The Southern Md. Chapter of the American Red Cross and the Charles County Volunteer Fire & EMS Associations are rallying to Sound the Alarm against home fires Jan. 4.

During Sound the Alarm event in Nanjemoy neighborhoods, volunteer teams will go door-to-door to install free smoke alarms, replace batteries in existing alarms and help families create home fire escape plans.

Get your home checked or volunteer to install smoke alarms that day.

Since 2014, through Sound the Alarm, the Red Cross and partners have saved more than 650 lives, made more than 822,000 homes safer and installed more than 1.9 million free smoke alarms.

Call (301) 643-2892 for more information.