The American Red Cross “Sounded the Alarm” Saturday, reaching a total of 80 residents across the territory to raise awareness about fire safety and the importance of smoke detectors.
Simultaneously, in Estate La Grande Princesse on St. Croix and Anna’s Retreat on St. Thomas, Red Cross volunteers and staff members provided smoke detector installations and fire prevention information. Although the event did not take place on St. John, residents are encouraged to contact the Red Cross to schedule an installation appointment.
On St. Croix, about 30 volunteers gathered at the Frederiksted Health Clinic’s north location, where they set up base and reviewed the plan for the day.
Tina Beazer, executive director of the American Red Cross of the U.S. Virgin Islands, explained the event’s focus, saying, “Every year, we target a different community. We look at areas where homes are close together and where there may have been multiple fires, as that indicates a need. Even if we’ve been in a community before, we may return two or three years later.”
Beazer also noted that the installed smoke detectors have a life span of 10 years and do not require battery replacements during that time.
The volunteers were divided into three-member teams, each consisting of an educator, an installer, and a documenter. Volunteers who had interviewed residents before the installation took special care to communicate with them during the process.
To learn more about this event, click here to read our full interview with the American Red Cross.
