Red Cross to Sound the Alarm Against Home Fires
National FREE Smoke Alarm Install Event Kicks Off in Clarkston Saturday April 28th
ATLANTA, April 24, 2018 –Scores of Red Cross volunteers and partners will Sound the Alarm in Clarkston (DeKalb Co.), Georgia this Saturday, April 28th, for the launch of a bold, national campaign to #EndHomeFires and save lives. Neighbors helping neighbors will knock on doors in the highly diverse community with the goal of installing 500 free smoke alarms and educating families about fire safety.
“Home fires are the biggest disaster threat we face, killing seven people in this country every day,” said Red Cross of Georgia CEO, Terri Badour. “We’re all vulnerable - the Red Cross responded to 2,274 devastating home and apartment fires in Georgia alone last year. That’s why we’re urging every metro family to take action and increase their chances of surviving a home fire.”
A recent Red Cross survey found that 80% of families have a false sense of security about their family’s ability to escape a home fire. Most have not practiced an escape plan and are surprised to learn they have just two minutes or less to escape their burning home before it’s too late. Installing smoke alarms, testing them monthly and practicing an escape plan with family members at least twice a year can greatly increase chances of survival.
Nationwide, the Red Cross will Sound the Alarm through a series of smoke alarm installation and fire safety events in more than 100-high risk communities that also include Macon and Augusta in Georgia. From April 28 through May 13, volunteers and partners will install 100,000 free smoke alarms, replace batteries in existing alarms and help families create escape plans.
Since the Red Cross began its grassroots efforts to reduce fire deaths and injuries in 2014, at least 416 lives have been saved. Here in Georgia, an army of Red Cross volunteers, local fire departments and other partners have already installed 33,867 free smoke alarms and reached 25,885 school children with preparedness programs.
Sponsors for Georgia’s Sound the Alarm, Save a Life Campaign beginning Saturday include a mix of generous individuals and corporations. Catherine Hardman, Frank and Liz Blake, Novelis, State Farm and UPS are helping to make community events possible through a combination of financial and volunteer support. This work is also made possible thanks to generous financial donations from national partners: Almost Family, Delta Air Lines and International Paper. In addition, the Red Cross has received funding from FEMA through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program.
The Red Cross will Sound the Alarm in Clarkston from 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 28, 2018. Volunteers will meet at Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church, 5140 Memorial Drive, Stone Mountain, GA 30083 for registration and an orientation before heading out to install smoke alarms in area homes that need them. To learn more visit, www.soundthealarm.org/georgia
Home Fire B-Roll: https://vimeopro.com/americanredcross/home-fire-b-roll
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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 cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.