyes shut (4) make sure to sleep with bedroom doors closed.

Free Red Cross presentations about how to prepare for and respond to disasters and emergencies are available for groups of 10 or more. Families can also receive a free 24-page booklet called Together We Prepare Oregon that was developed with Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue, Portland Office of Emergency Management and others. Call (503) 528-5665 or visit www.redcross-pdx.org for more information.

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American Red Cross, Oregon Trail volunteers respond to house fires every 32 hours on average.
To assist the Red Cross in providing disaster relief, please call (503) 528-5634.
To prepare yourself and your family for fire or other disasters, go to www.redcross-pdx.org