WACO, Texas — For 10 years, The American Red Cross' "Sound the Alarm Campaign" installs smoke detectors for free to homes across the area.
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“If there’s a fire, the alarms will go off and the bed will shake,” Waco resident Pat McMillan said.
For Patt McMillan, at 88-years-young and living on her own, she now feels safe and is ready if a fire were to happen.
“I’m crippled and my knees most of the time can’t get around, I’ll have my walking stick right here, and I’ll just fly out the door,” McMillan said.
It’s all thanks to the American Red Cross’ "Sound The Alarm" program. Since its start in 2014, over 2,000 lives have been saved nationally—four of those lives, right here in Waco.
Jennifer Young is the Executive Director for the American Red Cross: Heart of Texas.
“We’ve got over 120 volunteers out here today helping deliver the mission, we’re hoping to install close to 400 smoke alarms and educate folks on fire safety,” Young said.
As quick as a fire can happen, the response is what matters.
“When that alarm goes off, you basically have less than two minutes to get out of the house, and those are a very precious two minutes,” preparedness coordinator Rick Kattner said.
Precious time, saving precious lives.
“We know about half of the smoke alarms in the United States and homes don’t work properly. This is an important safety device that we’re installing today,” Kevin McGee, the Waco Fire Department Interim Fire Chief, said.
