Volunteers are needed to help install 250 free smoke alarms for local families in Richton Park.
The American Red Cross of Illinois is leading the Sound the Alarm smoke alarm installation and home fire safety event on Saturday, May 7, 2022, along with Toni Preckwinkle, President, Cook County Board of Commissioners, as part of a national Red Cross initiative in May to install 50,000 free smoke alarms with partners in more than 50 at-risk communities across the country.
“Sound the Alarm is a meaningful way to be a part of a larger movement while directly helping local families,” said Celena Roldán, Chief Executive Officer, American Red Cross of Illinois. “In just one day, you could help save a neighbor’s life by installing smoke alarms — which can cut the risk of dying in a home fire by half.”
People can register now at SoundTheAlarm.org to install free smoke alarms and share fire safety information with residents during a local Sound the Alarm event in Richton Park on Saturday, May 7, 2022, from 9 am to 2 pm. No prior experience is needed. Training will be provided at Village of Richton Park Community Center, 4455 Sauk Trail, Richton Park, IL before volunteer teams, with members of the Red Cross, visit area homes who have previously scheduled appointments.
Because of generous donations, all services are free and available for people in need. Can’t join the event? Help by donating to the Red Cross at SoundTheAlarm.org to help people prepare for, respond to, and recover from home fires — which account for most of the U.S. disasters that the Red Cross responds to every eight minutes.
“Smoke alarms that are properly installed and maintained play a vital role in reducing fire deaths and injuries,” stated Toni Preckwinkle, President, Cook County Board of Commissioners. “Together we can work to reduce the number of fatalities by increasing homes that have working smoke alarms, especially for residents in vulnerable communities. I’m honored to be working with the Red Cross of Illinois to install smoke alarms in Richton Park and invite those that can, to volunteer to help our city stay safe.”
IF YOU NEED A SMOKE ALARM Residents in Richton Park who need assistance can visit SoundTheAlarm.org to schedule an appointment for a free smoke alarm installation during this Red Cross Sound the Alarm event. During the 20-minute home visits, Red Cross volunteers will also share information on the causes of home fires, how to prevent them, what to do if a fire starts and how to create an escape plan.
1,275 LIVES SAVED AND COUNTING This Sound the Alarm event is a critical part of the national Red Cross Home Fire Campaign, which has helped save 1,275 lives since launching in October 2014. As part of the campaign in Richton Park, the American Red Cross of Illinois and local partners have installed over 12,000 free smoke alarms and made over 5,000 households safer.
This work is made possible thanks to generous financial donations from corporate partners: Motorola Solutions Foundation, Advanced Technology Services, Bank of America, Peoples Gas Community Fund, UL, and Hub Group.
HOME FIRE RESPONSE
American Red Cross of Illinois volunteers responded to 29 home fires in Cook County from April 25 through today.
During this past week, the Red Cross provided assistance to 102 individuals, including 80 adults and 22 children, by supplying them with basic items to meet immediate needs after a fire, and additional support in the form of health and mental health services and one-on-one support as the families involved work through next steps after experiencing a home fire.
If you or someone you know needs assistance after a home fire or local disaster, please call our dispatch line: (877) 597-0747.
Home fires are our country’s most frequent disaster and claim seven lives every day in the U.S. To help protect your household, test your smoke alarms each month and practice your escape plan until everyone can get out in less than two minutes.
Visit redcross.org/fire for more information. Download our free Emergency app by searching for “American Red Cross” in app stores. Free resources are available to help children learn what to do during a home fire and other emergencies.
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 information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.
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