Our goal is to reach as many homes as we can with this program
The Connecticut and Rhode Island Region of the American Red Cross is partnering with communities across Connecticut and Rhode Island for the first ever Red Cross Install-A-Thon with a goal to install 1,200 free smoke alarms. The Install-a-thon is part of the Red Cross Home Fire Campaign to reduce the number of home fire deaths and injuries.
A first-of-its-kind event, the Install-A-Thon will take place March 6 – 10 in the following communities across Connecticut and Rhode Island:
• March 6: Torrington, CT
• March 7: Norwalk, CT
• March 8: New Britain, CT
• March 9: Tiverton, RI
• March 10: New London, CT
During the Install-A-Thon, Red Cross workers will be joined by local municipalities, fire departments and community volunteers to visit homes throughout the communities to share fire safety and preparedness information and install free smoke alarms in homes as requested. Volunteers will help families understand the importance of fire safety and help them develop personalized family escape plans to use in the event a fire breaks out in their home.
Residents of Install-A-Thon cities can schedule a visit by visiting www.redcross.org/ct/schedule-a-visit in Connecticut and by visiting www.redcross.org/local/rhode-island/schedule-a-visit in Rhode Island or by calling 877-287-3327 and choosing option 1 on the menu to request a smoke alarm installation in both states.
“Home fires are the biggest disaster threat faced in the U.S.,” said Mario Bruno, CEO, American Red Cross Connecticut and Rhode Island Region. “Our goal is to reach as many homes as we can with this program to help ensure people know what to do and are prepared in the event they experience a home fire. We know that for every 1,000 smoke alarms the Red Cross installs, one life is saved. Our goal is to save at least one life as a result of our Install-A-Thon.”
In addition to providing free smoke alarm installations and education, the Red Cross is also looking for volunteers to help install smoke alarms, educate and provide safety information for this event and in their community throughout the year. Home Fire Campaign Volunteers are trained by the Red Cross, can volunteer during the day or on weekends and can help make a difference in their community. For more information on volunteering for the Install-A-Thon contact: chctrivolintake@redcross.org.
The Red Cross Install-A-Thon is made possible, in part, due to a grant from the William and Alice Mortensen Foundation.
Since October of 2014, the Red Cross has worked with fire departments and community groups across the country as part of a multi-year campaign to reduce the number of home fire deaths and injuries by 25 percent; home fires remain the biggest disaster threat to individuals and families in the United States. 60 percent of house fire deaths occur in homes with no working smoke alarms. This campaign is in direct response to that dire threat, with the Red Cross committing to install 2.5 million free smoke alarms in neighborhoods at high risk for fires, and to educate those residents about fire prevention and preparedness. As of August 2016, the Red Cross and partners have saved at least 100 lives as part of this campaign. Since the program began, the Connecticut and Rhode Island Region of the Red Cross has installed more than 10,000 smoke alarms to date.
Residents who reside outside the Install-A-Thon cities can always make an appointment for a free Red Cross fire safety visit and free smoke alarms at any time. The program is free and open to anyone in Connecticut and Rhode Island.
For more information on the Red Cross Install-A-Thon, visit: http://www.redcross.org/news/event/local/connecticut/Red-Cross-Install-A-Thon.
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 visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.
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