LAMONT, Calif. (KERO) — Through their Home Fire Safety Campaign, the American Red Cross and the Kern County Fire Department are teaming up to increase home safety in high-risk communities like Lamont.
- Video shows the importance of replacing old fire alarms in households to increase home safety.
- 'Sound the Alarm' is a community event organized by the American Red Cross, Kern County Fire Department and local volunteers. During the event, the two organizations and volunteers go out in the community and educate residents about fire safety and provide free fire alarm installation.
- Their next event is taking place in Lamont on Saturday, March 16th from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., those participating in the event will meet at Mountain View Middle School prior to dispersing into the community.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Did you know that home fires are the most common disaster in the nation? And by having a working smoke alarm in your home the odds of someone dying are reduced by half.
Through their Home Fire Safety Campaign, the American Red Cross and the Kern County Fire Department are teaming up to increase home safety in high-risk communities like Lamont. The 'Sound the Alarm' event is run by the two organizations and local volunteers who distribute fire safety information and provide free smoke alarm installation.
"Time is critical, especially during a home fire and for residents to be able to identify that there's an issue we want to make sure that every resident here in this community has a good-working smoke detector," said Executive Director for American Red Cross Hector Vasquez.
To have a functioning smoke alarm, Kern County Fire Department's Engineer and PIO John Drucker, recommends families to change their device's batteries twice a year when the time changes. With the start of Daylight savings, Drucker said it's the perfect time to replace old smoke alarms.
"That's a good time to remember, 'Hey let me check my smoke detector, let me go push that button that says test,'" said Drucker. "If it's not working good, if it's giving us those little chirps every 30-60 seconds, then that's a good time to change the batteries."
Though it might be something overlooked by many, Drucker said smoke alarms are essential in every sleeping room and outside each sleeping area.
"A smoke detector that's in good working shape is going to stay awake all night and if there's smoke going on while we're sleeping it's going to give us that loud obnoxious beeping sound that's going to wake us up," explained Drucker.
During Saturday's 'Sound the Alarm' event, Vazquez says they're expecting to install 150 smoke alarms, but they are in need of volunteers to help them do so.
"There's different ways you can volunteer," said Vasquez. "One person can be talking about fire safety plans or fire safety information, the other one can be the actual installer."
To learn more about the event or to sign up to be a volunteer, visit www.SoundTheAlarm.org/CCR.
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