Red Cross team member Donna Messersmith shares home fire safety tips and a sample escape plan with Venice, Fla., resident Nancy Knapp. Photo by volunteer Dan Heschmeyer.
In May, American Red Cross volunteers and community partners installed 1,340 free smoke alarms in vulnerable communities across Central Florida and the U.S. Virgin Islands of St. Croix, St. Thomas and St. John as part of a national series of Sound the Alarm home fire safety events. Nationwide, more than 45,000 free smoke alarms were installed.
During the events – which included six communities in Central Florida and five in USVI -- Red Cross volunteers, local fire departments and other partners met with residents of 678 households to help make them safer from home fires by installing the alarms and sharing home fire safety information.
‘A LASTING DIFFERENCE’ Eric Corliss, Regional CEO of the American Red Cross of Central Florida and the U.S. Virgin Islands, has attended dozens of home fire safety events in his 25-year career.
“Home fires are a constant threat to our community, and our efforts during the month of May will make a lasting difference to save lives. It’s very gratifying to help thousands of vulnerable neighbors to make sure their homes are equipped with working smoke alarms and their families have the knowledge and plans they need to stay safe.”
OVER 1,330 LIVES SAVED AND COUNTING This national Sound the Alarm effort is part of the Red Cross Home Fire Campaign, which has helped save more than 1,330 lives since launching in October 2014. Significantly, 32 percent of the lives saved are children under age 18.
WITH APPRECIATION This work is made possible thanks to generous financial donations from regional partners: Lockheed Martin, Suburban Propane, TECO and Wells Fargo.
LEARN MORE Visit SoundTheAlarm.org to learn more, volunteer for an event or make a donation to the Red Cross to help people prepare for, respond to and recover from home fires.
The American Red Cross of Central Florida and the U.S. Virgin Islands serves 19 Florida counties through five chapters: Florida’s Space Coast (Daytona Beach), Greater Orlando, Mid-Florida (Winter Haven), Southwest Florida (Sarasota) and Tampa Bay; and the Virgin Islands territories of St. Thomas, St. Croix, St. John and Water Island. For more information, visit redcross.org.
About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.
# # #