“Sound the Alarm” event at Ramon Mobile Home Park helps install smoke detectors

On Saturday, American Red Cross volunteers installed smoke alarms for hundreds of residents at the Ramon Mobile Home Park in Palm Springs, free of charge.

News Channel 3 was there and spoke with volunteers and homeowners on what this means to them.

United States Air Force veteran and retired law enforcement officer, Ray Gayton-Jacob has been a volunteer with the American Red Cross for two years.

“I like helping people out," he said.

When he’s not lending a helping hand during natural disasters in Florida or North Carolina, he helps prevent local disasters here in the Coachella Valley.

This weekend, he helped install over 300 smoke detectors in a mobile home park.

“We’re knocking on each of the doors," he said.

One of those doors, belonging to Randy Stephenson's home, who has lived in the mobile home park for six years.

“We need this," Stephenson said. "Every trailer in this park needs it because of the fire hazard. We’ve had several fires in the past and we all need these alarms. It’s very important,” he added.

Ernie Calderon, the Disaster Program Manager explains how with the help from volunteers like Ray they are able to save lives here in the valley.

“Last year, we did another mobile home park Sahara. After we installed those alarms, a month later, a fire broke out in that home and alerted two residents and they were able to evacuate without injury,” Calderon said.

Anyone can call the American Red Cross and have their smoke detectors installed for free.

If you are interested in volunteering with the American Red Cross visit www.Redcross.org