OKEECHOBEE, FL — February 17th — As part of National Sound the Alarm Month, Okeechobee County Fire Rescue collaborated with the American Red Cross Mid-Florida Chapter to execute a Sound the Alarm event. On February 13, volunteers gathered at Riverbend Mobile Home Park to teach homeowners about fire safety and install free smoke alarms.

According to officials, one of the best ways to lower the number of fatalities and injuries caused by fires is to have functional smoke alarms. Alarms can reduce the chance of fatality in a home fire by half, according to national data. Okeechobee's dedication to community risk reduction was highlighted when it was chosen as a Signature City for the program. The agency gave residents, partner organizations, and volunteers credit for their support of community-wide initiatives to increase safety and fortify prevention.