Free smoke alarm installations available for Greater Green Bay residents

GREEN BAY, WI – (WGBW & WISS) – The American Red Cross of Wisconsin is offering free smoke alarm installations for Green Bay residents in need during a Sound the Alarm home fire safety event on April 13. 

“A working smoke alarm can be the difference between survival and tragedy when a home fire strikes,” said Rebecca Rockhill, Executive Director for the Northeast Wisconsin Chapter of the American Red Cross. “That’s why the Red Cross is teaming up with our community partners to help ensure Green Bay residents, especially those most vulnerable, have these lifesaving devices.”

Residents who need assistance can register at redcross.org/WIsmokealarms for a 20-minute home fire safety visit between 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 13. Volunteers will also share information on the causes of home fires, how to prevent them, what to do if a fire starts, and how to create an escape plan.

Importance of having an emergency plan

Rockhill says an emergency plan is one of the most important things you can do for your household.

That’s the most important point. You hope you never need that,” said Rockhill. “But if you do that plan will save your life.”

The emergency plan includes your pets as well as the human household members.

“When we talk about disaster preparedness or disaster response, pets are very much part of that story. So when we look at coming up with that disaster safety plan, when we put in those smoke detectors and we say, if the worse should happen, then this–That’s also going to include what are we going to do with Fido? Who’s going to look at finding Fido? 

REd Cross needs Volunteers for Sound the Alarm event

Those who want to give back in Green Bay can sign up at redcross.org/Wisconsin to volunteer during the Saturday, April 13 Sound the Alarm event. No prior experience is needed — training will be provided for installing smoke alarms and sharing fire safety information.

Can’t join the event? You can also help by donating to the Red Cross at redcross.org/donate/home-fire-campaign to help people prepare for, respond to, and recover from home fires.

Green Bay event is part of a national campaign

Local Sound the Alarm events like this one in Green Bay are a critical part of the national Red Cross Home Fire Campaign, which has helped save more than 2,000 lives since launching in October 2014. 

So far in 2024, Red Cross volunteers have helped over 757 people affected by about 179 home fires across Wisconsin and the western Upper Peninsula of Michigan. They provide emergency lodging, financial assistance for urgent needs like food and clothing, and one-on-one recovery support for navigating next steps and connecting with community resources.

The “Sound the Alarm” event focuses on the Greater Green Bay area, but Rockhill says anyone who needs a smoke detector or who wants to create an emergency plan will be helped.

“Anywhere there is a need for a smoke alarm, we are going to get that smoke alarm installed,” says Rockhill. “We will never turn anyone away.”