Volunteers needed for American Red Cross smoke alarm installations in South Milwaukee

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The American Red Cross of Wisconsin needs more volunteers to help accomplish a goal which will save lives in South Milwaukee. 

The effort is all due to their "Smoke Alarms Save Lives" campaign.

Milwaukee residents are able to sign up for a free smoke alarm installation on May 21. Volunteers will also help residents create a fire safety plan. 

“Our goal is to save lives,” said Mark Thomas, regional CEO and Southeast Wisconsin chapter executive director, American Red Cross. “There has been a disturbing spike in home fires over the past two years, especially in our Milwaukee neighborhoods. That’s why we want to make sure everyone has working smoke alarms, which can cut the risk of dying in a home fire by half.”

Residents who need help can visit redcross.org/wismokealarms or call 888-376-4056 to schedule an appointment for free smoke alarms. 

The visits on May 21 will take about 20 minutes and Red Cross volunteers need more help to get the job done. Volunteers are needed to follow through on appointments to make hundreds of families safer. Register to volunteer at SoundTheAlarm.org. No prior experience is needed, training will be provided. 

This event is part of a national Red Cross initiative in May to install 50,000 free smoke alarms with partners in more than 50 at-risk communities across the country. 

Sound the Alarm events are a critical part of the national Red Cross Home Fire campaign. This has helped save 1,243 lives since its launch in October of 2014. This includes families in Oshkosh and Janesville.

For May 2022, Red Cross teams are focusing on home fire safety events for residents in Milwaukee, Fond Du Lac, La Crosse and Sun Prairie, though residents across Wisconsin are eligible for these free, life-saving alarms and resources through redcross.org/wismokealarms. (Spanish language appointments and volunteer sign-up are also available at activatualarma.org.