Content provided by Almost Family
Trees, wreaths and other holiday trimmings are festive – but also flammable.
Not only that, but as temperatures drop Kentuckians utilize space heaters and other methods to try and keep warm. And while space heaters can be a quick way to heat a room, they can also sometimes be dangerous. In fact, space heaters are involved in more than 25,000 home fires and 6,000 emergency room visits a year, according to the Harvard University Health and Environmental Group. About a third of all home fires occur between December and February.
Home health provider Almost Family, which has offices in Louisville, has partnered with the Red Cross on a home fire safety campaign that they hope will reduce the incidence of home fires.
Because visiting nurses, therapists and other Almost Family employees provide care in hundreds of homes in Kentucky and Indiana every day, they possess a unique opportunity to help the Red Cross identify homes that are at risk for fires.
Almost Family employees check during regular visits to patients’ homes to see if there are smoke alarms in all of the recommended locations and to make sure they’re working. If there’s not a working smoke alarm, the Red Cross provides and installs them – at no charge to the resident. In addition, Almost Family workers help their clients complete a home fire safety checklist and create an escape plan that ensures residents can get out of their home quickly in the event of a fire.
By taking a little extra time, Almost Family and its Red Cross partner are making a big difference in future safety. Already, the partners have installed smoke alarms in more than 1,000 homes.
