Red Cross, local leaders 'Sound the Alarm' in WNY

‘Days of Action’ in Fredonia, Buffalo to focus on neighborhoods with high home fire rates

American Red Cross of Western New York Press Release

On Thursday, April 10, American Red Cross of Western New York leadership gained the support of New York State Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes and Buffalo Fire Commissioner William Renaldo in announcing an aggressive campaign to reduce the risk of home fires through the “Sound the Alarm” campaign.

Now in its 11th year, the “Sound the Alarm” campaign seeks to reduce the incidence of injuries and fatalities associated with home fires by providing families with free smoke alarm installations and home fire safety education.

This year-round effort will culminate with two days of action in Fredonia and the City of Buffalo – two communities at highest risk of home fires within the Western New York chapter.

The first day of action will take place Saturday, April 26, and will target homes in Fredonia with a goal of installing 400 smoke alarms. In recent years, neighborhoods in the Fredonia area have been disproportionately affected by home fires, helping to make Chautauqua County one of the highest in the state in terms of risk for injury or death due to home fire. The neighborhoods targeted in this year’s effort represent some of the highest areas of home fire risk in the Western New York chapter footprint according to the American Red Cross Home Fire Risk map.

The City of Buffalo will serve as this year’s signature campaign city with a goal of installing 600 smoke alarms, including a day of action on Saturday, June 7. Red Cross volunteers and community partners will gather at the Delevan-Grider Community Center to gather supplies before visiting area homes, by appointment, to provide free smoke alarm installations and lifesaving home fire safety education to families.

Since 2023, neighborhoods on Buffalo’s east side have accounted for 50% of home fire responses in Erie County by American Red Cross disaster action team volunteers.

“The mission of the American Red Cross is to prevent and alleviate human suffering in the face of life’s emergencies – and when it comes to home fires, we know that arming families with working smoke alarms and proper home fire safety education can help to cut their risk of death or injury in a home fire by half,” said Nick Bond, CEO, American Red Cross of Western New York. “Our goal is to make homes throughout our community safer – and with the support of Assembly Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes, Commissioner Renaldo, our volunteers and all of our community partners, we know that goal is achievable. I would encourage everyone to learn more and sign up to help us fulfill our lifesaving mission.”

Peoples-Stokes said, “When you look at the numbers, half of all house fires in Erie County occur on the east side of Buffalo. The simple act of installing smoke alarms in these homes will undoubtedly save lives and save property.”

Renaldo said, “I applaud the efforts of the American Red Cross in this vital area. Focusing on the most at-risk homes in our community will most certainly result in lives saved, and at the same time contribute significantly to firefighter safety.”

Every eight minutes, Red Cross volunteers respond to emergencies across the nation – the majority of which are home fires. Last year, Red Cross of Western New York disaster volunteers responded to more than 750 disaster events, primarily home fires, and provided assistance to more than 1,200 families.

Home fires claim seven lives every day. Having working smoke alarms in your home can cut the risk of death by half. Since its launch in 2014, the “Sound the Alarm” campaign has helped to save lives in Western New York and across the country. In that time, local volunteers have reached more than 17,000 homes and installed more than 40,000 free smoke alarms, resulting in a documented 53 lives saved.

Volunteers are needed to help make this lifesaving effort possible. Those interested in volunteering for smoke alarm installation teams as part of a day of action with the “Sound the Alarm” campaign can visit soundthealarm.org/wny. Residents lacking or needing smoke alarms can also use the link to learn more and sign up for an appointment for a free smoke alarm installation.

Western New York is among more than 50 at-risk communities participating in the national Red Cross “Sound the Alarm” initiative with community partners. This work is made possible thanks to generous financial donations from regional partners: National Grid; DiMino’s Lewiston Tops; M&T Bank; National Fire Adjustment Co. Inc. (NFA); Linde; Alera Group (Relph Benefit Advisors); Boulter Industrial Contractors; ESL Federal Credit Union; Bond, Schoeneck & King; Harter, Secrest & Emery; Monroe Piping & Sheet Metal; Schuler-Haas Electric; Dryden Mutual; Rich Products; Phillips Lytle; Wegmans and WTS Inc.

More about the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% 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, visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or on X/Twitter @RedCross.