Media Contact: Dana Simmons Maze

dana.simmons@redcross.org

Imperial County, March 8, 2024 — Last weekend, members of American Red Cross of San Diego and Imperial Counties, the Imperial County Fire Department and The Home Depot teamed up to provide 188 El Centro residents with free smoke alarms during a Sound the Alarm home fire safety event.

“We are grateful to everyone who supported the Sound the Alarm event in El Centro to help keep our neighbors safe from home fires,” said Melissa Altman, Regional Preparedness Manager for the American Red Cross Southern California Region. “Home fires are a constant threat in our community, accounting for most of our disaster responses. These efforts will make a lasting difference to help save lives and protect those who are most vulnerable.”

MAKING LOCAL HOMES SAFER More than 40 volunteers participated in the El Centro Sound the Alarm event, where they installed 155 smoke alarms and also shared information on the causes of home fires, what to do if a fire starts and how to create an escape plan. Click here to see photos from the Sound the Alarm event.

SAVING LIVES FROM NATION’S MOST FREQUENT DISASTER Home fires are the nation’s most frequent disaster. This Sound the Alarm event is a critical part of the national Red Cross Home Fire Campaign, which has helped save at least 2,030 lives since launching in October 2014. Locally during this time, the Red Cross and local partners have installed more than 44,100 free smoke alarms and made more than 15,600 households safer in San Diego and Imperial Counties.

Visit SoundTheAlarm.org/SoCal to learn more and make a donation to the Red Cross to help people prepare for, respond to and recover from home fires.

This work is made possible thanks to generous financial donations from regional partners: San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, Pacific Life Foundation, San Diego Gas & Electric, US Bank, Motorola Solutions Foundation and COX.

About the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or visit us on social media.

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