County Joins with American Red Cross to Hold MLK Day of Service

Having working smoke alarms is crucial to the safety of any home.

On Monday, Jan. 19, the Prince George’s County Fire/Emergency Medical Services Department will join with the American Red Cross — National Capital Region for a day of service to install working smoke alarms.

Over the Christmas and New Year’s holiday season, an 80-year-old woman died in a New Year’s Day house fire, and an 83-year-old man died from burns in another house fire right before Christmas, Patch previously reported. The latter home did not have working smoke alarms, officials say.

Another fire on Jan. 3 caused $200,000 worth of damage, according to Patch. But the six students living in the off-campus house were awakened and alerted by smoke alarms and made it out of the home safely.

Each year, Americans across the country come together on Martin Luther King Jr. Day for a day of service in answer to something King once said, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: ‘What are you doing for others?’”

• Read: What’s Open, Closed in Bowie on MLK Day 2015?

The MLK Day of Service is part of United We Serve, the president’s national call to service initiative.

Volunteers, including Fire Chief Marc Bashoor and American Red Cross in the National Capital Region CEO Linda Mathes, equipped with fire safety material and working smoke alarms will meet at the Oxon Hill Fire/EMS Station at 9:15 a.m. Volunteers will spread out to the communities of Glassmanor and Forest Heights. If a home that is visited needs a smoke alarm, one will be installed.

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