NEWS RELEASE — The Red Cross will partner with the Escambia County Fire Rescue firefighters on Oct. 11 to stress fire safety.

Red Cross volunteer teams will canvass neighborhoods to meet with residents to distribute fire safety information and coordinate the installation of smoke detectors by trained firefighters.

The American Red Cross of Northwest Florida responded to 173 disasters and assisted 411 families last fiscal year. Nearly all of these were home fires.

To keep your family safe:

— Install smoke alarms on every level of the home and outside each sleeping area. Put a smoke alarm inside every bedroom. Because smoke rises, put the alarms on the ceiling or high on the wall. Test the smoke alarms regularly. Install new batteries every year. Get new smoke alarms every 10 years.

— Make a fire escape plan and practice it at least twice a year with the whole family. You should know two ways to escape from the house and designate a safe meeting place outside the home.

— Download the Red Cross First Aid app for access to info on common first aid emergencies including burns.

To help on Saturday, call Doug Watson, Program Director at 432-7601 or come to Fire Station 17 at 1700 North W St. at 9 a.m.