By Caitlin Tye

American Red Cross Utah/Nevada Region Communications Volunteer

Kurt Summers is a volunteer in the Utah/Nevada Region who was inspired to help install smoke alarms after surviving his own home fire in Chicago years ago. Kurt states what he needed to put out the fire was in the cabinet directly above the flames. The fire resulted in extensive burns to his hands and arms, when the glove he was using to move the pan caught on fire. He says, “Before you know it, I had a $40,000 skin graft and surgery and everything.” The skin grafts were taken from Kurt’s upper legs.

After recovering from his injuries and surgery, Kurt later moved to Nevada. He learned about volunteer opportunities through the Red Cross and decided to volunteer with the Home Fire Campaign. He installs smoke alarms in community members’ homes. “I want to make sure it doesn’t happen to anybody else,” he reports, “that’s why I do this.”

Fires represent our nation’s most frequent disaster

Most of us don’t realize that we only have 2 minutes to get out of our homes during a fire. Smoke alarms help notify us of a fire sooner, so we have more time to get our loved ones out safely.

The Home Fire Campaign provides community members with fire safety education. The project helps save lives by installing smoke alarms in homes that don’t have them through the Sound The Alarm program and events. Since launching in 2014, the Home Fire Campaign has installed more than 2.5 million free smoke alarms nationwide.

Kurt and his volunteer partner, Sue Lee, volunteer every Monday near Las Vegas, installing smoke alarms in roughly 10 homes weekly. They have been volunteering together for over 3 years.

Make your home safer from fire 

Visit the Home Fire Campaign page to learn more about fire safety for you and your family and to request a free home fire safety visit and smoke alarm installation. You can also find information about the next Sound The Alarm event near you.

You can help families prepare for and recover from fires just like Kurt. Our volunteers are at the heart of our mission and represent 90% of our workforce. Visit redcross.org/volunteertoday to sign up for volunteer opportunities in your community.

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 or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or follow us on social media.