Volunteer today to Help the Red Cross to Sound the Alarm this Fall!

by Stan Frank

This fall, the American Red Cross will initiate the most ambitious national Home Fire Campaign ever held! Called "Sound the Alarm", the event will be held from September 23 to October 15, 2017 when the Red Cross will install, free of charge, more than 100,000 smoke alarms – including our 1 millionth alarm – in high-risk neighborhoods throughout the country.

In addition to alarm installation, Red Cross volunteers will join with local fire departments and other partners to replace batteries in existing alarms, and provide families with fire prevention and safety education. Working smoke alarms in a home are known to cut the risk of death by half and having an escape plan further improves the odds of survival.

In the Greater New York Region, Joe Spaccarelli, Program Director, and his Home Fire Preparedness Team including Jane Hwang and Ailid Ramos, are organizing volunteer recruitment for high risk neighborhoods in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Mount Vernon, Hempstead and Brentwood. Getting involved is easy: If you are an existing volunteer, visit Volunteer Connection and look for home fire campaign or sound the alarm opportunities in your chapter. If you are new to volunteering with the Red Cross, visit SoundtheAlarm.org and type in your zip code to find the event closest to you.

Here are some of the volunteer opportunities available with the Sound the Alarm campaign:

• Volunteer Canvasser: Canvas neighborhoods to obtain requests for the installation of free smoke alarms
• Volunteer Smoke Alarm Installer: Install smoke alarms and replace batteries as needed in homes and apartments
• Volunteer Safety Educator: Deliver fire prevention information in high-risk neighborhoods and assist residents in completing home fire escape plans
• Volunteer Documenter: Document resident information and the services provided
• Volunteer Driver: Serve as a driver and transport volunteer teams to installation sites
• Volunteer Logistics: Maintain program inventory; pick, pack and transport equipment, supplies and team members to installation sites
• Volunteer Mass Care: Obtain and serve meals at events; setup and cleanup before and after events; coordinate with Logistics and monitor the inventory of mass care supplies and equipment, as needed
• Volunteer Information Management: Using our web-based online system, keep track of the progress of our installation teams during events
• Volunteer Call Center: Retrieve voicemails and resident requests for education and installation of smoke alarms; call residents to confirm or reschedule fire appointments
• Volunteer Data Entry: Using Excel, enter data into online forms; ensure that clients receive timely installation appointments; track, analyze and report data accurately 
• Volunteer Mapping/Planning Appointments: Using online Geographic Information System (GIS), help plan the routes and map the confirmed appointments that field teams use to navigate through the five boroughs
• Volunteer Training: Provide on-site training for Home Fire Educators, Documenters and/or Installers
• Volunteer Staffing: Using phone calls and emails in the days leading up to events, ensure each event is staffed with an adequate number of volunteers

Join us this fall to Sound the Alarm and save lives from home fires.

Visit SoundTheAlarm.org or Volunteer Connection (existing Red Cross volunteers) to learn more and sign up today!

Red Cross summer interns helped install smoke alarms and provide fire safety education this summer in Sheepshead Bay, NY.