County smoke alarm collaboration event helps protect homes, lives

Published on February 24, 2025

When’s the last time you checked your smoke alarms?

Recently, Cabarrus County Fire Services staff and Squad 410 members, along with other community partners, went door-to-door asking that exact question during a smoke alarm installation drive.

The group, including members of the American Red Cross, Allen Fire Department and Cabarrus Health Alliance joined Spanish-language interpreters and spread out into six teams throughout three Cabarrus County neighborhoods. The goal: to provide life- and property-saving smoke alarms to homes with outdated or non-functional units.

“We strategically chose older neighborhoods that have a high volume of fires and other emergency calls,” said Cabarrus County Assistant Fire Marshal Ashleigh Ennis, who spearheaded the event along with American Red Cross Community Disaster Program Manager Will Cannon.

The effort found a significant number of homes had their original alarms. The average lifespan of a smoke alarm is 10 years.

In total, 174 alarms were provided by the American Red Cross and installed free of charge at 88 homes. The teams also educated more than 200 Cabarrus residents on the importance of checking and maintaining their home alarms.

“It feels great knowing that we made these homes safer,” Ennis said. “These residents now have a better chance of getting out in the event of a fire-related emergency. That makes me sleep a little better at night.”

Ennis has worked with the American Red Cross on other efforts and jumped at the chance to participate when Cannon reached out about the collaboration. Cannon is a former employee of Cabarrus County Emergency Medical Services (EMS).

“The Red Cross is so thankful to our donors and partners who make it possible for us to install free smoke alarms in homes while providing fire safety information and general disaster preparedness information,” Cannon said. “Smoke alarms save lives.”

Ensure your home has adequate smoke alarms

Ennis has three important tips for Cabarrus residents:

• Check your alarm once a month using the test button and listen for loud beeping. If no beeping occurs, replace the batteries or the entire unit. 
• Check the date of manufacture on the back of your alarms. If older than 10 years, replace immediately.
• Have a smoke alarm in every bedroom, outside every sleeping area and on every floor of your home—older homes tend to not be adequately equipped

Request a FREE smoke alarm and installation

To request a free smoke alarm, Cabarrus residents can call Ennis at 704-920-2418 or the American Red Cross at 1-800-RED-CROSS to set up a time to install.

For more information on the County’s Fire Services department, visit https://www.cabarruscounty.us/Government/Departments/Fire-Services.