EASTON, Maine — The American Red Cross of Maine and the Easton Fire Department are teaming up to install free smoke alarms in residents’ homes and teach home fire safety tips.
Easton residents can sign up for free smoke alarm installation by calling the Red Cross at 874-1192, extension 113. The Easton Fire Department will follow-up by setting up an appointment, performing the installation and showing residents how to prepare for home fires, including by making an escape plan.
“Seven times a day, someone in this country dies in a home fire and countless others suffer injuries,” said Fire Chief Gregory White. “We want residents to be safe. Working smoke alarms cut the risk of someone dying from a home fire in half and having an escape plan further improves the odds of survival.”
The effort is part of an ambitious national campaign launched in 2014 by the Red Cross to cut home fire deaths and injuries by a quarter by 2020.
“Nationally, the Red Cross responds to nearly 64,000 disasters every year — and the vast majority are home fires,” said Kristen Simas, the Red Cross interim disaster program manager for Aroostook County. “When a home fire strikes, you may have as little as two minutes to get out safely. Smoke alarms save lives.”
Since its launch in October 2014, the national campaign has installed more than 964,320 free smoke alarms and has helped families create more than 340,093 escape plans. The campaign has saved at least 268 lives.
In Maine, the Red Cross and its partners have installed more than 8,000 smoke alarms and is on track to install another 3,600 over the next year.
For more information about home fire safety, visit www.SoundTheAlarm.org/Maine.
