During the upcoming Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, volunteers from the National Capital Region will be going door-to-door in talking to people about how to prevent home fires and how to escape safely should a fire occur. Most home fires occur in the dead of winter, so it’s especially important this time of year for people to think about safety as they cook and as they heat their homes.

This year volunteers will participate in the District of Columbia, WARD 8; Berwyn Heights, Silver Spring and Germantown, Maryland and Leesburg, Springfield, Eastern Prince William County, Arlington and Alexandria, Virginia.

Volunteers will talk to residents who are available, and will leave safety-tip door hangers for people who are not at home. The door hangers, printed in both English and Spanish, provide cooking and heating tips, and also highlight the importance of smoke alarms and the need to create and practice a fire escape plan.

Fire is the biggest disaster threat to American families - not floods, hurricanes or tornadoes.

Nationally, on average, the Red Cross provides food, shelter, comfort and hope to people affected by approximately 63,000 fires every year, or about one fire every eight minutes.

Region CEO Linda Mathes with two volunteers at last year’s MLK Day.