By Mark Abrams

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – The American Red Cross Southeastern Pennsylvania is joining forces with the Red Paw Emergency Relief team to launch “Fire Safe Fridays.”

Judge Renee Cardwell Hughes, Red Cross CEO, says volunteers will be going into different neighborhoods in the city and suburbs with a goal of saving lives.

“Walk a different community and hand out literature and 9-volt batteries so that families can have batteries for working smoke detectors and literature about how to create a fire safety plan, how to get out of a home that has a fire.”

Jen Leary is founder of the Red Paw group, which responds to fires in which pets are left homeless. She says the Red Cross proposed the partnership.

“They thought it was important that we be there with them to educate people on pet fire safety as well as educating people on fire safety for their family. And, pets are our family.”

The first walk-through is set for this afternoon at 2 at the Red Cross House at 40th and Powelltown. They’ll visit Willow Grove, Darby, and Coatesville in the coming weeks.