By Patrick Baron

PONTIAC – The American Red Cross has installed over a thousand of smoke alarms during its Sound the Alarm Campaign.

This year the campaign installed 1,909 free smoke alarms into 767 households in the central and southern Illinois region. Red Cross Regional Executive Officer Lyn Hruska noted that number has increased each year, with more people becoming aware of how the Red Cross can help make their homes safer.

“Each year as more people are aware, not only of the significance and importance of having working smoke alarms, but also the availability of free smoke alarms through this program, we have had more and more interest in sign ups,” said Hruska.

Hruska said the number one disaster the Red Cross responds to is single-house fires. She added the Red Cross had a telethon in March, advising people to schedule a time for Red Cross volunteers to come and install the smoke alarms.

“There is no criteria other than needing working smoke alarms, it’s not income-based,” Hruska explained. “We just simply want everybody’s households to be equipped with working smoke alarms.”

Hruska said the Red Cross exceeded its goal this year in terms of the number of smoke alarms installed.

Patrick Baron can be reached at [email protected].