DALLAS: MAY 5, 2022 — Rowlett and Garland residents in need can sign up for free smoke alarm installation from the Red Cross of North Texas, North Texas Food Bank and Toyota on May 5 – 22.
“Our goal is to save lives,” said Keith Rhodes, CEO, American Red Cross North Texas Region. “Just in the last few years since 2014, we documented 6 lives saved. That’s why we want to make sure everyone has working smoke alarms, which can cut the risk of dying in a home fire by half.”
Residents who need assistance can visit RedCross.org/NTXHomesMadeSafer to schedule an appointment for a free smoke alarm during the Red Cross Sound the Alarm food drive event on Thursday, May 5 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. During the 20-minute home visits, Red Cross volunteers, members of the North Texas Food Bank and volunteers from Toyota will 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.
“Most people don’t realize they only have two minutes to escape a home fire — and that smoke alarms need to be replaced every 10 years,” Rhodes said. “Taking action with this knowledge can be the difference between survival and tragedy.”
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED Event volunteers are needed to install 1,985 smoke alarms and share fire safety information with families. Register at North Texas - Homes Made Safer/Smoke Alarm Request (wufoo.com) to join this rewarding day of giving back. No prior experience is needed — training will be provided. You can also make a financial donation to the Red Cross to help people prepare for, respond to and recover from home fires.
ROWLETT JOINS NATIONAL SOUND THE ALARM EFFORT This Sound the Alarm event is 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 events are 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 Rowlett, the Red Cross of North Texas and local partners are installing more than 1,900 free smoke alarms and making more than 538 Rowlett and Garland households safer.
This work is made possible thanks to generous financial donations from regional partners: Toyota Headquarters and the North Texas Food Bank.
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/northtexas or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCrossNTX.
