North Lenoir Volunteer Fire & Rescue recently took delivery of 48 smoke detectors from the North Carolina Office of State Fire Marshal. The smoke detectors were donated as part of the Office of the State Fire Marshal’s Smoke Alarm Canvassing Grant, a program designed to reduce fire deaths and injuries in high-risk fire areas.
NLFR Assistant Chief Brandon Ward accepted the smoke detectors from OSFM Region 3 Community Risk Reduction Specialist Jason Nesbit. “The Office of State Fire Marshal opens this grant opportunity on a yearly basis and interested fire departments can apply to receive smoke detectors which we can use to target high-risk areas of our community,” said Ward. “This year, we will be targeting Hickory Hills Mobile Home Park after a fatal fire we responded to in November,” he said.
Smoke alarm installs and surveys must be completed within 6 months of receipt of the alarms. Trained NLFR Firefighters will perform home visits in the target area, providing fire safety education and installing smoke detectors for residents.
“In 2021, North Carolina reported 133 fire deaths, and only 3 out of every 5 homes had working smoke alarms,” said Chris Decker, NLFR Public Information Officer. “Tragically, one of these fatalities occurred at an incident we responded to, and we are hoping to save lives by physically installing these smoke detectors in homes within our community,” he said.
Most fire fatalities happen between the months of January through May, with 71% of those facilities involving individuals over the age of 50. One of the best tools in the home is a working smoke detector. The National Fire Protection Association estimates you can cut your risk of dying in a home fire in half by having a working smoke alarm.
For more information about smoke alarms, please visit the following resources:
Smoke Alarm Facts, Tips and Resources from NC OSFM:
https://www.ncosfm.gov/community-risk-reduction/fire-prevention-education/smoke-alarms
NFPA Safety Messages About Smoke Alarms:
https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/Staying-safe/Safety-equipment/Smoke-alarms/Safety-messages-about-smoke-alarms.