Between April 20th and May 11th in Georgia, Red Cross volunteers will Sound the Alarm at 13 free smoke alarm installation events across the state. It’s not too late to join us at an event near you! Register today at soundthealarm.org
Every day in the U.S., seven people die and 36 more suffer injuries due to home fires—and most of these deaths and injuries occur in homes that lack properly working smoke alarms. Sadly, children, the elderly and lower-income families are most vulnerable to this type of disaster.
Since 2014, the Red Cross has been working to reduce fire deaths and injuries through its Home Fire Campaign. Volunteers and community partners go door-to-door in high-risk neighborhoods to install free smoke alarms, replace batteries in existing alarms and help families create home fire escape plans. Last year in Georgia, volunteers helped make dozens of communities safer by installing more than 13,300 smoke alarms, creating 5,800 fire escape plans with families and teaching nearly 10,000 children about home fire safety.
This spring marks our second annual Sound the Alarm Campaign, a nation-wide smoke alarm installation blitz - to install 100,000 free smoke alarms in 100 cities. We’re hosting 13 events in Georgia over a three-week period with a goal of installing 3,000 alarms. (Visit www.soundthealarm.org/Georgia for a list of locations and volunteer opportunities or to make a donation in support of the campaign.)
Volunteers Like Tom Wilson are Saving Lives!
A million and a half smoke alarms later, more than 550 lives have been saved nationwide through the Red Cross Home Fire Campaign, including right here in Georgia!
On January 10, 2019, Red Cross Disaster Action Team Volunteer Tom Wilson, responded to a home fire emergency in Albany, Georgia. With smoke still rising from the recently burnt residence, he arrived to find a family of four standing safely, on the outside of their home. As Tom approached the survivors, the Mother stepped forward and said, “Those smoke alarms you installed saved our lives—all four of us!”
As it turns out, Tom had been to the exact home less than two months before, on November 17, 2018. That day, along with the Albany Fire Department, he installed free smoke alarms in the family’s mobile home and helped them make a home fire escape plan. The satisfaction of knowing he’s saving lives is one of the reasons Tom is helping to organize this year’s Sound the Alarm Campaign events in Tifton (April 20) and Albany (May 4).
Our Partners and Sponsors are Saving Lives, Too!
The grassroots efforts of the Red Cross and our partners are impacting home fire statistics in Georgia and communities across the country. Along with our caring volunteers, we’re profoundly grateful for the extraordinary support of our event sponsors for this year’s Sound the Alarm Campaign, among them: National Sponsors Airbnb, Delta Air Lines and Nissan, and Region Sponsors: UPS, Georgia Power, Northside Hospital, State Farm and Wells Fargo. Together, we’re saving lives!