Smoke alarms save lives: Free installations for Milwaukee residents in need as part of Red Cross home fire safety effort

MILWAUKEE, April 13, 2022 — Milwaukee residents in need can sign up for a free smoke alarm installation and home fire safety plan this May from the American Red Cross of Wisconsin and our partners.

“Our goal is to save lives,” said Mark Thomas, Regional CEO and Southeast Wisconsin Chapter Executive Director, American Red Cross. “There has been a disturbing spike in home fires over the past two years, especially in our Milwaukee neighborhoods. That’s why we want to make sure everyone has working smoke alarms, which can cut the risk of dying in a home fire by half.”

Residents who need assistance can visit redcross.org/WIsmokealarms or call 888-376-4056 to schedule an appointment for a free smoke alarm installation this May. Installations will be scheduled during the month, including a single-day, community-wide push across Milwaukee’s South Side on May 21 as part of our Sound the Alarm event.

During the 20-minute home visits, Red Cross volunteers and partners such as the Milwaukee Fire Department 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.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED For the May 21 event in Milwaukee, volunteers are needed to join teams that will follow through on appointments to make hundreds of families safer. Register to volunteer at SoundTheAlarm.org for the Milwaukee event on May 21. No prior experience is needed — training will be provided.

JOINS NATIONAL SOUND THE ALARM EFFORT This Sound the Alarm event is part of a national Red Cross initiative in May to install 50,000 free smoke alarms with partners in more than 50 at-risk communities across the country. Sound the Alarm events are a critical part of the national Red Cross Home Fire Campaign, which has helped save 1,243 lives since launching in October 2014, including families in Oshkosh and Janesville.

For May 2022, Red Cross teams are focusing on home fire safety events for residents in Milwaukee, Fond du Lac, La Crosse and Sun Prairie, though residents across Wisconsin are eligible for these free, life-saving alarms and resources through redcross.org/WIsmokealarms. (Spanish language appointments and volunteer sign up are also available at ActivaTuAlarma.org.)

This work is made possible thanks to generous financial donations from regional partners such as United Way of Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha County, Nicholas Family Foundation, Generac Power Systems, Brewers Community Foundation and We Energies Foundation. Additional community partners with this initiative include Milwaukee Fire Department, Basilica of St. Josaphat, Pete’s Fruit Market, El Rey and Interfaith Conference of Greater Milwaukee.

About the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.