Free smoke alarm installations available for Troy residents

Free smoke alarm installations available for Troy residents on April 29

The Northeastern New York Chapter of the American Red Cross and community partners are offering free smoke alarm installations for residents during a Sound the Alarm home fire safety event on Saturday, April 29.

“A working smoke alarm can be the difference between survival and tragedy when a home fire strikes,” said Kevin Coffey, CEO, American Red Cross Eastern New York Region. “That’s why the Red Cross is teaming up with partners to help ensure Troy residents, especially those most vulnerable, have these lifesaving devices.”

“New York leads the nation in fire deaths, which is why Troy is taking action and partnering with the American Red Cross to provide lifesaving alarms to families in need,” said City of Troy Mayor Wm. Patrick Madden. “I encourage families to register for this event, consider volunteering to help with alarm installations, and to practice a fire escape plan that gets you and your family outside of your home in less than two minutes. Together we can ‘Sound the Alarm,’ provide Troy residents with a decade of peace of mind, and save lives.”

Residents who need assistance can register at redcross.org/STAeny or contact the Red Cross at preparedness.eny@redcross.org or 518-694-5121 for a home fire safety visit between 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. on April 29. Volunteers 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 Those who want to give back can sign up at redcross.org/STAeny or call 518-694-5121 to volunteer during the Sound the Alarm event. No prior experience is needed — training will be provided for installing smoke alarms and sharing fire safety information. Volunteers will meet at the YWCA of the Greater Capital Region, located at 21 1st Street.

Can’t join the event? You can also help by donating to the Red Cross at redcross.org/eny to help people prepare for, respond to and recover from home fires.

TROY EVENT PART OF NATIONAL CAMPAIGN Local Sound the Alarm events like this one are a critical part of the national Red Cross Home Fire Campaign, which has helped save at least 1,664 lives, including 72 in the Eastern New York Region, since launching in October 2014. Locally during this time, the Red Cross and partners have installed more than 37,500 free smoke alarms and made more than 16,285 households safer in Eastern New York.

This work is made possible thanks to generous financial donations from regional partners: Suburban Propane, National Grid, State Farm, Hannay Reels, Fenimore Asset Management, The Dorothy and Marshall M. Reisman Foundation, and Stewart's Shops.