By Janet Dubiel
On May 16th, the Williams Fire Department partnered with the Arizona Burn Foundation and the American Red Cross, installing smoke detectors, primarily in the Kaibab Estates Mobile Home Park. This service was provided free of charge.
Fire Captain Juan Cruz joined the Arizona Burn Foundation’s Community Engagement & Multimedia Manager, Michelle Parks Wilson, as well as volunteers from the Red Cross’ ‘Sound the Alarm’ Program, and members of the Native Air 22 medical evacuation crew. Teams knocked on every door in the park, installing 88 smoke detectors in 27 homes. As a result, 71 residents are safer and were educated about home fire safety.
Ms. Parks Wilson explained that “Safety shouldn’t depend on a ZIP code. That’s why we partner with fire departments across Arizona to bring these community smoke alarm walks directly into communities that need them most — even if it means crossing a couple highways to get there. One alarm at a time, we’re helping make families safer and ultimately creating safer communities across our entire state.”
She further explained, "The Arizona Burn Foundation's mission is to improve the quality of life for burn survivors and their families while promoting burn prevention and fire safety advocacy and education. All three of ABF’s pillars – prevent. survive. thrive. – are critical to our work. As part of our prevention pillar, we strive to prevent burn injuries from happening in the first place, so ensuring families have working smoke alarms is one of the simplest and most effective ways we can help keep people safe before tragedy happens."
One memorable moment from the day came when the Native Air 22 volunteers discovered a smoke alarm from 1976 still hanging in one of the resident’s home. They replaced it with a new alarm, making the household safer for years to come.
The mission of the Red Cross is to “prevent and alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors.” The Red Cross responds to a wide range of disasters including house fires, wildfires, flooding, hurricanes, tornados, extreme heat and provides about 40% of the nation’s blood. The ‘Sound the Alarm’ program is documented to have saved more than 2,500 lives over the past 10 years. This program is free of charge. To learn more about this program and make an appointment to get your home assessed for new smoke alarms, go to: redcross.org/sound-the-alarm.html, call 602-336-6469 or contact the Williams Fire Department at 928-635-4452.
The American Red Cross is also going to begin hosting blood drives in Williams later this year. Watch for announcements and consider becoming a blood donor. In the meantime, two new sites are hosting blood drives in the greater Flagstaff area. On June 29th a drive will be held at the Southside Community Association/Murdoch Center in Flagstaff and on June 30th a drive will be held at the Ponderosa Fire District in Bellemont. Make an appointment for either drive at www.redcrossblood.org. For more information on blood donation contact janet.dubiel@redcross.org.
For information about volunteering for the Red Cross contact dennis.pressier@redcross.org or 928-606-2634.
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