Help the Red Cross Install FREE Smoke Alarms

What if you could spend a few hours volunteering and know that you were actually helping to save lives? If you are looking to get involved with a worthy cause, the American Red Cross has an amazing volunteer initiative that is having a direct impact on the number of people who lose their lives in home fires. Read on for ways you can be a part of this great program!

About "Sound the Alarm" Events by the American Red Cross

Each year, the Red Cross responds to over 60,000 disasters, and most of these are home fires. Home fires cause billions of dollars in property damage each year, in addition to many preventable deaths. In the first two months of this year (2024), the Red Cross has already responded to 1,800 house fires, and tragically, lives have been lost in some of these. Every day, seven people in the U.S. die due to a home fire and another 36 are injured.

Because having working smoke alarms installed in a home cuts the risk of death by an astonishing 50%, the Red Cross is calling for volunteers to help install free smoke alarms during its Sound the Alarm events. 

Sound the Alarm is part of an initiative begun by the Red Cross in 2014 called the Home Fire Campaign – already credited with saving over 2,000 lives! Red Cross volunteers spread out across high-risk neighborhoods to install free smoke alarms, replace batteries in existing alarms, and help families create escape plans. The program has installed more than 2.7 million smoke alarms and made more than 1.1 million homes safer since the beginning of the campaign, saving lives and educating whole communities about fire safety. 

You can be a part of this impactful effort by volunteering to help install smoke alarms – click here for more information. If you are unable to install smoke alarms, other ways to support the effort include making a financial contribution (donations are tax deductible) or taking steps to protect your own family from home fires. Join the Red Cross today to Sound the Alarm about fire safety!

About the American Red Cross

The 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 public to perform its mission.

About the Author

   

Tara McAdams

Digital Marketing Manager, Content Strategist & Creator

Tara leads content strategy at SignUp and creates a variety of resources on a wide range of topics – including lifestyle trends, parent tips, prep for holidays, volunteer management, and event planning. More about Tara →