Media Contact:
Dana Simmons, Regional Communications Manager
dana.simmons@redcross.org
@SoCal_RedCross
SAN DIEGO (April 13, 2022) — Volunteers are needed to help install more than 400 free smoke alarms for local families in El Cajon.
The American Red Cross of San Diego and Imperial Counties is leading the Sound the Alarm smoke alarm installation and home fire safety event on May 14 with Heartland Fire and Rescue, as part of a national Red Cross initiative in May to install 50,000 free smoke alarms with partners in more than 50 at-risk communities across the country.
“Sound the Alarm is a meaningful way to be a part of a larger movement while directly helping local families,” said Melissa Altman, Red Cross Southern California Region Preparedness Manager. “In just one day, you could help save a neighbor’s life by installing smoke alarms — which can cut the risk of dying in a home fire by half.”
SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER People can register to volunteer at SoundTheAlarm.org/SoCal to install free smoke alarms and share fire safety information with residents during the local Sound the Alarm event in El Cajon on Saturday, May 14 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Training will be provided at El Cajon Valley High School before volunteer teams canvass neighborhoods and visit area homes. No prior experience is needed, and free lunch, snacks and t-shirts are provided.
Because of generous donations, all services are free and available for people in need. Can’t join the event? Help by donating to the Red Cross at SoundTheAlarm.org/SoCal to help people prepare for, respond to and recover from home fires — which account for most of the U.S. disasters that the Red Cross responds to every eight minutes.
IF YOU NEED A SMOKE ALARM Residents in El Cajon and across San Diego County who need assistance can visit SoundTheAlarm.org/SoCal to schedule an appointment for a free smoke alarm installation anytime. During the 20-minute home visits, Red Cross volunteers and community partners will also share information on the causes of home fires, how to prevent them, what to do if a fire starts and how to create an escape plan.
1,243 LIVES SAVED AND COUNTING This Sound the Alarm event is a critical part of the national Red Cross Home Fire Campaign, which has helped save at least 1,243 lives since launching in October 2014. As part of the campaign in San Diego and Imperial Counties, the Red Cross and local partners have installed more than 33,000 free smoke alarms and made more than 11,900 households safer.
This work is made possible thanks to generous financial donations from regional partners: San Diego Gas & Electric, Pacific Life Foundation, The Gilbert J. Martin Foundation, Motorola Solutions Foundation, Brasstech, Inc., Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian, U.S. Bank, Wells Fargo and more.
About the American Red Cross Southern California Region
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 public to perform its mission. The Red Cross Southern California Region proudly serves San Diego, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Imperial Counties. In addition to carrying out disaster preparedness and response programs, blood collection, health and safety training, international services programs and supporting the military community, the Southern California Region provides nutritional counseling through its Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program in San Diego and helps communities prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters through its Prepare SoCal and Prepare San Diego initiatives. For more information, please visit redcross.org/SoCal or cruzrojaamericana.org, or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
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