Port St. Lucie, Fla. (February 19, 2024) – On Saturday, February 17, volunteers and partners of the Palm Beach and Treasure Coast Chapter of the American Red Cross installed 128 free smoke alarms for families as part of a national Red Cross Sound the Alarm campaign.

South Florida volunteers and members of the Port St. Lucie County Fire Department installed 128 free smoke alarms, educated over 115 individuals on the importance of fire safety and served 68 homes in the Spanish Lakes Riverfront neighborhood in Port St. Lucie.

SAVING LIVES FROM NATION’S MOST FREQUENT DISASTER Home fires are the nation’s most frequent disaster, including South Florida where volunteers have responded to more than 62 home fires in the first month of the year.

2,030 LIVES SAVED AND COUNTING This Sound the Alarm event is a critical part of the national Red Cross Home Fire Campaign, which has helped save 2,030 lives since launching in October 2014. Locally during this time, the South Florida Red Cross and local partners have installed more than 44,344 free smoke alarms and made more than 21,376 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.