Dawson-area residents will soon have the chance to update their smoke alarms for free through an annual event.  

Dawson County Emergency Services is again partnering with the Red Cross for the “Sound the Alarm: Save a Life” initiative to provide free replacement smoke alarms to people who need them, according to Community Risk Reduction Specialist John Shaffer.  

First responders, Red Cross personnel and other community volunteers will go door to door from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 10, 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.   

The May 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.