December 5, 2023
By Samantha Ferrer
 

‘Tis the season of giving, and there’s not a more meaningful gift than that of life. It’s hard to believe that an action as simple as installing smoke alarms in a home and educating residents about fire safety can save lives, and protect this precious gift that is annually robbed from an average of seven Americans a day due to home fires. Thus, partners and volunteers of the Louisiana Red Cross celebrate Sound the Alarm every November, bringing peace and safety to every corner of our Region. It’s a beautiful thing to experience the kindness of humanity – the kindness of strangers – that offer hope and a shoulder to lean on when you need it most. Among these special people is Kathleen McGlone.

This past November, Kathleen participated in Sound the Alarm in the small community of Merryville. With her effervescent personality and deep desire to help people, Kathleen, along with Pastor Lannis Joseph, touched the lives of Merryville residents as they went from door to door bringing safety education to their homes. While Pastor Joseph assessed the homes, installed smoke alarms, and tested the newly installed alarms as well as old ones, Kathleen engaged the residents in educational conversations about home fire safety. “This education is invaluable to them,” expressed Kathleen, emphasizing the importance of preparedness plans, especially in homes where children reside. Preparing kids for the unfortunate event of a home fire helps them remain calm and know to head to the designated family meeting place, saving their lives by eradicating the fear of not knowing what to do and hiding inside the burning house.”

After only three months as a volunteer, Sound the Alarm marked a full-circle moment for Kathleen, who joined the Red Cross in August in response to the DeRidder wildfires. Now, Kathleen has returned to a neighboring community, where a home was recently lost to a housefire, in order to promote home-fire safety, edifying residents’ efforts to prevent home fires.

“Having had a house that recently burned down in the community, it brings us peace of mind to know that homes are safer and equipped with working smoke alarms,” stated the Merryville Mayor, Sheila Smith.

When asked what inspired her to join the Red Cross’ efforts to help the DeRidder community against wildfires, Kathleen expressed her “deep-rooted” efforts to help people, “especially those who really need it.” This statement was evident not only in her enthusiasm as she conversed with the people she helped, but also in the emotion in her eyes as she described what it felt like to help a client whose family lost everything in a house fire.

One of the most meaningful experiences she has had in her brief time as a Red Crosser, Kathleen expressed with tears in her eyes, is how meaningful it felt to give someone the hope and emotional support they needed in such a difficult time, as well as being able to help them in a tangible way by providing monetary aid. Witnessing this moment of humanitarianism and compassion made possible by the Red Cross, its donors and volunteers, caused Kathleen to realize that this is the purpose of life: to help one another, to be a light that brightens the calamities we face, to be the hand that guides each other in our moments of need.

Kathleen found a home in the Red Cross, where volunteers make up 9 out of the 10 members of our workforce and share her purpose and passion to give back to their communities by helping those in need. “It was amazing to meet other people who were there to do the same thing I was doing. And so friendly, so kind, so accommodating. I was just absolutely amazed and felt like I was in good company.”

It only takes a small action to make a big impact. The Red Cross is a community of people with a desire to help others, to give back to those in need in the most meaningful ways possible by saving lives in a million different ways, giving their time and resources to those who truly need it, when they most need it. It is volunteers like Kathleen who bring to life the mission of the Red Cross with their drive to be of service to their community.