Posted on April 18, 2018
Town of Davie Partners with the American Red Cross to Install Smoke Alarms
On Saturday, April 7, 2018, the Town of Davie’s Fire Rescue Department and Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) members partnered with the American Red Cross, Broward County Chapter for the Home Fire Campaign’s “Sound the Alarm” event to install over 360 free lithium ion self-activating smoke alarms in the Driftwood Estates neighborhood. All smoke alarms were donated by the American Red Cross.
Town of Davie Fire Rescue Department personnel were dispersed throughout the target areas to canvas and approach residents to see if they were interested in having smoke alarms installed in their homes by the volunteers.
“The Sound the Alarm event helps save lives by installing free smoke alarms in homes that do not have them, and by educating people about home fire and hurricane safety,” said Town of Davie Fire Marshal Robert Taylor. “Davie Fire Rescue, along with members of our CERT team and Broward Chapter Red Cross volunteers, visited homes in the Driftwood Estates neighborhood for over six hours and installed 147 Smoke Alarms within 84 homes.”
The volunteers educated the residents about having an escape plan in the event of a fire, provided them with a fire safety checklist, as well as hurricane planning information. They also checked existing fire alarms in the homes and replaced old fire alarms with new ones.
“Home fires are the biggest disaster threat we face, killing seven people in this country every day,” said Joanne Nowlin, Chief Executive Officer for the American Red Cross South Florida Region. “Here in South Florida, we responded to 800 home fires so far this year. Please help us Sound the Alarm by volunteering to install smoke alarms in your community, making a financial contribution, or taking steps to protect your own family from home fires.”
According to the National Fire Prevention Association, properties should have a lithium ion smoke alarm installed. The batteries in these alarms last for 10 years. Residents who still have older model smoke alarms are encouraged to change the batteries whenever daylight savings time starts and ends.
The installation of fire alarms is a nationwide initiative by the American Red Cross to help residents protect themselves from a fire and its effects. A fire can happen to anyone, anytime, and anywhere. Taking a few precautionary measures can reduce the risk of a fire in your home.
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 Twitter at @SFLRedCross.