The American Red Cross on Long Island invites all Long Islanders to volunteer their time and help save lives at the Sound the Alarm. Save a Life. home fire safety and smoke alarm installation events on Sunday, April 29, 2018 and Friday, May 11, 2018 across Nassau and Suffolk County.

“Sound the Alarm on Long Island to be part of the nationwide Red Cross effort to help reduce the number of deaths and injuries from home fires,” said Neela Lockel, CEO, American Red Cross on Long Island. “By volunteering with the Red Cross, you can truly make a difference in someone’s life. Please join us and help Sound the Alarm to end home fires by volunteering to help your neighbors on Long Island this April 29 or May 11.”

The Sound the Alarm home fire safety and smoke alarm installation events on Long Island are made possible through the generous support of companies like Bridgehampton National Bank, Casual Home Worldwide, NationalGrid, Northwell Health, NYU Winthrop Hospital, and PSEGLongIsland.

Elected officials are also supporting these efforts, serving as Sound the Alarm Champions to help make their communities safer. Many will volunteer personally on these installation days to install smoke detectors and provide fire safety education to their neighbors.

Current champions include Town of Islip Supervisor Angie Carpenter, Nassau County Legislator and Minority Leader Kevin Abrahams, and Suffolk County Legislator Monica Martinez.

If you are interested in volunteering to educate people about home fire safety and install free smoke alarms, visit www.soundthealarm.org/LI. The American Red Cross will provide all training for this program free of charge to all volunteers and there are numerous opportunities available for every skillset.

“Grab your friends, families, coworkers and neighbors and make a difference together by helping create safer and more resilient communities,” said Lockel.

The Red Cross responds to nearly 64,000 disasters a year, including nearly 200 across Long Island, the majority of which are home fires. Working smoke alarms in a home cut the risk of death by half, and having an escape plan further improves the odds of survival. The Red Cross wants to end these tragedies and save lives, the reason why the organization launched the Home Fire Campaign in 2014.

Across the country, the campaign is making a difference. As of February 2018, the Red Cross and our partners across the country have saved more than 348 lives and installed more than one million free smoke alarms. This includes over 1700 free smoke alarms installed in Long Island homes in the last year alone.

To learn more about the Home Fire Campaign, soundthealarm.org/LI. Please help us Sound the Alarm by volunteering to install smoke alarms, making a financial contribution, or taking steps to protect your own family from home fires.

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/li or visit us on Twitter at @LIRedCross.