State Farm works with American Red Cross on home fire safety

Home fire safety - smoke detector

The two companies have partnered up to educate employees, neighbors, friends and family.

A new home fire safety partnership between State Farm and American Red Cross has formed to help employees and friends alike to be better informed and prepared.

The education program is meant to help agents, employees, neighbors, and friends.

This home fire safety prevention and action education is meant to save lives and property. The American Red Cross responds to an annual average of 60,000 disasters. Most of those events are related to home fires. Last year, State Farm paid $2.2 billion to policyholders who suffered home fires which brought on 36,000 claims.

These are not only the most common form of disaster in the country, but they are also the events that take the most lives. Seven people die from fires in homes every day. That said, while natural disasters such as tornadoes and hurricanes can’t be preventable, fires in the home often can. Education and preparedness can make a considerable difference in stopping a blaze before it happens.

The home fire safety partnership involves making a Pledge to Prepare which has two steps.

The two steps for the Pledge to Prepare are:

  • Holding a practice fire drill for two minutes, twice per year
  • Testing smoke detectors once per month

The Pledge to Prepare website provides helpful information as well as a downloadable escape plan worksheet. Families can use that feature for expanding on an escape plan for every room in their homes. The site also offers step-by-step smoke detector testing instructions, as well as advice in case the device doesn’t work.

“As a company, our mission is to help people manage the risks of everyday life,” said Operations Vice President of Fire Claims, John Burns. “The collaboration between State Farm and American Red Cross on Pledge to Prepare will help spread awareness about steps to diminish the impact of a home fire. It’s another way we are helping communities prepare for the unexpected.”

Home fire safety - smoke detectorThe charity and insurance company are hoping that the home fire safety word will spread and that other people beyond employees, friends and family will also take the Pledge to Prepare.

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