Red Cross hosts ‘Sound the Alarm' in Pulaski
PULASKI COUNTY, Va. (WFXR) – Pulaski County wants to 'Sound the Alarm' and raise awareness on home fire safety prevention.
The 'Sound the Alarm, Save a Life' campaign is a day-long event being hosted by the American Red Cross to install free smoke alarms across the country.
At 9 a.m. on Saturday, March 29, volunteers with the Pulaski County Emergency Management, Pulaski County Fire and Rescue, Pulaski Fire Department, VDH, and partners with the American Red Cross and other community organizations with be at the Central Gym.
Be prepared! Have and practice an escape plan and practice! Download the .
Roanoke Fire and EMS shares important burning safety guidelines
Test your smoke alarms monthly by pressing the test button
You should hear three beeps, letting you know the alarm is working.
Don't hear the beeps? Then it's time to change the batteries, if your model requires them.
If your smoke alarm is 10 years old, it's time to get a new alarm because the sensor becomes less sensitive over time.
Fire Extinguisher Safety
Consider having one or more working fire extinguishers in your home. An extinguisher rated 'A-B-C' is recommended for home use. Many fire extinguisher models are designed for one-time use and cannot be recharged.
Get training from the fire department or a fire extinguisher manufacturer. Fire extinguishers from various manufacturers operate in different ways, and there is no time to read directions during an emergency. Only adults should handle and use extinguishers.
Install extinguishers high on the wall, near an exit, and away from heat sources. Extinguishers should be easily accessible to adults trained to use them and kept away from children's curious hands. Heat may make the contents less effective or cause the extinguisher to lose its charge more quickly.
If you try to use a fire extinguisher on a fire and the fire does not immediately die down, drop the extinguisher and get out. Most portable extinguishers empty in 8 seconds.
Look at your fire extinguisher to ensure that it is properly charged. Fire extinguishers will not work properly if they are not properly charged. Use the gauge or test button to check that there is proper pressure. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for replacing or recharging fire extinguishers. If the unit is low on pressure, damaged, or corroded, replace it or have it professionally serviced.
Roanoke Fire & EMS share tips on fire escape plans & safety: Learn more
Before you begin to fight a fire with a fire extinguisher, be sure that:
Everyone has left or is leaving the home.
The fire department has been called.
The fire is small and not spreading.
Your back is to an exit you can use quickly.
There is not much smoke in the room.
Cooking Fires:
Cooking fires are the number one cause of home fires and home fire injuries.
Home fires are more likely to start in the kitchen than any other room in your home.
Unattended cooking causes nearly 90 percent of all kitchen fires.
Cooking was the cause of 36% of all structure fires in 2002
The number of home fires the American Red Cross has responded to has risen 10% since 000.
Every two and a half hours, someone is killed in a home fire. In a typical year, 20,000 people are injured in home fires.
Having a working smoke alarm reduces one's chances of dying in a fire by nearly half.
Sign up for your free fire alarm installation today by visiting redcross.org, by calling 540-987-6355, dialing 711, or by scanning the QR Code below.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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