More Than 1,000 Free Smoke Alarms Coming to St. George Homes

More than 500 St. George-area families will get extra protection from home fires this week as Dixie Power and the American Red Cross of Utah team up to install more than 1,000 free smoke alarms across the community.

Community Collaboration: Dixie Power and Red Cross Unite

Dixie Power employees are volunteering for the Red Cross “Sound the Alarm” program, visiting homes to install alarms, share fire-safety information, and help families develop escape plans—including plans for pets. Homes the team can't reach during Tuesday’s event will be referred to the Red Cross for follow-up visits.

“A home fire can spread incredibly fast, leaving families very little time to escape.”
-Benjamin Donner, executive director of the Red Cross Central and Southern Utah Chapter.

Fire Safety Matters: Lessons from Local Tragedies

That warning carries extra weight in St. George after the devastating Bella Vista Apartments fire on Riverside Drive earlier this year. On June 7, flames tore through a 20-unit apartment building on Riverside Drive, destroying the building and displacing residents. Police officers rushed through the complex, helping people escape, and several officers and residents were treated for smoke inhalation.

The fire became a dramatic local reminder of how quickly a residential fire can spread and how little time people may have to react.

Alarming Statistics: Understanding Home Fire Risks in Utah

Utah sees hundreds of families affected by home fires every year. The Red Cross says its volunteers responded to 154 home fires in Utah during 2025, helping 728 people. So far in 2026, volunteers have responded to another 130 fires and assisted 624 people. Since 2020, Red Cross teams have responded to 1,137 home fires across Utah and helped more than 5,200 people.

Ongoing Commitment: Ensuring Every Home is Safe

Dixie Power received requests for 522 homes. Each home typically gets 6-7 alarms to ensure safety. But they weren't able to fill all the requests in one day.

“We made it to 31% of the sign-ups. We installed just over 600 alarms yesterday.  The rest that we didn’t make it to will have other organizations partnering with the Red Cross come to install in the future if the person opted to allow us to share their info with the Red Cross.”

-Dixie Power Communications Manager Steve Young

The Red Cross says working smoke alarms can reduce the risk of dying in a home fire by about 60%, while families may have less than two minutes to escape once a fire begins.