House fires reach all-time high in Polk County

Sunday, July 6, 2008

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POLK COUNTY (Bay News 9) -- House fires in Polk County are at an all-time high.

This weekend a fire forced six people out of a house in Lakeland. It was the fifth fire in as many days in Polk County.

The Polk County chapter of The American Red Cross says it's a sad start to their service year, which just began on July 1.

During its 2007-2008 service year, Polk County Red Cross volunteers assisted 242 families displaced by fire. The numbers show a striking increase when compared to the prior year.

"We had 100 more families affected by fires this year, than the previous year," said Phil Attinger of the Polk County Red Cross.

Disaster volunteers have been working around the clock to keep up with an average of two families in need of help every three days.

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E-mail TV Reporter Melissa Sogegian

They say the flames don't discriminate. Volunteers have helped newly homeless families after fire destroyed their large houses, apartments, and mobile homes.

And as the new service year gets underway, Red Cross workers are urging residents to practice fire prevention.

"We're telling people to use every precaution; follow all the fire safety tips you've ever heard," Attinger said.

And although they're already off to a rough stat, the Polk County Red Cross hopes to prevent a repeat of their record setting 12 months by sharing fire prevention tips with community groups and organizations.

The Red Cross reports house fires are the most common and most preventable disasters in the U.S. The Polk County Red Cross operates entirely on local donations, and they say their donations are down due to the slow economy.