Red Cross, Prince George's EMS Team Up for Day of Service

Promoting fire safety and preparedness, members of the Prince George’s County Fire and Emergency Medical Services team spent Martin Luther King Jr. Day installing working smoke detectors inside area homes.

It was part of President Obama’s nationwide service initiative, United We Serve.

Fire officials have repeatedly urged residents to check their smoke detectors to ensure they work after three people died in separate house fires in late December and early January in Laurel, Bowie and Capitol Heights.

With the help of representatives from National Capital Region of the American Red Cross, 70 Prince George’s County homes received assistance.

Armed with fire safety materials, working smoke alarms and batteries, eight teams of county officials and Red Cross volunteers deployed throughout Glassmanor and Forest Heights. Together they installed 93 new smoke alarms and replaced the batteries in 37 smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, according to a news release.

The two agencies expect to launch additional projects together in the future, said National Capital Region Red Cross’s disaster program specialist Patrick M. Campbell in a release.

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Images courtesy of PGFD PIO Mark E. Brady