Safety urged in neighborhood touched by fires

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - The American Red Cross in New Mexico responds to virtually one house fire a day.

That’s a number the organization is hoping will drop.

Bernalillo County firefighters, volunteers and Red Cross staff pounded the pavement in Vecinos del Bosque Saturday morning spreading a message of fire prevention and fire safety.

It’s a message that rings loud and clear in Vecinos del Bosque.

Rahim Balsara, regional executive for the American Red Cross in New Mexico, said they picked this neighborhood because two homes burned down here in a little over a week. One of those fires was caused by a space heater.

“There are some older homes. There are people here who could use some education in terms of fire, just like any other community, but especially in this area where we’ve had fires in the last week,” Balsara said.

C.J. Grove, who works with the Red Cross, led a team through Vecinos del Bosque passing out door hangars and talking to people about creating a safety plan for the home.

“Most people don’t,” Grove said. “They don’t realize that if you have a plan, it’s easier to put it into action when you need it.”

The goal of the morning was to reach 500 households with the fire safety message.

The outreach effort was part of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service. The American Red Cross in New Mexico has participated in the Day of Service since 2008.