The American Red Cross started their Home Fire Campaign with the goal of reducing the number of fire-related deaths and injuries by targeting populations vulnerable to home fires.
They received a call from an elderly woman in Emporia who learned about their free smoke alarm installation program from a door hanger one of their volunteers left at her house. A volunteer was sent to meet with her and discovered that the batteries in all three of her alarms hadn’t been changed since her husband died over 20 years ago. She has no children, lives a pretty isolated life, and was too frail to get on a ladder to change the batteries herself. The volunteer installed three brand new smoke detectors, each containing a 10-year lithium battery so she won't have to worry about changing one for a long time. She was so relieved and grateful and felt much more secure in her home when the volunteer departed.
American Red Cross was awarded $6,000 this year from the United Way of the Flint Hills to help United Way residents have an updated fire alarm system.