Planning is already underway between the American Red Cross in Southeastern Wisconsin and HOPE Worldwide, Inc. for the annual Dr. Martin Luther King National Day of Service.

On this day in January, thousands of volunteers will walk door-to-door in more than 35 cities and metropolitan areas across the country to share disaster preparedness information with their neighbors. The Red Cross in Southeastern Wisconsin will be among 92 other Red Cross chapters participating in the event.

Dr. King recognized the power of service to strengthen communities and achieve common goals. In honor of Dr. King’s legacy, the Red Cross and HOPE Worldwide are partnering to share information to save lives.

Volunteers will talk with community residents about fire safety and distribute fire safety door hangers. The door hangers have information about smoke alarms, creating an escape plan and how to cook and heat a home safely this winter. The goal of this neighborhood canvassing event on the King Day of Service is to reach 120,000 households with life-saving fire prevention and safety information and to engage as many residents as possible in one-on-one conversations about these topics.

FACTS

• Fires kill more Americans each year than all natural disasters combined, and they affect people from all backgrounds and geographic locations.
• The American Red Cross responds to more than 70,000 disasters in communities across the US every year and at least 90% of these are fire related.
• 74% of home fire deaths occurred in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.
• Only 26% of families have actually developed and practiced a home fire escape plan.
• African-Americans in this country are disproportionately affected by home fires and account for 25% of all fire deaths even though they represent less than 13% of the population.
• Children under five and adults over 65 are more than twice as likely to die in a home fire than the rest of the US population.
• Cooking fires are the leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries. Two out of three cooking fires start with the range or stove.
• Smoking is the leading cause of home fire deaths.
• Each year over 200 people die from carbon monoxide produced by fuel burning appliances in the home including furnaces, ranges, water heaters and room heaters.

The Red Cross and HOPE Worldwide have a goal to recruit 100 volunteers to canvass neighborhoods within the city of Milwaukee this year. Join us in this effort! For more information on how to get involved or to register as a volunteer, contact us.

The American Red Cross in Southeastern Wisconsin relies on donations of time and money so they can provide relief to victims of disasters and help people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies in Dodge, Kenosha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Walworth and Waukesha counties. To donate your time, please visit our Volunteer page. Financial donations can be made online through our secure contribution site.You can also support the Red Cross online by becoming a fan on our facebook page and following us on Twitter.