An upcoming free smoke alarms event in Dawson County has now been postponed until next month due to weather. 

Dawson County Emergency Services will now team up with the Red Cross on Saturday, June 21, for the annual “Sound the Alarm: Save a Life” event, according to Community Risk Reduction Specialist John Shaffer. 

This regular initiative aims to provide free replacement smoke alarms to people who need them.

First responders, Red Cross personnel and other community volunteers will go door to door from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on June 21, offering replacement battery-operated smoke alarms to residents of three local areas, Shaffer said.  

They will stop by homes in the Crane Road, Duck Thurmond Road and Dogwood Lane/Diane Circle areas.  

“If somebody has a hard-wired [alarm] and if they want us to put a battery-operated smoke alarm in, we’ll do that,” Shaffer said.  

A yellowing, chirping or unresponsive smoke detector are signs that it’s time to replace the alarm.   

It’s important to replace the whole smoke alarm, not just the batteries, after 10 years, Shaffer said.  

Cleaning or wiping down a smoke alarm can also help, so dust doesn’t block its sensor, he added.   

This event isn’t the only time locals can take advantage of these free replacement smoke alarms, though.  

“We do this all the time. It‘s not limited to one day a year,” Shaffer said.  

Anyone interested in getting a smoke alarm outside of the “Sound the Alarm” event can contact Emergency Services Community Risk Reduction Specialist John Shaffer at (706) 344-3500 extension 44520.