The American Red Cross of the Mid-Hudson Valley is holding a local Sound the Alarm home fire safety and smoke alarm installation event in Wappingers Falls on Saturday, March 30. Noticing a prevalence of local home fires – impacting more than 200 Wappingers Falls residents over the last 3 years – community partners including the Red Cross, Wappingers Falls Junior High School, Wappingers Central School District, Rebuilding Together Dutchess County, the Village of Wappingers Falls, ServiceMaster Restore by Nest, and Gordon Fire Equipment have come together to bring lifesaving resources and education to local families through this community-wide event.
On Saturday, March 30, Red Cross volunteers and partners plan to visit homes across Wappingers Falls, installing free smoke alarms and educating families about fire safety in an effort to make homes safer and prevent home fire tragedies. Homes fires claim seven lives every day in the U.S. – most often in homes without working smoke alarms. Sound the Alarm events like this one are part of the Red Cross Home Fire Campaign, launched in 2014. So far, the campaign has reached more than 1.7 million people and saved more than 500 lives nationwide. In the Eastern New York Region, Red Cross volunteers and partners have installed more than 18,000 free smoke alarms and saved at least 19 local lives – 7 in Dutchess County – to date.
“We have seen firsthand in Dutchess County how our efforts to Sound the Alarm and equip people with working smoke alarms and fire safety education can indeed save lives,” said Kelly Formoso, executive director for the American Red Cross of the Mid-Hudson Valley. “We are thrilled that so many community partners have stepped up to help us make a lifesaving impact in Wappingers Falls next weekend.”
Residents of Wappingers Falls can sign up to receive a visit from a Sound the Alarm team on Saturday, March 30 by visiting soundthealarm.org/eny or calling (845) 249-4228. Anyone interested in joining the effort as a volunteer can sign up to help at redcross.org/STAWappingersFalls. All volunteers will receive training, and breakfast and lunch will be provided courtesy of Buffalo Wild Wings, County Fare, Dunkin' Donuts, Antonella's Restaurant & Pizzeria, Jade Palace, West Main Kitchen Bar & Grill and Longobardi Restaurant & Pizzeria.