Oregon Trail Chapter Latest News

PORTLAND, Ore. – February 17, 2006 – Eleven American Red Cross Oregon Trail Chapter volunteers responded to a two-alarm fire this morning at the Wimbledon Square Apartment Homes in Southeast Portland to provide assistance to affected residents. The responders included a disaster mental health provider to offer emotional support, as well as family service caseworkers.

The Red Cross was contacted by the Portland Fire Bureau at 9:00 A.M., and responders are still on the scene to assist eight families with food, clothing, meals, temporary lodging, and medical and emotional support. The canteening action team is also assisting with food and hot drinks to warm rescuers and clients on the sub-freezing morning.

Three additional Red Cross disaster action team members are responding to a single-family fire in Hillsboro, and are assisting a family of six with a two-week-old infant.

The American Red Cross has just released results of a poll conducted on home fires and determined that four out of five Americans don't realize that home fires are the greatest threat to their homes and families. The findings were troubling considering the devastation a home fire can cause and the unthinkable possibility of losing a loved one. More resources are spent responding to home fires than natural disasters.

As temperatures drop and heating costs rise, more and more families are turning space heaters, fireplaces or wood or coal-burning stoves to warm their homes. The Red Cross found that families with children are even more likely to rely on these alternative heat sources. Methods of heating a house cause of 74 percent of fire-related deaths.

Since just the beginning of this year, the Oregon Trail Chapter responded to 33 fires; five of those were apartment fires. Almost 200 individuals were affected and served by the Red Cross.

The American Red Cross is a humanitarian organization, led by volunteers, that provides relief to victims of disaster and helps people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies. Local Red Cross volunteers respond to residential fires and other disasters an average of every 32 hours. All Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by voluntary donations of time and money from Oregonians. Financial gifts help provide shelter, food, clothing counseling and other immediate assistance to those in need. Call (503) 284-1234 or visit www.redcross-pdx.org

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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