BRADENTON – Volunteers moved door to door throughout the Mount Vernon 55+ condominium community in west Bradenton on Saturday, Feb. 21, with ladders in hand and a shared mission: protecting lives through prevention.
Coordinated by West Manatee Fire Rescue District (WMFR) in partnership with the American Red Cross, volunteers installed 232 smoke alarms in 87 homes in one of WMFR’s largest senior communities.
Xavier Reeves, community disaster program manager for the American Red Cross, was joined by American Red Cross volunteers, WMFR Prevention Bureau staff, members of Bayside Community Church (West Bradenton Campus) and roughly a dozen members of the West Manatee Firefighters Union (IAFF Local 2546), who volunteered their day to help install smoke alarms and provide fire and life safety education.
The Sound the Alarm initiative is part of the Red Cross Home Fire Campaign – a nationwide effort aimed at reducing home fire deaths and injuries by providing free smoke alarms and fire prevention education.
According to the National Fire Protection Association:
• Three out of five home fire deaths occur in homes with no working smoke alarms.
• The risk of dying in a reported home fire is cut in half in homes with working smoke alarms.
For older adults, early warning can be especially critical as mobility limitations and medical conditions may slow escape time during an emergency.
When asked about the initiative’s broader impact, Reeves said, “This initiative is about more than installing devices; it’s about protecting lives and building resilience within the community. When volunteers, faith partners and firefighters stand shoulder-to-shoulder like this, we’re creating safer homes and stronger neighborhoods.”
Firefighter/Paramedic David Miller of WMFR and Local 2546 said the event reflects a broader commitment within today’s fire service.
“Our firefighters are always ready to respond when someone calls 911,” Miller said. “But the true success story is when a smoke alarm activates early and a family gets out safely, or when a tragedy is prevented altogether. Installing working smoke alarms is a layer of protection and one of the most effective steps we can take to protect our residents, especially our seniors.”
Volunteers moved house-to-house throughout the day installing alarms, testing existing units and reviewing home fire escape plans with residents.
By day’s end, 232 new layers of protection had been added across the Mt. Vernon community, a powerful reminder that public safety is strongest when it begins at home.
