Northeast News
October 7, 2015

KANSAS CITY, Missouri — To launch the National Fire Prevention Week (Oct. 4-10), the American Red Cross announced a new website where people can sign-up to have free smoke alarms installed in their homes.

Individuals can go to getasmokealarm.org and leave their contact information. A Red Cross representative will contact them to schedule a time for the installation. Individuals may also request a smoke alarm installation by calling the Red Cross Smoke Alarm Hotline. In the Greater Kansas City area, that number is 816-841-5242.

October marks the first anniversary of the Red Cross Home Fire Campaign, a national program to reduce home fire deaths and injuries by 25 percent. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) there were nearly 1.3 million fires reported in 2014, which resulted in 3,275 deaths and $11 billion in damages.

Working with fire departments and community groups, the Red Cross and its partners have nationally installed more than 125,000 smoke alarms in nearly 2,400 cities and towns. Included in that number are some 2,200 alarms installed in the 62 counties that comprise the Red Cross Western Missouri Region. Within the Greater Kansas City Chapter area of 15 counties, some 640 smoke alarms were installed. It’s estimated that since the first of the year, Red Cross volunteers in the Greater Kansas City Chapter have responded to more than 300 home fires.

The Red Cross aren’t the only ones helping families. Last week at the North-East Public Library, two of Kansas City’s Firefighter Educators taught families what to do when a fire occurs. Kevin Beck, one of the Firefighter Educators, said everyone should have a plan set aside in case of a fire. Beck added a working smoke detector is very important to have as well.

Beck said he loves to talk about fire safety to people of all ages. To insure everyone has a working smoke detector, the Kansas City Fire Department is also giving them away for free. If you are interested in getting a free smoke detector you can call 513-4646.

“You can have them reserved,” Beck said. “Whoever wants them installed we can come out and put them in your house.”