By Elianna Miranda, Communications Volunteer

Shocked by the devastation caused by recent fires in the Columbus, Georgia area, Helen Parnell understands all too well the importance of following fire safety precautions. When the American Red Cross of Georgia and the Columbus Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services knocked on her door, she welcomed them into her home. “I’m sure all of our current alarms are updated, but it doesn’t hurt to have them checked just in case,” she said.

To help prevent tragedies like the ones that recently struck Columbus, the Red Cross, Columbus Fire & EMS, the Columbus Police Department and more than 90 volunteers went door-to-door in the community to install free smoke alarms, help create escape plans and share fire safety information as part of the Red Cross annual Sound the Alarm campaign.

During the visit, Parnell guided volunteer Jaida Bryant and the rest of the group through her home. She explained that she lives there with her husband, Robert Parnell, a veteran and Purple Heart recipient. His career in the military had brought them to Fort Benning almost 30 years ago.

With Robert’s limited mobility, the importance of having functional smoke alarms is even greater for the couple. Two minutes is the amount of time that fire experts say you may have to safely escape a home fire before it’s too late.

After checking each alarm, it was confirmed that all were working correctly. Helen gave a thumbs up, confident that her family would remain safe. “I knew it but it’s great to have you all check,” she said.

The visit also left a lasting impression on Bryant, an EMS fire student, reminding her of why she decided to pursue her chosen career. “I saw a lot of emergencies as a lifeguard and that experience guided me to where I am today. It’s about public safety and that’s what this event is about,” she said.

That commitment to safety was echoed earlier in the day by Toyia Tucker, a Muscogee County Councilwoman. She remembers coming home on leave one Thanksgiving Eve while serving in the Navy. Tucker woke to a house filled with smoke from the cooking going on in the kitchen. “So much could’ve happened that day that would’ve changed my life. This event hits close to home, and it’s so important to be here today because it matters to Columbus,” she said.

Her story highlights a broader truth. Thanksgiving and the day before are the top two days in the United States for the chance of a cooking fire to occur in someone’s home. Cooking causes an average of 158,400 home fires per year, which is 44 percent of all home fires in the United States.

Thanks to the combined efforts of the Red Cross, volunteers and local officials, a total of 183 free smoke alarms were installed, serving 314 people and making 97 homes safer in this year’s Sound the Alarm event in Columbus.

The Red Cross responds to about 65,000 disasters annually, most of which are home fires. Home fires claim seven lives daily in the U.S., but working smoke alarms can cut the risk of death in half. The Sound the Alarm event aims to reduce home fire fatalities. Since October 2014, the Home Fire Campaign has saved at least 2,320 lives, including 255 in Georgia.

This work is made possible thanks to generous financial donations from the community, including the Georgia Sound the Alarm sponsors State Farm, Northside Hospital, Georgia Power Foundation, Veritiv, Atlanta Gas Light, GreyStone Power Corporation, North Georgia Electric Membership Foundation, and Walton EMC.

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