Stock Island, Fla. (April 7, 2025) – On Saturday, April 5, volunteers of the Greater Miami and the Keys Chapter of the American Red Cross installed 66 free smoke alarms for families as part of a national Red Cross Sound the Alarm campaign.

Teams, consisting of South Florida Red Crossers and volunteers from Keep Key West Beautiful, installed 66 free smoke alarms, educated over 200 individuals on the importance of fire safety and served 49 homes in Roy’s Trailer Park on Stock Island.

“We greatly appreciate everyone who came together for our Sound the Alarm event to help protect families from the threat of home fires,” said Deborah Koch, executive director of the Greater Miami and the Keys Chapter. “Home fires remain the most frequent disaster we respond to, and the work done this weekend will have a lasting impact, saving lives and helping keep our most vulnerable neighbors safe.”

Home fires are the nation’s most frequent disaster, including in South Florida, where local volunteers have responded to more than 76 home fires across Greater Miami and the Keys since the beginning of the year.

This Sound the Alarm event is a critical part of the national Red Cross Home Fire Campaign, which has helped save 2,266 lives since launching in October 2014. Locally, during this time, the South Florida Red Cross and local partners have installed more than 49,025 free smoke alarms and made more than 23,392 households safer.

IF YOU NEED A SMOKE ALARM Residents in South Florida who need assistance can visit redcross.org/SFLsmokealarm to schedule an appointment for a free smoke alarm installation during the Red Cross Sound the Alarm campaign. During the home visits, Red Cross volunteers will also share information on the causes of home fires, how to prevent them, what to do if a fire starts and how to create an escape plan.

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/SouthFlorida or visit us on Facebook or X at @SFLRedCross.