Photo courtesy of the American Red Cross.
Editor’s Note: A previous version of this story stated the 50,000 fire alarms had been installed in Oak Cliff and Southern Dallas homes. While the 50,000th alarm was installed in a Southern Dallas home, homes in other North Texas counties have also had fire alarms installed during the campaign.
Dallas residents who live south of I-30 are more likely to be vulnerable to home fires than residents who live north of the highway, Red Cross census tract data shows.
Which is why the American Red Cross North Texas branch has worked to install thousands of fire alarms in homes throughout Oak Cliff, Southern Dallas and 119 other counties in the region.
On Tuesday, the organization will install their 50,000th fire alarm in a home on Canary Drive as part of the Sound the Alarm campaign that launched in 2014.
The Red Cross estimates 1,928 lives saved thanks to the nationwide campaign, and 22 lives saved in North Texas.
“Working smoke alarms can cut the risk of dying in a home fire in half,” a statement from the Red Cross said. “58% of our home fire responses in the City of Dallas occurred in zip codes south of I-30 from January 1 through July 31 of this year. In 2022, it was 66%.”
These numbers illustrate the socioeconomic and quality of health divide that I-30 represents for many Dallas residents.
Following the fire alarm installation, volunteers will canvas neighborhoods in Cedar Crest to sign up additional homes for fire alarms which will be installed by Red Cross volunteers later this month.
Photo courtesy of the American Red Cross.
