ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) – The American Red Cross has made it their mission to make sure Albuquerque residents are prepared in case of a fire.
Over the weekend, the group installed free smoke alarms in homes near Candelaria and Interstate 40.
The neighborhood is in the heart of Albuquerque. It’s also where a lot of elderly people live.
“This is an old, old area. We have a lot of senior citizens,” said McKinley Neighborhood Association President Geraldine Griego.
With the help of dozens of volunteers, the Red Cross helped make the residents in that part of town safer.
It’s all part of the national Home Fire Preparedness Campaign which is aimed to reduce home fire caused injuries and deaths by 25 percent in the next five years.
“It’s about starting a conversation,” said Albuquerque American Red Cross Disaster Preparedness Coordinator Sandra Darling-Roberts. “Lots of people just turn that smoke alarm off because it beeps and it’s a pain to buy batteries, so reminding people how important notification is if something starts.”
Groups of three or four went door to door on Saturday. They installed new smoke alarms in people’s houses, tested them out then talked with homeowners about an evacuation plan.
“Mainly for safety issues. I mean we have a lot of people here that probably live alone, older senior citizens, people who don’t have any communication with anybody,” said Griego.
Which makes it even more important that the smoke detectors are in place and working.
“It means a better chance of survival in case the worst thing that happens, happens,” said Darling-Roberts.
This was the eighth installment event in New Mexico.
