The American Red Cross is getting ready to Sound the Alarm against home fires. On Saturday, June 2nd, Red Cross volunteers and partners plan to install 300 free smoke alarms in homes at high risk for fires. “Smoke alarms save lives,” said Deb Tucker, Disaster Program Manager for the Red Cross Central and Western Kansas Chapter. “Three out of every five home fire deaths in this country happen in homes that don’t have working smoke alarms. So, we here in Kansas are joining this national effort to install smoke alarms in homes that need them most.”
During the Sound the Alarm event, Red Cross volunteers and partners will canvass high-risk neighborhoods to install free smoke alarms, check existing alarms, and help families create escape plans. These smoke alarm installation events are part of the multi-year Red Cross Home Fire Campaign, launched in 2014 to reduce the number of home fire deaths and injuries in this country. The campaign is making a difference. As of March 31, 2018:
• The Home Fire Campaign is credited with helping to save 416 lives nationwide.
• Red Cross volunteers and 4,400 campaign partners have installed more than 1.2 million smoke alarms.
• 1.3 million people have been served through visits to more than a half-million homes.
• More than a million children have been reached through specially targeted programs.
Here in Central and Western Kansas, over 400 smoke alarms have been installed in Ford and Dickinson counties. In addition to the event in Salina, Ottawa county partners will be installing alarms on June 10th and 23rd. The Central and Western Kansas Chapter spans 60 counties and will install over 1000 alarms by year’s end. The White family in Republic county know the importance of having smoke alarms and a fire escape plan in place. They experienced a devastating home fire where they tragically lost their son, Sawyer. Watch the White family’s life-changing story.
Join the Red Cross to help fight against home fires today by volunteering to install smoke alarms, making a financial contribution at redcross.org, or taking two easy steps to help save lives – practicing fire drills at home and checking your smoke alarms every month. Together, we can Sound the Alarm about fire safety and help save lives. To volunteer for our Salina event, register at http://bit.ly/savealifesalina or call 785-230-2333. To request a smoke alarm call 211 or go to https://getasmokealarm.org.
About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/KansasRed Cross or Twitter at @KSRedCross.