Northeast News File Photo

Dorri Partain

Managing Editor

Prevention and preparation are the best deterrents to fatal home fires. On Saturday, Aug. 23, American Red Cross is teaming up with volunteers to check and replace smoke alarms as part of its national “Sound The Alarm” program.

This outreach was requested by members of the Indian Mound and Lykins neighborhoods within the Historic Northeast.

Indian Mound Resident Sarah Kaldenberg said, “When I moved into my house, all my smoke alarms were expired and didn’t work. So I made sure I had one in each bedroom and each floor.”

Kaldenberg said she realized that other homeowners could be in the same situation.

“Fires can be so devastating and take a long time and lots of investment to recover from. The Indian Mound neighborhood, and the Northeast overall, has seen an increase in fires in the past year. It’s very alarming. I wanted to find a way to prevent fires or just bring awareness to the danger they pose,” Kaldenberg said. “Most of the fires were in abandoned buildings but those buildings are next to houses with our neighbors.”

Since its launch in 2014, the Red Cross Home Fire Campaign has assisted 3,390,763 people with home visits and installed 3,140,011 new smoke alarms, according to statistics posted on its website.

Community outreach events — including this one — offer assistance to both homeowners and renters on different levels, Red Cross Communications Manager Brie Monetti said.

“We’ll be installing up to four smoke alarms per household, depending on the layout and need. These alarms are not handed off to residents—our trained volunteers will install them directly, with the homeowner’s approval,” she shared. “If a home already has alarms, we can test them to ensure they’re functioning properly, though we don’t replace batteries. For alarms that are 10 years or older, especially battery-operated ones, we recommend full replacement.”

“For renters, we’ll test existing alarms and encourage them to speak with their landlords if replacements are needed ,” said Monetti. “ We’ll also provide fire safety education and help them develop escape plans.”

Each home visit will include an overview to identify and reduce common home fire hazards and  highlight the importance of testing smoke alarms regularly.

“Our goal is to reach as many homes in the Indian Mound and Lykins neighborhoods as our teams can access during the event,” Monetti said. “Assistance will be provided through a combination of neighborhood canvassing and pre-submitted household requests. These requests are prioritized to ensure we’re addressing the most urgent needs first.”

Both Kaldenberg and Monetti stressed the need for volunteers to make this a successful event. 

“This event is a great opportunity for neighbors to support one another. Volunteers should be comfortable using a power drill, engaging with residents, and walking for about three hours through the neighborhood,” said Monetti. “No prior training is required for volunteers– once volunteers register, they’ll receive all necessary guidance and materials to ensure they’re well-prepared. Our staff will be on site throughout the day to answer questions and provide support to first-time volunteers.”

Those interested in volunteering on Aug. 23 can sign up through this link: https://forms.office.com/r/jrCNfmpDPe

For homeowners who would like to request a home fire safety visit or request new smoke alarms, visit  redcross.org/SmokeAlarmMO or call 1-800-Red-Cross.

Indian Mound neighborhood boundaries are Gladstone Boulevard (north), Belmont Boulevard(east), Independence Avenue (south) and Jackson Avenue (west).

Lykins neighborhood boundaries are Independence Avenue (north), Hardesty Avenue. (east), Benton Boulevard (west) and Kansas City Terminal railroad (south).