Red Cross Launches Sound the Alarm Effort to Install 100,000 Free Smoke Alarms in 2 Weeks

Visit SoundTheAlarm.org to Help Save Lives and Make Homes Safer Across the Country from April 27 to May 12

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Apr 23, 2019, 08:32 ET

WASHINGTON, April 23, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- This weekend, the American Red Cross is launching a two-week Sound the Alarm home fire safety effort to install 100,000 free smoke alarms in 100 high-risk cities across the country.

When Gilbert’s home of 50 years caught fire, all five of his newly installed smoke alarms alerted him and his daughter to escape. Within minutes, Gilbert’s home was gone, but he credits the smoke alarms—provided for free through the Red Cross Home Fire Campaign—for saving his and his daughter’s lives.

You can help people like Gilbert by joining us to Sound the Alarm about home fire safety through our Home Fire Campaign. Visit SoundTheAlarm.org to learn more. — When Gilbert’s home of 50 years caught fire, all five of his newly installed smoke alarms alerted him and his daughter to escape. Within minutes, Gilbert’s home was gone, but he credits the smoke alarms—provided for free through the Red Cross Home Fire Campaign—for saving his and his daughter’s lives. You can help people like Gilbert by joining us to Sound the Alarm about home fire safety through our Home Fire Campaign. Visit SoundTheAlarm.org to learn more.

"Smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in a home fire by half," said American Red Cross President & CEO Gail McGovern. "Every day across this country, home fires threaten families—but working smoke alarms can be the difference between survival and tragedy. Today, we are asking for everyone's support to help us Sound the Alarm by donating or volunteering so that we can provide lifesaving services for people vulnerable to these crises."

People can visit SoundTheAlarm.org to get involved with Red Cross home fire safety and smoke alarm installation events from April 27 to May 12. During Sound the Alarm events—which are part of the Red Cross Home Fire Campaign to reduce fire deaths and injuries—volunteers will go door-to-door with community partners to install free smoke alarms and help families create escape plans.

Thanks to generous donations, services are available for all those in need to help provide emergency relief for people affected by home fires every day across the country.

FAMILY GRATEFUL FOR HOME FIRE CAMPAIGN Just months ago, Gilbert Toussaint heard all five of his newly installed smoke alarms go off, which alerted him and his daughter to the fire in their home. Within minutes, Gilbert's home of over 50 years was gone—but he credits the smoke alarms installed through the Home Fire Campaign for saving his and his daughter's lives.

"Look at me—I'm a living survivor to let you know that a smoke alarm can save your life," Gilbert said.

Watch Gilbert share his story in this video: https://vimeo.com/329870302

582 LIVES SAVED—AND COUNTING Since launching in 2014, the Home Fire Campaign has helped save the lives of 582 people like Gilbert and his daughter. Across the country, Red Cross volunteers and community partners have:

Installed more than 1.6 million free smoke alarms
Reached more than 1.3 million children through youth preparedness programs
Made more than 684,000 households safer from the threat of home fires

This work is made possible thanks to generous support from national partners: Airbnb, Delta Air Lines and Nissan North America.

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 cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.

SOURCE American Red Cross