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Stephanie Greeson with Eight Days of Hope volunteer Kevin Chunn.

When Red Cross Disaster Program Manager, Stephanie Greeson learned Eight Days of Hope and the 4B Disaster Response Network wanted to gather nearly 5,000 volunteers to repair homes damaged by Hurricane Harvey in Galveston County, she knew it was a perfect opportunity to support partner recovery efforts and help make homes safer.

In 2014, the American Red Cross launched the Home Fire Campaign which aims to reduce home fire deaths and injuries by 25 percent. A key component of the program involves Sound the Alarm, a home fire safety and smoke alarm installation event. The events are an opportunity to educate communities about home fire safety as well as help protect residents from home fires.

Greeson reached out to Eight Days of Hope, an organization that strives to bring a ray of hope to those in need and offered smoke alarms as an added dimension to the proposed rebuild – they accepted.

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Unloading 2,000 smoke alarms for Eight Days of Hope.

A few days before the rebuild would begin, Greeson and Recovery Specialist, Race Hodges delivered the smoke alarms that would be installed during the massive recovery initiative that aims to repair more than 700 homes. “The Red Cross supports community partners with programs proven to build resiliency in our region,” said Greeson. “This donation will help increase the safety of hundreds of households in the Texas Gulf Coast.”

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Stephanie Greeson prepares to install drywall.

During the delivery, Greeson and Hodges decided they wanted to be part of the historic initiative to help reconstruct homes. They spent the next two days tearing out moldy flooring and replacing dry wall. “We were pleased to join thousands of volunteers, some from other countries, who are making a difference in Galveston County’s long-term recovery process,” said Hodges.

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Race Hodges preps wall studs for drywall.

This year, the Red Cross is conducting a national Sound the Alarm event from April 28-May 13 with the goal of installing 100,000 free smoke alarms in 100 U.S. cities.

If you are interested in joining the effort to make homes safer, visit: http://www.redcross.org/local/texas/gulf-coast/home-fire-safety