What It Means If You See A Home With A Red Porch Light
When you see a red porch light, depending on the time of year, you may assume that it's a holiday decoration. But there might be a different meaning for the colorful light. February is American Heart Month, which is a time when the American Heart Association (AHA) and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute spread awareness about heart disease. Additionally, Go Red for Women, which was created by the AHA, campaigns to bring awareness to cardiovascular health specifically in women.
On Go Red for Women's website, they explain why it's their mission to tell women about heart health rather than focus on men: "In the past, heart disease and heart attack have been predominantly associated with men. Historically, men have been the subjects of the research done to understand heart disease and stroke, which has been the basis for treatment guidelines and programs. This led to an oversimplified, distorted view of heart disease and risk, which has worked to the detriment of women." During the month of February, a red porch light is likely to show support for those with heart conditions or to raise awareness about heart disease. However, in other cases, a red porch light could show support for first responders.
The significance of red porch lights in February
During the month of February, the AHA encourages people to wear red, specifically on the first Friday of the month, and decorate with the passionate color. In 2004, the AHA founded Go Red for Women, a social initiative, because even though 500,000 women were dying from heart disease every year, that demographic was less informed about heart health compared to their male counterparts.
Though a red dress is the official symbol for the movement, people are also encouraged to change their porch lights to red, decorate office spaces with the color, and generally to use red as a way to bring awareness and show support to women and their heart health. The AHA and Go Red for Women want to remind both women and men to think about their diet and exercise, talk about heart health, and schedule appointments with doctors. The organizations also seek out donations to go toward educating people, researching, and starting community programs.
Red porch lights could point to another meaning as well
While American Heart Month is a popular reason people switch their porch lights out for a red bulb, sometimes these lights can be mistaken as Valentine's Day decorations. During other times of the year, the lights can be a symbol of support for firefighters. May 4 is observed as International Firefighters' Day, which was started in 1999 to remember five people who died while battling a wildfire in Australia. Now, it is used to support firefighters and remember those who have sacrificed their own lives to help others.
For several years, the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation has been encouraging people to swap out their porch lights for red ones, take pictures, and spread them on social media with the hashtag #Shine4Firefighters. While some only leave their red lights up for a few days in May, others may choose to honor firefighters throughout the year.