[Archived] Alexandria Fire Department, Friendship Firehouse, and Red Cross Team Up to Launch Smoke Alarm Initiative

For Immediate Release: March 14, 2017

The Alexandria Fire Department (AFD) and Friendship Firehouse are partnering with the local Red Cross for a smoke alarm installation initiative to help prevent fire deaths and property loss in the City of Alexandria. On Saturday, March 18, at 8 a.m., a kickoff event for the ASSIST (Alexandria Smoke Alarm Safety Installation Support Taskforce) program will be held at the Alexandria Fire Department Professional Development Center, 1108 Jefferson St. 

"This is an exciting time in our department, because we are taking another proactive approach to help prevent fire deaths and property loss," said Alexandria Fire Chief Robert Dubé. "We will continue to be proactive in the community with our ASSIST program by educating our residents about the importance of having working smoke alarms in their homes, and we won’t stop until we know that every household in Alexandria has working smoke alarms."

“We are so grateful for our partnership with the Alexandria Fire Department and the new taskforce they are launching to ensure everyone in the community has a working smoke alarm. By working together, we can accomplish our goal of reducing the number of fire deaths and injuries in the U.S. by 25% within five years,” said Linda Mathes, Chief Executive Officer, American Red Cross in the National Capital Region.

At the event, Chief Dubé and Red Cross Regional Disaster Officer, Paul Carden, will speak about the importance of smoke alarms and how they can help prevent fire deaths and property loss. The AFD firefighters/EMS and administration, the fire department labor groups, the Friendship Firehouse and Red Cross volunteers will attend and install smoke alarms in the Old Town Alexandria community. Red Cross volunteers who wish to participate should visit the  Red Cross Volunteer Connection website to sign up.

ASSIST is a program designed by the Alexandria Fire Department, Friendship Firehouse, and the Red Cross to proactively install smoke alarms throughout the city of Alexandria. ASSIST will be an ongoing program, with the overall goal of ensuring that all City of Alexandria residents have working smoke alarms installed in their homes. The results of this project will be that the AFD, Friendship Firehouse, and the Red Cross will raise community awareness about the importance of having working smoke alarms in the home. The long-term outcomes of the project include communities that are better prepared if a fire should occur in their homes.

For more information, contact Firefighter Rick Muse, Jr., Alexandria Fire Department Community Outreach/Public Information Officer, at rick.musejr@alexandriava.gov or 703.746.5217.