American Red Cross Milwaukee volunteer workforce pushed to its limits

Red Cross volunteer workforce pushed to limits

The volunteers of the American Red Cross of Wisconsin have been a busy crew for the start of 2026. That team has been dispatched to more than 20 fires in January, helping more than 100 people.

MILWAUKEE - The volunteers of the American Red Cross of Wisconsin have been a busy crew for the start of 2026. That team has been dispatched to more than 20 fires in January, helping more than 100 people.

Pushed to the limits

What we know:

The Red Cross opened a shelter at Milwaukee's McNair Elementary School. It is just one of the shelters it runs for the many people impacted by house fires in the city. 

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"We just want to help the people," said Jennifer Warren, Regional Communications Director for American Red Cross of Wisconsin. "It's nice to know that when a situation like this happens, they have somebody that they can turn to, to help them."

Jennifer Warren

Warren is the communications director. She told FOX6 News the agency has been busy in January, having responded to 24 fires. Warren said that includes 80 households.

What they're saying:

"Some of them just come in with the clothes on their backs, so it can be a really overwhelming thing to lose everything you own," Warren said. 

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Warren said the numbers are already on track to surpass the 23 fires that volunteers responded to in November and the 24 fires in December. That said, Warren said January has not been as bad as the 45 fires the agency responded to in January 2025, when volunteers helped 285 people.

Warren said it is not unusual to see an uptick this time of year. 

"That's attributed to people using space heaters to heat their homes, using ovens to heat their homes," Warren said. 

Warren advises against using ovens to heat your home, and stresses having working smoke detectors. 

Volunteers needed

What you can do:

Ninety percent of the Red Cross' workforce is made up of volunteers. The agency is always looking to add more.

If you would like to join the forces of the American Red Cross of Wisconsin, you are invited to learn more on the Red Cross website.