Brownville residents can sign up for free smoke alarms

BROWNVILLE — The American Red Cross of Maine and the Brownville Fire Department are teaming up to make town residents safer by installing free smoke alarms in their homes and teaching them about fire safety on Saturday, Aug. 18.

Brownville residents can make an appointment by calling the Red Cross at 874-1192, extension 113, emailing firesafety4me@redcross.org or going to SoundTheAlarm.org/Maine.

“Home fires are a real threat to our communities. Nationwide, home fires kill seven people every day – more than all other natural disasters combined,” said Fire Chief Kevin Black. “Working smoke alarms can make all the difference.”

In addition to installing free smoke alarms, the free service also includes a check of batteries in existing alarms and battery replacement as needed and working with residents on escape plans.

The partnership between the Brownville Fire Department and the Red Cross is part of an ambitious national campaign launched by the Red Cross to reduce home fire deaths.

“Working smoke alarms reduce the risk of death by half and an escape further improves the odds of survival,” Red Cross Disaster Program Manager Kristen Simas said. “With our partners, we’re making Maine people safer, home by home and community by community.”

Three out of five home fire deaths take place in homes where the smoke alarms weren’t functioning or in homes without any smoke alarms at all.

To prevent these tragedies, the Red Cross launched its Home Fire Campaign in 2014. This work is paying off. At least 453 lives – including those of eight Mainers – have been saved because of these efforts.

In Maine, the Red Cross and its partners have installed more than 11,093 free smoke alarms, created more than 2,872 home fire escape plans and made more than 3,384 household safer.