Rick Krukowski stands in front of a group of volunteers, his hands steady as he demonstrates the precise angle to secure a smoke alarm. “This isn’t just about drilling screws,” he explained. “It’s about drilling in confidence, knowing this device could give someone the two minutes they need to escape a fire alive.”
New volunteers lean in at his table, ready to transform theory into action. For Rick, a 58-year-old American Red Cross volunteer and San Diego native, this training session is more than instruction; it’s a transfer of hope.
Nearly seven years ago, Rick survived a life-altering car accident, a crisis that first introduced him to the compassion of emergency responders. Since then, he’s dedicated more than 27,280 volunteer hours to ensure others have the know-how and tools to survive their own darkest moments.
His story, chronicled here, reflects the heart of the Red Cross’s mission: turning crisis into action. And action was abundant. At the "Sound the Alarm" event, held at the Rancho San Luis Rey Mobile Home Park in Oceanside, he embodies the power of second chances.
“I sleep better knowing this little device has my back.”
Nearly 200 American Red Cross volunteers, including 20 spirited SDG&E employees, fan out across the park to install free smoke alarms and share fire safety tips with hundreds of households. On this sunny early morning, a chirp from a fire alarm brings joy and reassurance to everyone involved.
The Oceanside event strikes a chord beyond the buzz of drills and beeps of newly installed alarms. For residents of Rancho San Luis Rey Mobile Home Park, where aging infrastructure and tight-knit homes can accelerate fire risk, the effort is a lifeline. “I sleep better knowing this little device has my back,” says Brenda Webster, clutching an American Red Cross emergency plan checklist.
Nationwide, home fires claim seven lives daily, most in homes without working alarms. But for decades, SDG&E’s partnership with the American Red Cross has worked to turn those statistics around, blending financial support, volunteer muscle, and energy-sector expertise with power preparedness.
“We’re not just responding to disasters, we’re preventing them.”
“Our partnership with the American Red Cross spans over 20 years and reflects our deep commitment to community safety,” says SDG&E Director of Community Relations Kazeem Omidiji. “Safety is woven into the fabric of who we are at SDG&E, and through our joint efforts, we are making a significant impact within the San Diego region.”
American Red Cross Southern California Region CEO Sean Mahoney echoed the sentiment, “Every alarm installed is a potential tragedy averted. With partners like SDG&E, we’re not just responding to disasters, we’re preventing them.”
To learn more about Sound the Alarm or Rick’s journey, visit SoundTheAlarm.org/SoCal
Together, we sound alarms—and ignite hope.
