Sound the alarm! Red Cross installs smoke detectors in homes for free
The Red Cross says smoke alarms can save lives when every second counts.
If your house catches fire, you could have less than two minutes to get out and get to safety. Fire officials say a smoke alarm can be the key to saving lives.
The Red Cross started their Sound the Alarm program in 2014 and it’s been growing ever since. Volunteers inspect the home to see how many smoke alarms are needed, and they’ll install them for free.
“Once that sounds, if you hear it, you're going to think what's going on. You got to look to see what's going on. And if there's a fire, you know I got to get out. So, yeah, they work…” said Jason Campbell, a Red Cross fire department liaison. “If we install hundreds of alarms, and if it saves one life, it’s worth it.”
Fire officials say there should be a smoke alarm in every bedroom, common area and hallway, as well as one right outside the kitchen.
You can sign up for the Red Cross “Sound the Alarm” program by clicking here.
As News 12 previously reported, the greater New York region has experienced a 30% increase in house fires this winter. The Long Island Red Cross has installed more than 300 smoke alarms so far this year. Since the program started in 2014, the program has helped make more than 5,000 households across the island safer. Sound the Alarm has also documented at least seven lives saved on Long Island due to this program.
