The nation’s most frequent disaster is one that rarely makes national headlines — home fires. Yet these represent most of the disasters that the American Red Cross responds to every eight minutes in the U.S. In the Hudson Valley, Red Cross volunteers responded to nearly 150 of these devastating crises last year.

Home fires claim seven lives a day in our country — but a working smoke alarm can cut the risk of death by half.

To help keep families safe, the Hudson Valley Chapter and partners are joining to install more than 350 free smoke alarms for vulnerable households in the City of Newburgh on Saturday, May 14. The local initiative is part of a national Sound the Alarm effort to install 50,000 free smoke alarms in at-risk neighborhoods across the country.

Sound the Alarm events like these are truly lifesaving — and at the heart of our national Home Fire Campaign, which has helped save at least, 1,275 lives, including 26 in the Eastern New York region, since 2014.

If you live in Newburgh and need assistance, visit redcross.org/STAeny or call 845-249-4228 to schedule an appointment for a free smoke alarm installation during this event. During a home visit, 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.

Families need your support. Join us for a rewarding day of giving back by registering at redcross.org/STAeny to volunteer by installing free smoke alarms and sharing fire safety information during this event. No prior experience is needed — training will be provided.