American Red Cross and Meals on Wheels of Odessa install new smoke alarms in 117 homes

ODESSA, Texas (KOSA) -The American Red Cross of the Permian basin and Meals on Wheels of Odessa hosted an event called sound the alarm and save a life.

Meals on Wheels of Odessa and the American Red Cross of the Permian basin partnered up together for the first time to train people how to install smoke alarms in their homes.

The two organizations shared resources and installed three hundred fifty new smoke alarms in one hundred seventeen homes.

According to the national fire protection association, six percent of homes in the United States do not have smoke alarms.

Nearly half of the fire deaths occur in those homes.

“It is an absolute lifesaver. literally we saved lives by doing these events. Last year we saved two people’s lives by putting smoke alarms in their house because they didn’t have them before they wouldn’t known they had a house fire. It could become a whole different outcome.” said disaster team action coordinator Shane Bell.

There was a class to demonstrate how to properly install new smoke alarms.

They gave away different types of smoke devices that are made for disabled people.

“We have more than regular smoke alarms for those who are hard of hearing or deaf. We have bed shakers when they are sleeping. It actually shakes the bed to let them know that something is wrong, or we put strobes in that you see in an office building, so they have a visual versus just having the hearing.” said Bell.

Meals on Wheels is known for donating food to the community.

This time they want to do something different.

“We want to be more than a meal and make sure that our clients have the extra things that they need if a smoke alarm. Is a small repair in their homes. we want to provide those things.” said executive director Meals on wheels Craig Stoker.

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