An American Red Cross volunteer installs a new, free smoke alarm in a home in North Texas as part of the Sound the Alarm home fire safety campaign.
LONGVIEW, Texas (October 29, 2018) — Volunteers from the American Red Cross will be installing free smoke alarms in Gregg County on Saturday, Nov. 3, at the request of homeowners/residents, as part of the Sound the Alarm campaign, a nationwide effort to help reduce the number of deaths and injuries caused by home fires. To request free smoke alarms for your residence, please call the Red Cross at 903-753-2091.
Red Cross volunteers will visit homes, per residents’ requests, to install free smoke alarms and help families create fire escape plans.
“Every year the American Red Cross responds to thousands of home fires, the biggest disaster threat our community faces, killing seven people in this country every day,” said Tammy Prater, executive director, American Red Cross Serving East Texas. “We encourage our neighbors in Gregg County to call us and request free smoke alarms and home fire education. Working smoke alarms are the best way to protect your family in the event of a home fire.”
The Red Cross responds to nearly 64,000 disasters a year, the majority of which are home fires. Working smoke alarms in a home cut the risk of death by half and having a fire escape plan further improves the odds of survival. Since launching the Red Cross Home Fire Campaign in 2014, the organization and its partners have installed more than 1.4 million free alarms nationwide, including nearly 27,000 across North Texas. Across the country, more than 470 lives have been saved as a result of this initative.
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 visit us on Facebook and Twitter at @RedCrossNETX.