The Red Cross of the Pacific Coast is mobilizing the power of volunteers to install free smoke alarms in Santa Maria homes during an upcoming Home Fire Campaign event.

Red Cross volunteers, in partnership with the Santa Maria Fire Department and other community partners, will be installing smoke alarms Saturday, Jan. 30, 2016, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. starting the day at the Santa Maria City Fire Administration Office, located at 314 W. Cook Street.

Volunteers are still needed for this event. Visit redcross.org/CenCalHFC to sign up.
 
The event is part of the Home Fire Campaign, a national effort to reduce home fire deaths by installing free smoke alarms throughout the country and educating families on the importance of having an emergency preparedness plan.

“Seven times a day, someone in our country dies in a home fire,” said Red Cross Regional CEO Jim McGee, “So by installing these smoke alarms and sharing fire safety information, we’re helping to save lives and empower Santa Barbara families to make the right decisions during emergencies.”

The American Red Cross launched the national Home Fire Campaign last fall to reduce deaths and injuries from home fires by as much as 25 percent over the next five years.

The campaign seeks to increase the use of smoke alarms in neighborhoods with higher numbers of home fires and to encourage all Americans to practice their fire escape plans.

The Red Cross responds to nearly 70,000 disasters each year in the United States, and the vast majority of those are home fires.

The local Red Cross is able to provide free smoke alarm installations, critical preparedness education and disaster relief to Santa Barbara County families thanks to the generosity of the community.

To learn more about how to participate with or donate to the Home Fire Campaign, visit redcross.org/centralcalifornia.

— Jessica Piffero is the regional director of communications for the American Red Cross.