Red Cross & Portland Fire Offering Free Smoke Alarm Installations On Saturday, May 12 -05/10/18

Community members encouraged to sign up for a free appointment by calling 503-528-5783 or by visiting redcross.org/GetAnAlarm.

PORTLAND, Ore., May 10, 2018 — Every day, an average of seven people die as a result of a fire in their home, and most of these deaths occur in homes without working smoke alarms. That’s why the American Red Cross, in partnership with Portland Fire & Rescue and the Oregon State Fire Marshal, will be installing free smoke alarms in homes that need them in Portland as well as delivering fire safety education this Saturday, May 12, as part of the Red Cross Sound the Alarm initiative.

Portland-area residents are asked to make a free appointment for smoke alarm installations by calling 503-528-5783 or by visiting redcross.org/GetAnAlarm. If residents are unavailable for an appointment on Saturday, Red Cross will make arrangements to install on another day.

READ A LOCAL STORY ABOUT OUR WORK:

Portland residents Jimi Hardin and Stevie Mercer escaped their home when it caught fire because the Red Cross had helped them to put together a fire escape plan and had installed smoke alarms in their home.

• Read their story here: http://www.redcrossblog.org/2017/10/fire-escape-plan-saves-lives-in-portland.html
• Watch the Video: Portland Couple Saved By Red Cross Efforts: https://vimeo.com/265792441

ABOUT RED CROSS WORK TO PREVENT HOME FIRE TRAGEDIES:

The Red Cross responds to nearly 64,000 disasters a year, the majority of which are home fires. Working smoke alarms in a home cut the risk of death by half, and having an escape plan further improves the odds of survival. Across the country, the Red Cross efforts to end home fires are making a difference. As of May 2018, the Red Cross and our partners across the country have saved 416 lives and installed more than 1,103,000 free smoke alarms. Please join this important effort.

About the American Red Cross

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent 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 a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org/Cascades or find us on Facebook at Red Cross Cascades, Twitter at @RedCrossCasc and on Instagram at @RedCrossCascades.