The Red Cross Home Fire Preparedness Campaign (HFPC) Program provides no-cost smoke alarms and important home fire safety education to residents of vulnerable communities as part of a nation-wide effort to reduce the number of fire-related deaths and injuries by 25% in the next 5 years. Since its start in 2014, the HFPC has been credited with saving 77 lives across the United States and, in the Bay Area alone, have served over 2,500 residents.
Locally, the Red Cross works with fire departments towards this goal by organizing quarterly HFPC Events during which teams of volunteers canvas a target neighborhood offering to install no-cost smoke alarms and provide safety education to residents who are home. The most recent HFPC event was organized in partnership with the Ross Valley Fire Department on Saturday, March 19th from 8:30am – 12:30pm. During this event, 27 volunteers from the Red Cross, Tzu Chi Foundation and the Ross Valley Fire Department knocked on over 70 doors in the Lanai Apartments, Drake Manor Apartments and Village West Community in Fairfax. Through our efforts, we provided smoke alarms and home fire safety education to 47 homes, serving 99 residents including 23 youth and 17 adults over the age of 65.
The Ross Valley Fire Department would like to thank the American Red Cross, Tzu Chi Foundation and the Christ Lutheran Church for their assistance in making this event a success.