MILO  – The American Red Cross of Maine and Emera Maine are partnering with the Milo Fire Department to prevent home fire deaths by installing free smoke alarms and providing safety education in Milo.

Milo residents can make an appointment to have smoke alarms installed in their homes free of charge by calling (207) 874-1192 ext. 113 OR by registering online at SoundTheAlarm.org/Maine.  Home fire teams will follow up with the installations on Saturday, Feb. 9.

Home fire safety teams will install battery-operated smoke alarms, help residents create emergency escape plans and provide other preparedness education – all free of charge. These services are made possible thanks to a generous grant from Emera Maine and the efforts of community volunteers and the Milo Fire Department.

The Milo event is part of the Home Fire Campaign launched by the Red Cross in 2014 to reduce home fire deaths and injuries by 25 percent. The Red Cross and its partners have installed more than 1.5 million free smoke alarms and made more than 686,000 homes safer across the country. At least 511 lives – including 8 in Maine – have been saved because of these efforts. 

Emera Maine’s grant enables the Red Cross to hold the Home Fire Campaign event in Milo. Emera Maine has also partnered with the Red Cross for events in Machias and East Machias, Ellsworth, Dover-Foxcroft and Millinocket.

“Safety is a priority at Emera Maine and we look for ways to support safety efforts in the communities in which we live and work. Partnering with the Red Cross for these events puts an emphasis on safety in the home and that’s the sort of initiative we stand for,” said Amanda Cummings, Corporate Communications Specialist, for Emera Maine.

“Smoke alarms save lives. When a fire breaks out in a home, you may have as little as two minutes to escape. Working smoke alarms and an escape plan dramatically improve the odds of getting out safely,” said Kristen Simas, the Red Cross disaster program manager for Piscataquis County.

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 MaineRedCross.org or visit us on Twitter at @ARC_Maine  and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/MaineRedCross/

About Emera Maine

Emera Maine is committed to delivering safe, reliable electric service. As the state's second-largest electric utility, the company delivers electricity to 157,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers across 9,350 square miles in five counties in eastern and northern Maine.