Denise Velez at a South Florida Red Cross event.
The headlines from the last several months highlight the disastrous wildfires in the West. As terrifying as those are, the American Red Cross knows that home fires are the leading cause of disasters in South Florida and in many other parts of the country. Nationwide, the Red Cross responds to a home fire or other disaster every eight minutes, 36 people suffer injuries as a result of home fires every day, and as many as seven people die every day from a home fire, most impacting children and the elderly. If you have ever experienced a home fire, you know how devastating it can be for you, your family, your mental and physical health, and your pets as you are suddenly displaced from your shelter, your possessions, and your familiar surroundings.
The South Florida Red Cross knows that unless a hurricane is a threat to the region, fire prevention and assistance to families affected by a home fire, is a top priority. The best way to fight fires, however, is to prevent them from happening. It’s the dedication of volunteers, among many others, that make prevention and preparedness possible.
Denise Velez of Ft. Lauderdale, FL is one exceptional volunteer who singlehandedly has made a difference in the lives of many South Floridians. She was instrumental in forming a partnership between Motorola Solutions and the South Florida Red Cross, a partnership that raised significant funds and recruited many volunteers to help install free fire alarms donated by several fire alarm companies.
“I have worked with many families in my five years with the Red Cross helping to ensure that homes have fire alarms,” says Velez. “It is very satisfying to give back to the community and to know that we are saving lives.”
“Denise is an outstanding volunteer who has worked to raise awareness of fire prevention in South Florida,” says Tzaicel Hernandez, Chief Development Officer for the Red Cross South Florida Region. “With Motorola’s support and encouragement, she organized some 70 events in the last few years to recruit and coordinate volunteers who contacted families who needed fire alarms and she is one we can count on whenever we need help of any kind,” says Hernandez.
Just earlier this year, the apartment of Velez’s cousin in Jacksonville, Linda Macanaldo, and her mother, was damaged by smoke and water from a fire in an adjacent apartment. “The Red Cross was the best thing that happened here,” said Macanaldo. “A man came to us the day of the fire and offered a voucher for us to stay in a motel until the damage could be repaired enough for us to move back in. It was such a relief to know we would have a place to go. I am so grateful to the Red Cross.”
As you think about your home and your level of home fire preparedness, keep these Red Cross fire safety tips in mind:
For more information on how to prevent and prepare for a home fire, click here.
If you or someone you know is interested in giving your time to volunteer to help the Red Cross continue to serve the communities of South Florida, please visit, redcross.org/sflvolunteer.
Written by Mary C. Churchill
