Red Cross will install free smoke alarms in Uniontown Saturday
American Red Cross staff and volunteers will be going door to door Saturday in Uniontown’s East End neighborhood to offer free in-home smoke alarm assessment and installation.
“We know smoke alarms save lives,” said Dana Bauer, executive director of the Chestnut Ridge Chapter of the American Red Cross, which serves Fayette, Westmoreland, Armstrong and Indiana counties.
Bauer said volunteers and staff will meet at 8:30 a.m. at the East End United Community Center on Coolspring Street in Uniontown for a quick overview and training before walking through the neighborhood to offer free in-home smoke alarm assessment and installations. They will be wearing Red Cross vests and emergency response vehicles will be in the community as well.
She noted volunteers and staff hope to meet with the heads of households to prepare an emergency escape plan and to educate them about fire prevention and preparedness tips.
“It’s also important to have an emergency escape plan. You only have two minutes to get out safely after you hear a fire alarm,” said Bauer, noting household members should also have a designated meeting place once out of their home.
Bauer will be among those working in the neighborhood as well as Nicholas Garbacz, regional disaster officer. Volunteer leaders in Fayette include Susan Fleming, community volunteer leader; Deb Moore, Fayette disaster lead; and Josh Krysak, chairman of the Fayette Leadership Committee and a member of the board of directors.
Visit http://tinyurl.com/HFC-Uniontown for more information on how to volunteer for Saturday’s project.
The Red Cross hopes to install more than 100 smoke alarms Saturday. Staff and volunteers performed a similar project in Connellsville in September 2015.
“This is part of our Home Fire Campaign, which aims to reduce fire injuries and deaths by 25 percent. It is also part of our regional Prepare Western Pennsylvania Initiative, which is a three-year campaign to build resilient communities that are better prepared for and more able to respond to human suffering in times of life-threatening crises and disasters,”said Bauer.
She explained the campaign was launched last year with a $1 million donation from the Richard King Mellon Foundation for the entire region of Western Pennsylvania, which includes 28 counties.
“Through this campaign, we will (one) strengthen our disaster-response systems and capacity, (two) engage and empower additional dedicated volunteers, and (three) build community resilience through disaster preparedness outreach,” Bauer said.