Red Cross Receives Grant for Community Fire Training in 15 States
ARC has received a $1.066 million AmeriCorps grant from the Corporation for National and Community Service to support AmeriCorps members to help the Red Cross teach children and adults in 15 states about home fire safety and being prepared for emergencies.
The American Red Cross announced July 27 that it has received a $1.066 million AmeriCorps grant from the Corporation for National and Community Service, a federal agency, to support AmeriCorps members to help the Red Cross teach children and adults in 15 states about home fire safety and being prepared for emergencies. The grant enables 80 AmeriCorps members to teach 60,000 young people about fire safety and emergency preparedness through The Pillowcase Project, a Disney-sponsored Red Cross program that teaches students in grades 3 to 5 about personal and family preparedness and local hazards. When pupiles complete the program, they receive a pillowcase in which to create their personal emergency supply kit.
The AmeriCorps members also will teach as many as 20,000 adults about home fire safety through the Home Fire Campaign, a five-year effort to reduce U.S. home fire deaths by 25 percent by installing free home smoke alarms in neighborhoods at high risk for fires and teaching residents about fire prevention. Since that campaign began, more than 407,000 smoke alarms have been installed through it.
"We are thrilled with this outstanding support from the Corporation for National and Community Service," said Harvey Johnson, senior vice president of Red Cross Disaster Cycle Services. "This grant will support two critical projects that have already helped to save lives and will now be able to reach even more children and households, teaching people about preparedness and fire prevention."
ARC reported that 10 of the 80 Red Cross Corps members will focus on serving veteran and military families. "Knowing the AmeriCorps members in those 15 states will also be improving the lives of military and veteran families will be of great comfort to those currently serving far from home," said Koby Langley, senior vice president, Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces. "Having served with great Americans on foreign soil, I know that being prepared is a part of military life, and there is no better way to help others better prepare on the home front than helping their families avoid the disaster and tragedy that happen to so many due to home fires."
The grant will support AmeriCorps members in Red Cross offices in 15 states, including California, Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, New York, Maryland, Washington, Oregon, Virginia, Massachusetts, Alabama, and Texas.