By Dr. Ifeanyi M. Nsofor, Red Cross Volunteer

As a public health physician, prevention is at the core of my work. Consequently, I am drawn to interventions which prevent ill-health, suffering and premature death. This is why when I came across an email calling for volunteers to support “Sound the Alarm,” the Red Cross fire prevention program, I jumped at it. Though I am a relatively new Red Cross volunteer, the June 28 event took place in my home city of Silver Spring, Maryland.

That Saturday at 7:45 a.m., I arrived at Glenmont Fire Station No. 18, our partner for Sound the Alarm that day. We were issued an official Sound the Alarm T-shirt, had a good breakfast and went through a short training session that included eye-opening statistics about the devastating impact of household fires in the United States.

For instance, there are approximately seven deaths daily due to home fires.That’s more than the number of people who perish from natural disasters like floods, hurricanes, forest fires and tornados each year.

However, having working smoke alarms reduces the risk of death in a home fire by 50%. That’s why Red Cross Sound the Alarm events are critically important.

Sound the Alarm volunteers like me are trained to install free smoke detectors in homes (particularly in marginalized neighborhoods), ensure that the houses with detectors are working properly and provide educational materials in English and Spanish about developing a fire prevention and escape plan. It’s an activity we implement jointly with local fire departments.

On that Saturday morning, all volunteers were pre-assigned to teams and given a wagon of supplies and plenty of water to keep us hydrated on a warm and humid day. I was on a team with three Red Cross volunteers and a Montgomery County firefighter. I served as the logistics person, carrying our supplies and assisting the firefighter who was charged with installing the smoke alarms. One volunteer served as the person who knocked on doors, introduced the team and provided educational materials, while the other volunteer kept records of our work.

Walking in a predetermined neighborhood in Silver Spring, we went from house to house and knocked on about 30 doors. We were able to install smoke alarms in several homes and provided information to many other residents.

For me, canvassing was both a rewarding and humbling experience. Rewarding because we were sure that each alarm installed would help save lives in the event of a fire. Humbling because the people trusted us and welcomed us into their homes.

By noon, we wrapped up our zone and headed back to the fire station to meet up with the other teams. During lunch, we learned that the combined efforts of all the teams that morning reached 219 people with smoke detectors and home fire safety information.

Overall, I helped save lives, met new people and aligned with my public health mantra of “prevention is better than cure.”

For anyone who wants to be part of a lifesaving activity, volunteering for Sound the Alarm is the way to go. You do not need any special skills. You join a community of lifesaving volunteers. Plus, you’re served breakfast, lunch and receive a T-shirt.

As for me, I have already signed up for my next Sound the Alarm event. I hope to see you there!