Officials with the American Red Cross have updated Pennsylvania lawmakers on their efforts to help out in times of emergency.
In 2018, the Red Cross responded to roughly 2,500 emergencies in Pennsylvania and helped some-11,000 people. The organization also trained 186,000 Pennsylvanians in life-saving skills in the last year.
House fires are the most common disaster the Red Cross responds to, but it’s not the only kind.
“We also deal with mudslides, tornadoes, and mass shootings, such as the one at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh,” Patricia Waldinger, regional CEO of the Greater Pennsylvania Region of the American Red Cross said.
Since 2014, the organization has installed over 75,000 smoke alarms in Pennsylvania as part of its home fire safety campaign.
There is a staffed Red Cross office in Herman (covering Butler County) but someone isn’t always there during normal business hours. There are other employees and volunteers that come and go as-needed to deliver programs to the area.