On Saturday, May 14, American Red Cross serving Southeast Minnesota, Chatfield Alliance, and Chatfield Fire Department will join together to install free smoke alarms for local families vulnerable to home fires during a Sound the Alarm event. This effort is part of a national Red Cross Sound the Alarm initiative to install 50,000 free smoke alarms in more than 50 at-risk communities across the country in May.
“Put simply, our goal is to save lives,” said Melanie Tschida, American Red Cross Executive Director. “We want to make sure everyone has working smoke alarms, which can cut the risk of dying in a home fire by half.”
Chatfield residents who are interested in a free smoke alarm installation on the morning of Saturday, May 14, should text their address to the Chatfield Fire Chief dedicated cell phone, (507) 884-4423. Individuals may also call the number to leave their address on the voice-mail. During the 20-minute home visits, Red Cross volunteers and members of Chatfield Fire will also 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,” Chatfield Fire Chief Luke Thieke said. “Taking action with this knowledge can be the difference between survival and tragedy.”
WHAT: Sound the Alarm smoke alarm installations and fire safety planning with local families
WHERE: Kickoff: Chatfield Fire Department at 8:30 a.m., installations to follow
WHEN: Saturday, May 14, 8:30-11 a.m.
1,243 lives saved
and counting
This Sound the Alarm event is a critical part of the national Red Cross Home Fire Campaign, which has helped save 1,243 lives since launching in October 2014. As part of the campaign, Red Cross volunteers and local partners have installed nearly 50,000 free smoke alarms in the Minnesota Dakotas Region.
Because of generous donations, all services are free and available for people in need. Can’t join the event? Help by donating to the Red Cross at SoundTheAlarm.org to help people prepare for, respond to and recover from home fires — which account for most of the U.S. disasters that the Red Cross responds to every eight minutes.
This work is made possible thanks to generous financial donations from generous regional partners, including Border States, Scheels and Ames Construction.
About the American Red Cross
The American Red Cross prevents and alleviates human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors. It shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% 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 not a governmental agency, but rather a not-for-profit humanitarian organization.
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