Staff and volunteers educate residents on fire safety across the state
The American Red Cross of Georgia is once again Sounding the Alarm on fire safety. This March, volunteers, staff and community partners will work to educate residents on how to stay safe from fires and install around 1,600 free smoke alarms across the state. Since the start of the Home Fire Campaign in 2014, the Red Cross has installed nearly 3 million free smoke alarms nationwide and made more than 1.2 million households safer across the country.
The Red Cross is working in partnership with volunteers and fire departments across the state to ensure Georgia residents are ready to respond to a fire if one should happen in their home. Going door-to-door, the goal is to educate residents on what to do if there is a fire, install smoke alarms as needed, ensure all warning systems are working, and help residents develop an effective plan in case of an emergency.
This year’s Sound the Alarm campaign in Georgia is taking place from March 1 – 29 in chapters across the state. The first event will be held on Saturday, March 1, in Valdosta, Georgia.
The Red Cross responds to around 65,000 disasters annually, the majority of which are home fires. In 2024, Red Cross volunteers in Georgia responded to over 2,400 single and multi-family home fires across the state. Additionally, more than 4,000 families were assisted because of those disasters.
Every day, seven people die as a result of home fires and often these tragedies occur in homes without working smoke alarms. Data has shown that one of the most effective ways to combat these statistics is with a working smoke alarm; in fact, smoke alarms can cut the risk of death by half. Since launching in October 2014, the Home Fire Campaign has saved at least 2,266 lives, including 255 in Georgia.
Upcoming Georgia Sound the Alarm installation and fire safety education opportunities March 1 – 29:
Lowndes County
March 1: 9 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Valdosta
Muscogee County
March 8: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Columbus
Fayette County
March 15: 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Fayetteville
Richmond County
March 15: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Augusta
Coweta County
March 15: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Sargent
Chatham County
March 22: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Savannah
Bartow County
March 22: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Cartersville
Barrow County
March 22: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Statham
Newton County
March 29: 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Covington
Or visit: Georgia Sound the Alarm Events
This work is made possible thanks to generous financial donations from the community, including the Georgia Sound the Alarm sponsors State Farm, Northside Hospital, Georgia Power Foundation, Veritiv, Atlanta Gas Light, GreyStone Power Corporation, North Georgia Electric Membership Foundation, and Walton EMC.
About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or follow us on social media.
