Volunteers Install 2,944 Smoke Alarms Across New York

Red Cross volunteers just made hundreds of New York families safer while they sleep.

During a six-week campaign this spring, volunteers installed 2,944 free smoke alarms in 830 homes across Greater New York. The effort protected 2,412 people from home fires, the most common disaster the Red Cross responds to nationwide.

The Sound the Alarm campaign ran from May 2 through June 8, bringing together volunteers, local fire departments, and community partners in Yonkers, Queens, Manorville, the Bronx, and Babylon. Volunteers knocked on doors, installed alarms, and sat down with families to create personalized fire escape plans.

Home fires strike with frightening frequency. Every 10 minutes, Red Cross teams help someone affected by a home fire somewhere in the United States.

In Greater New York alone, Red Cross disaster teams responded to more than 1,700 home fires between July 1 and May 31. They provided emergency shelter, financial assistance, mental health services, and compassionate care to 4,675 people whose lives were suddenly turned upside down.

This marks the 12th year of the life-saving program. Past campaigns have already proven their worth when alarms installed by volunteers have detected fires and saved lives, giving families precious seconds to escape safely.

The Ripple Effect

Beyond the immediate protection of nearly 2,500 people, this campaign strengthened entire neighborhoods. When one home gets safer, everyone benefits from the fire safety knowledge that spreads through communities.

Local fire departments gained trusted partners in their prevention work. Volunteers learned skills they can use to protect their own families and neighbors. Children in 830 homes now grow up knowing what to do if they hear a smoke alarm.

The campaign succeeded thanks to support from partners including the New York Yankees, FDNY, FDNY Foundation, Marsh, National Grid, Northville, Northwell Health, and PSEG Long Island. These organizations understood that preventing fires costs far less than responding to them, both in dollars and in heartbreak.

The simple act of installing a smoke alarm takes just minutes but can make the difference between a close call and a tragedy. Working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in a home fire by half.

Together, volunteers are proving that small acts of service create big waves of safety, one home at a time.

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