The American Red Cross Metro NY North Chapter installed 178 free smoke alarms, including one bed shaker alarm, in 57 homes and educated 133 people about home fire safety during a Sound the Alarm home fire safety and smoke alarm installation event held in Peekskill, NY, on Saturday, March 23, 2024.
Red Cross team members from across Westchester and Rockland counties, and Greenwich, Conn., as well as dozens of volunteers from MIRA USA, a national partner group, participated in the Peekskill Sound the Alarm event, despite inclement weather that covered the region with several inches of rainfall. The 128 workers were also joined by local elected officials, including Peekskill Mayor Vivian C. McKenzie, State Senator Pete Harckham, Assemblywoman Dana Levenberg, and a representative from the office of Congressman Mike Lawler.
“A working smoke alarm can be the difference between survival and tragedy when a home fire strikes,” said Stephanie Dunn Ashley, CEO, American Red Cross Metro NY North Chapter. “That’s why the Red Cross teamed up with the City of Peekskill and others to help ensure local residents, especially those most vulnerable, have these lifesaving devices. It was so rewarding to see our Red Cross workers undaunted by heavy rain and helping make tangible impacts in the Peekskill community.”
The Red Cross offers free smoke alarm installations and fire safety information across the country. For people who are deaf or hard of hearing, the Red Cross offers free bed shaker and strobe light smoke alarms which use a vibrating pad installed under the mattress or a flashing light and are activated by traditional smoke alarm sounds. Volunteer teams from the Metro NY North Chapter work weekly to respond to such requests.
To request a free fire safety visit and smoke alarm installation for your home, please visit www.soundthealarm.org/mnyn. During the visit, volunteers will test existing smoke alarms, install new free smoke alarms, and 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.
PEEKSKILL EVENT PART OF NATIONAL CAMPAIGN
Local Sound the Alarm events like this one in Peekskill are a critical part of the national Red Cross Home Fire Campaign, which has helped save 2,063 lives nationwide since launching in October 2014. During this time, the Metro NY North Chapter and local partners have installed more than 8,223 free smoke alarms and educated more than 7,727 households about fire safety throughout Rockland County, Westchester County, and Greenwich, Conn.
This work is made possible thanks to generous financial donations from regional partners including State Farm, FEMA, NY Cancer & Blood Specialists, USBank, Marsh McLennan, and Northville Industries. The Red Cross is grateful for the partnership and support from the City of Peekskill, including the Office of Emergency Management, the Fire Department, and the Police Department.
