The American Red Cross of Southern Missouri, along with the Sparta Fire Protection District and Christian County CERT, are offering free smoke alarm installations for Sparta residents in need during a Sound the Alarm home fire safety event on Oct. 14.
“A working smoke alarm can be the difference between survival and tragedy when a home fire strikes,” said Stacy Burks, Southern Missouri Chapter executive director. “That’s why the Red Cross is teaming up with the Sparta Fire Protection District and Christian County CERT to help ensure Sparta residents, especially those most vulnerable, have these lifesaving devices.”
Residents who need assistance can register at www.redcross.org/smokealarmMO for a 20-minute home fire safety visit between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on Oct. 14. Volunteers and firefighters 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.
Those who want to volunteer to give back in Sparta can sign up at https://forms.gle/hqfzumZAvyHZj2nj7 to volunteer during the Oct. 14 Sound the Alarm event. No prior experience is needed — training will be provided for installing smoke alarms and sharing fire safety information.
Can’t join the event? You can also help by donating to the Red Cross at www.redcross.org/missouri to help people prepare for, respond to and recover from home fires.
Local Sound the Alarm events like this one in Sparta are a critical part of the national Red Cross Home Fire Campaign, which has helped save at least 1,928 lives since launching in October 2014. Locally during this time, the Southern Missouri Chapter and area partners have installed more than 10,200 free smoke alarms and made more than 4,770 households safer in Southern Missouri.
For more information, visit redcross.org.
