Four fires this weekend: Red Cross officials offer tips to prevent fires around the holidays

SOUTHEASTERN WISCONSIN -- The American Red Cross urges residents to take extra precautions with cooking and decorating around the holidays as they are leading causes of home fires. This weekend alone, Red Cross Disaster Action Teams have responded to four (Berlin, Menasha, Milwaukee & Racine) fire incidents displacing five families totaling 15 people.

Red Cross volunteers are providing emotional support along with financial assistance for basic needs such as food, shelter and clothing, In addition, volunteers will work with the clients to ensure they go from disaster victims through the disaster recovery process.

Christmas Day, Christmas Eve and Thanksgiving are the top three days for cooking fires, according to the National Fire Prevention Association.

In the winter, additional fires are caused as people are entertaining, running space heaters, building fires and stringing holiday lights.

On average, seven people die in residential fires everyday while 36 more are injured.

Nationally, the Red Cross responds to a disaster on average every eight minutes, and the vast majority of them are home fires.

The Red Cross has some simple steps everyone can follow to prevent home fires around the holidays:

Holiday Entertaining

Holiday Decorating

CLICK HERE to learn more about the American Red Cross in Southeastern Wisconsin -- or to make a donation.