On Sunday, March 4 the JCCRP in conjunction with the FDNY, ARC, and the White Shul will host an evening dedicated to fire safety and emergency preparedness to help save lives in our community.

This ambitious initiative was spurred by a recent spate of fires in Brooklyn which resulted in the tragic loss of lives, homes, and property. In the aftermath of the tragic fires in Brooklyn, the JCCRP reached out to the American Red Cross which launched its Home Fire Campaign, a national initiative to reduce deaths and injuries from home fires by as much as 25 percent across the country. The new partnership between the organizations will include this campaign which seeks to increase the use of smoke alarms and to encourage all Americans to practice their fire escape plans and be aware of fire risks and hazards. Since 2014, Red Cross volunteers together with partner organizations and corporations have installed more than 65,000 smoke detectors across the Greater New York Region, which includes New York City, Long Island, the Lower Hudson Valley, and Greenwich, Conn.

“The entire Jewish community is still dealing with the aftermath of the tragic fires that took place in Brooklyn this past year,” says Moshe Brandsdorfer, JCCRP executive director. “The JCCRP has always been receptive to creating new partnerships that will benefit our community. After the last fire in Brooklyn, it was very clear that it was time for our community to partner with the American Red Cross and FDNY so that we can prevent such tragedies from ever occurring again. This is a crucial time for this project as we approach Pesach, a yom tov that involves a lot cooking, koshering, and use of yom tov licht.”

These two evenings will be hosted at the White Shul, a kehillah constantly committed to assisting and hosting events that benefit the entire community. The event will consist of an education session on fire safety and will provide an opportunity to sign up for a free smoke detector installation in your home.

“The new community fire safety partnership between JCCRP, the American Red Cross, and FDNY will save lives,” said NYC Council Member Donovan Richards, “The great majority of fire related deaths take place in locations where smoke detectors are either not functioning or missing completely. This great partnership will help our community install smoke detectors, promote emergency preparedness, and increase fire safety awareness.”

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) estimates that nationally, the risk of dying in a home fire is cut in half when there’s a working smoke alarm present. In New York City, the FDNY’s Bureau of Fire Investigations has determined that up to 70 percent of fire deaths in recent years have occurred in residences where there was no working smoke alarm—either with no alarm present, or missing or dead batteries in a device. On average, 7 people die from a home fire every day in the U.S.; on average, 36 people suffer injuries from home fires every day in the U.S.

Our city has seen time and again the value of being prepared for an emergency situation—particularly in the case of fire, which can rapidly lead to injury, loss of life, and loss of property. A working smoke detector and proper fire safety awareness can literally mean the difference between life and death. Please join this vital event and protect you and your family!

To find out more information about this project or other services please call the JCCRP at 718-327-7755 or e-mail info@jccrp.org.

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