Florida Senate - 2016 (NP) SR 1778 By Senator Montford 3-03899-16 20161778__ 1 Senate Resolution 2 A resolution recognizing the critical mission of the 3 American Red Cross in Florida and the lifesaving 4 achievements of its Home Fire Campaign. 5 6 WHEREAS, the American Red Cross is a humanitarian 7 organization founded in 1881 and originally chartered by 8 Congress as a federal instrumentality in 1900, but today 9 receives no federal funding, and 10 WHEREAS, 2016 marks the 135th anniversary of the founding 11 of the American Red Cross, and 12 WHEREAS, the American Red Cross prevents and alleviates 13 human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the 14 power of volunteers and the generosity of donors, and 15 WHEREAS, American Red Cross disaster assistance is free, 16 and 91 cents of every dollar donated goes directly to mission 17 service delivery, and 18 WHEREAS, the American Red Cross has answered the call to 19 assist and prepare Floridians before, during, and after 20 disasters since 1901, and 21 WHEREAS, the three American Red Cross regions in Florida 22 are participating in a nationwide campaign to reduce deaths 23 caused by home fires by 25 percent over the next 4 years by 24 assisting individuals and families in preparing a fire safety 25 plan and installing free smoke alarms in homes, and 26 WHEREAS, the American Red Cross Home Fire Campaign in its 27 first year has helped 18,536 individuals prepare personal fire 28 safety plans and has installed more than 14,932 smoke alarms, 29 helping to make Floridians better prepared and more resilient, 30 and 31 WHEREAS, March is recognized as “American Red Cross Month” 32 across this nation, and 33 WHEREAS, the preparedness goals of the American Red Cross 34 and the organization’s call for disaster preparedness will save 35 lives, NOW, THEREFORE, 36 37 Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida: 38 39 That we recognize the critical mission of the American Red 40 Cross in Florida and the lifesaving achievements of its Home 41 Fire Campaign.