The Red Cross installs smoke alarms in local neighborhoods

ZANESVILLE, Ohio- The American Red Cross of Southeast Ohio teamed up with Charter Communications to install 150 smoke detectors across Zanesville.

About 35 volunteers walked through neighborhoods on the westside of the city to see which residents were in need of smoke alarms. The goal is to help make the neighborhoods and community a safer place to live.

“We’re going door to door canvassing the neighborhoods knocking on doors. This is a free program for anyone who wants to take advantage of it,” said Marlene Henderson the Executive Director of the American Red Cross of Southeast Ohio. “We will install up to three free smoke alarms plus do an education piece for every household.”

Mike Hogan, the spokesman for Charter Communications, says this is part of the company’s housing assistant initiative which is a goal to improve 50,000 homes by 2020. The company is hoping to help the Red Cross educate the public on fire safety.

“A lot of people either don’t have smoke alarms or they need updated ones. And in many cases, you know, people just want the education and a lot of people need to know, you know, ways to get out if there was a fire,” said Mike Hogan the Spokesman for Charter Communications. “So it’s very important the education aspect as well.”

The Zanesville police and fire departments also lent a hand. The Red Cross and Charter Communications will be canvassing more neighborhoods. Henderson said you can call them at 740-844-2017 if you would like them to come to your neighborhood.