The American Red Cross will be holding a Sound the Alarm event in Bellevue this Saturday, May 12th as part of the nationwide Red Cross effort to help reduce the number of deaths and injuries caused by home fires by installing 100,000 smoke alarms in 100 high-risk communities. Goal in the metro area is to install 800 alarms during the Sound the Alarm events.
WHAT: Over 100 Red Cross volunteers and local partners will be canvassing neighborhoods, installing 10-year lithium battery powered smoke alarms, replacing batteries in existing alarms, and helping families create escape plans.
There will be opportunities to learn about the event and follow an installation crew to a home where alarms are being installed. There will also be interview opportunities with Nebraska State Senator Carol Blood, Bellevue Mayor Rita Sanders, Bellevue Fire Chief Perry Guido, Red Cross CEO Jill Orton, and other local officials.
WHEN: Saturday, May 12th. Registration begins at 9:00 am; Event Kick-off at 9:30 am; Team Training at 9:40; Deploy to neighborhoods at 10:00 am; Return to First Baptist Church at 2:00 pm. Media representatives should plan to be at First Baptist Church Bellevue by 9:15 am.
WHERE: Staging, Kick-off and orientation will take place at First Baptist Church, 112 E 23rd Ave., Bellevue, NE 68005.
WHO: Red Cross representatives will be joined by Sound the Alarm participants, Bellevue Mayor Rita Sanders, Bellevue Fire Chief Perry Guido, local partners, and Red Cross leaders to kick off the event providing training and details of what the teams will be doing.
Following the Bellevue event, a free smoke alarm installation event will take place in Council Bluffs on Thursday, May 17th between 4:00 and 7:00 pm.
MEDIA CONTACT: Richard Dinsdale – 402-677-7404 (Cell)
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. The Red Cross wants to end these tragedies and save lives, that’s why we launched the Home Fire Campaign in 2014.
Across the country, the Campaign is making a difference. As of the last week of April the Red Cross and our partners across the country have saved 416 lives nationwide as of the end of April. In the metro area and across Nebraska area, the Red Cross has reached nearly 5,000 third to fifth graders through youth preparedness programs, and installed nearly 2,700 free smoke alarms.