Emergency resources ready as cold brings on fires

By Leah Rainwater

With colder weather making its entrance this week, the St. Joseph Fire Department has been busy.

Two vacant homes were devastated following fire calls on Tuesday.

The first happened at about 3:15 p.m. at 21st and Faraon streets. The cause is unknown and no injuries were reported.

The second fire was at South 14th and Messanie streets just after 11:15 p.m. and crews battled it well into Wednesday morning. The cause of that fire is still under investigation, but the multi-level structure became a complete loss after it collapsed.

That fire also caught the roof of a neighboring structure, but the second home was saved.

While no one was displaced in the Tuesday fires, resources are available when that happens. With the cold weather season beginning and bringing with it the potential of fires, Red Cross Executive Director JoAnn Woody said her agency has volunteers ready to assist as needed.

“The 34 counties that our chapter serves … we respond to somewhere between 500 to 600 residential fires every year,” she said. “It’s a constant threat to our communities and something that, you know, a lot of folks don’t know that is the number one response for the American Red Cross.”

When it comes to residential structure fires, Woody says Red Cross volunteers are on standby to support the community.

“So our volunteers will go out and we will meet with the individual or the family who has experienced the disaster,” she said Woody. “We will visit with them to see what their immediate needs are.”

Volunteers are also prepared when they arrive on the scene.

“Many fires start in the late evening hours or overnight where people are literally just fortunate to get out of the house safely,” Woody said. “So having a blanket, something warm to wrap around themselves. We also do carry hygiene kits.”

Woody said being able to provide those resources is something that the community seems grateful for.

“I can’t tell you how many times I have met with someone at the scene of a fire and you give a woman her hygiene kit with all these basic things,” she said. “And it literally, it’s almost like it just melts her.”

The Red Cross is also partnered with Build-A-Bear, to provide stuffed animals for kids for stress relief.

Woody also said a big cause for fires in the winter, has a lot to do with home heating or improper use of a home heating appliance.

Making sure smoke alarms have full batteries, following proper space heater safety procedures and using reliable heat sources can help reduce fire hazards.

Additionally, making sure your furnace and air ducts are cleaned before kicking the heat on can help as well.

Woody said the Red Cross’ assistance program with residential structure fires is mainly funded by monetary donations from the community.

“All of that is just based on the generosity of our community’s neighbors helping their neighbors,” she said Woody.

There are options for those wanting to donate to the Red Cross.

Those interested can donate to a specific program or category where funds are needed most by visiting redcross.org/donate.