Members of the Palm Beach County Fire Rescue and volunteers with the Red Cross and Southern Gardens Citrus installed smoke alarms free of charge in homes in South Bay on July 16. Isabel Perez (pink shirt) and Bereniz Bogardus (in olive green shirt) volunteered from Southern Gardens Citrus.

SOUTH BAY, Fla. – The Palm Beach & Martin County Chapter of the American Red Cross installed about 70 smoke alarms in South Bay on July 16 as part of its Home Fire Preparedness Campaign supported by U.S. Sugar.

Members of the Palm Beach County Fire Rescue and volunteers with the Red Cross and Southern Gardens Citrus, which is part of U.S. Sugar, installed the smoke alarms free of charge to help protect residents against home fires.

The Red Cross Home Fire Campaign aims to reduce deaths and injuries from home fires by as much as 25 percent over the next few years.

“U.S. Sugar is helping us to save lives. This is the second time this year we have been able to help the residents of South Bay and that is due in large part, to the support of this initiative by U.S. Sugar.  We know smoke alarms cut the risk of death from a fire in half,” said Robin Nunley, Executive Director for Greater Palm Beach & Martin County Red Cross Chapter. “It’s so important for every household to have working smoke alarms and a fire escape plan, and programs like this help prepare these families.”

Now in its second year, the Red Cross Home Fire Campaign involves Red Cross workers and volunteers who go door-to-door in at-risk communities to install smoke alarms and teach families about home fire prevention.  The program extends to homes throughout Belle Glade, Golden Gate, Hobe Sound, Pahokee and South Bay in Palm Beach and Martin counties.