Red Cross tells Kennewick council its smoke-alarm installs and partnerships are saving lives

The American Red Cross told the Kennewick City Council on July 28 that its local chapter has been working closely with Kennewick Fire and other partners to reduce fire deaths and support households after incidents. Michelle Roth, executive director of the American Red Cross Southeast Washington Chapter, said the chapter has installed hundreds of alarms locally and documented at least one life saved in Kennewick after an alarm installed two years earlier alerted a resident.

"We installed 861 smoke alarms, making 249 homes safer," Roth said while summarizing recent chapter activity, and she cited a Kennewick case from October in which a smoke alarm alerted a resident before a heating-related smoke event could escalate. Marissa Kelly, the Red Cross Community Disaster Program Manager, added that the chapter prioritizes 10-year sealed alarms and accessibility devices such as bed-shaker units for people who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Roth and Kelly described the local footprint and services: the Tri-Cities blood center in Kennewick, sheltering and short-term financial assistance after household fires, disaster mental-health support, and free preparedness education and CPR training. They also emphasized the volunteer-driven model: "90% of our workforce is volunteer," Roth said, and nearly 90% of every dollar raised supports mission activities.

Council members asked technical and logistical questions about alarm types and program reach; the presenters clarified that the chapter is using 10-year sealed alarms (not 9-volt battery models), offers voice-enabled alarms and bed-shakers, and conducts free community installations and trainings. The Red Cross encouraged eligible donors to give blood and promoted a city-hosted drive on Sept. 2 at the Kennewick Police Department.