GREENFIELD — A free home fire safety event is coming to Greenfield this month as part of a nationwide effort by the American Red Cross to reduce fire-related deaths by installing smoke alarms in vulnerable communities.
The American Red Cross Northern California Coastal Region will host a “Sound the Alarm” event in Greenfield on Saturday, April 25, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Clifton Mobile Home Park. The effort is part of a broader April campaign to install 50,000 free smoke alarms in more than 50 at-risk communities across the country.
“Home fires claim seven lives every day, but having working smoke alarms can cut the risk of death by half,” the Red Cross said in a statement.
Volunteers are being recruited to help with installations and home safety education. No prior experience is required, and training will be provided before teams visit homes with scheduled appointments.
The Red Cross emphasized that the program is free for residents in need. During home visits, volunteers will install smoke alarms and share information on fire prevention, what to do in the event of a fire and how to create an escape plan.
“Thanks to generous donations, all services are free and available for people in need,” the Red Cross said.
The Greenfield event is one of nine signature events scheduled across the Greater Bay Area in April as part of the national Sound the Alarm initiative.
The campaign is part of the Red Cross Home Fire Campaign, launched in October 2014. Since then, the organization reports it has helped save at least 2,615 lives nationwide through smoke alarm installations and fire safety planning.
Locally, the Northern California Coastal Region and its partners have installed more than 60,200 free smoke alarms and assisted more than 22,000 households. In the Greater Bay Area, 33 people have credited Red Cross smoke alarms and escape plans with saving their lives.
Residents who need a smoke alarm can schedule an installation appointment, and those interested in volunteering can sign up online at SoundTheAlarm.org/NCCR.
