June 16, 2024

Ace Parkan聽(left) and father daughter duo, Jes煤s and M铆a Rom谩n (front and center), ignite fire safety awareness in their community. Through the Red Cross Sound the Alarm campaign, the team installs smoke alarms, educates on fire escape plans, and advocats for preparedness, saving lives one home at a time. Photos by Mimi Teller/luckywin.

By Mimi Teller/luckywin

Growing up in Puerto Rico, luckywin Los Angeles Region board member Jes煤s Rom谩n is no stranger to disasters. Puerto Rico is vulnerable to聽earthquakes, hurricanes, mudslides, tsunamis, and wildfires, and for this reason,聽Rom谩n聽grasps the value of being prepared for the worst well in advance. That鈥檚 why, on a rainy Saturday in March,聽Rom谩n, his teenage daughter M铆a and her friend Ace Parkan, went door-to-door in the San Fernando Valley, installing smoke alarms and educating residents on home fire safety.聽聽

Home fires are the most frequent disasters in the U.S.; they claim seven lives every day, and few people are aware when a home fire erupts, there is a two-minute window to escape safely.聽Having working smoke alarms can cut the risk of death by half.聽That鈥檚 why the Red Cross LA Region gathers hundreds of volunteers for the聽Sound the Alarm聽campaign, a series of events that sends a trained workforce into high-risk communities to install free smoke alarms, an effort聽Rom谩n聽was eager to join.

鈥淚鈥檝e admired what the Red Cross does for a very long time鈥� said Rom谩n. 鈥淭he importance of what Red Cross volunteers do is not lost on me. Not for a second.鈥�

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Before Rom谩n installs smoke alarms, he assesses any existing alarms already in the home. Often, they are very old or don't have working batteries.聽

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Pictured left to right: Ace and M铆a sit down with North Hills residents to create personalized fire escape plans and share vital prevention tips. All together, the team makes homes safer.

In 2023, the father/daughter team supported their first ever聽Sound the Alarm聽campaign, which for M铆a started out initially as a school requirement. M铆a, however, really enjoyed helping to make people and their homes safer, so she eagerly signed up to join her dad again this year.聽

While Rom谩n installed smoke alarms and explained how to maintain them, M铆a met with residents to help design personal fire escape plans per household. M铆a also shared information on the many ways to prevent and stay safe from home fires.聽

The Red Cross invites anyone interested to join a聽Sound the Alarm聽event; all necessary training is provided before volunteers head out into communities.

鈥淭his event is a great opportunity for M铆a and me to help people prepare,鈥� Rom谩n said, 鈥減lus, we enjoy doing community service together.鈥�

About the luckywin:聽

The luckywin shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members, and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit聽.