The American Red Cross Pacific Coast Chapter and Santa Maria City Fire Department are seeking volunteers to help install more than 100 free smoke alarms for local families during a Sound the Alarm home fire safety event in Santa Maria on Saturday, May 18.

“Sound the Alarm is a rewarding way to give back and directly help local families,” said Tony Briggs, executive director of the American Red Cross Pacific Coast Chapter. “It’s a day of coming together to support one another, especially those most vulnerable to home fires.

“A working smoking alarm can be the difference between survival and tragedy — and as a community, we can help our neighbors stay safe by ensuring they have these lifesaving resources.”

Those interested can register at SoundTheAlarm.org/CCR to volunteer, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. during the May 18 event. No experience is needed.

Breakfast, event t-shirts, and training will be provided at Casa del Rio Mobile Estates before volunteer teams — with members of the Red Cross and Santa Maria City Fire — visit area homes to install smoke alarms and share fire safety information with local residents.

Residents who need a smoke alarm can visit SoundTheAlarm.org/CCR to schedule an appointment for a free installation.

During the 20-minute home visits, Red Cross volunteers and partners 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.

The Sound the Alarm event is a key part of the national Red Cross Home Fire Campaign, which has helped save at least 2,117 lives — including 15 in Central California — since starting in October 2014, the Red Cross reports.

Red Cross volunteers and local partners have installed more than 15,100 free smoke alarms and made more than 5,670 households safer throughout the tri-county Pacific Coast Chapter.

Because of generous donations, all services are free and available for people in need.

Individuals unable to participate in the May 18 event can donate to the Red Cross at SoundTheAlarm.org/CCR 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.

Regional financial partners include Arthrex, Bank of the Sierra, and California Resources Corporation.

For more, visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org.