Smoke Alarms and Fire Safety Education Help Save Family of Nine

The Jackson-Perry Family

Every day, seven people die in home fires. The Red Cross wants to prevent these needless tragedies – that’s why we launched our Home Fire Campaign in 2014. As part of this campaign, volunteers work alongside fire departments and other local groups, canvassing at-risk neighborhoods to install free smoke alarms, replace batteries in existing alarms, educate families about fire prevention and safety, and fundraise to help sponsor this life-saving mission.

One Louisville family of nine is a testament to the importance of our campaign. Two years ago, on a warm afternoon in late April, the Perry family was enjoying the spring weather outside on their front porch while their grandson napped in their basement. Their family time was interrupted by the harsh sound of their new smoke alarms sounding from inside the house.

Alerted by the alarms, the Perrys noticed smoke coming from the basement, and were able to quickly get their grandson out of the house. Once they were away from the house and gathered at their designated meeting spot, they called 911. Later, they would learn that an electrical fire had started in their basement.

Just weeks before, on April 8, Red Cross and General Electric volunteers in Louisville had visited the Perrys as a part of the Mayor’s Give a Day week of service. Bonnie Perry recalls seeing Red Cross volunteers canvassing her neighborhood that day and inviting them in to install alarms in her home.

“[The volunteer] said, ‘Oh, we’re installing smoke detectors. Do you need some?’ and I said ‘I sure do!’” Mrs. Perry said. “They put one in each bedroom and in the hallway, and thank God they were installed.”

The volunteers also spoke to the Perrys about home fire safety, and helped the family come up with an escape plan. Mrs. Perry stated that the fire escape plan was the reason her family got out safely. She also credited the early warning of the smoke alarms for giving them enough time to get her grandson out of the house and call the fire department before the fire spread to the rest of their home.

”Without the Red Cross, two, three, maybe five of us wouldn’t have been here.” Mrs. Perry said. “We were so blessed that everyone got out safely. The Lord must have sent the American Red Cross to install these alarms.”

Over 550 lives have been saved in the United States since the start of our Home Fire Campaign, including 57 lives in Kentucky and Southern Indiana.

Learn how you can get involved by visiting soundthealarm.org