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Washington Fire Department 1,000 Smoke Alarm Installation
State and local fire safety experts gathered at the Washington Fire Department on Wednesday, August 13, to raise awareness about the importance of working smoke alarms in their homes and to highlight a no-cost smoke alarm installation program in place for central Illinois residents. Washington is the first volunteer department to reach this milestone and joins only 3 other departments to receive this recognition in Illinois.
“Working smoke alarms save lives, it’s that simple! The OSFM is a proud partner in the Be Alarmed Smoke Alarm Installation Program, a proven lifesaving initiative. I want to extend my deepest gratitude to the dedicated fire departments across Illinois who go above and beyond to educate their communities and install these critical alarms in homes. Just one properly installed smoke alarm can mean the difference between life and death,” said Illinois State Fire Marshal Michele Pankow. “Not only do these alarms give residents precious time to safely evacuate, but they also help protect our firefighters by reducing the need for risky rescue operations inside burning homes.”
“Creating a fire-safe Washington is a top priority for our department one alarm at a time. It’s not just about installing smoke alarms; it’s about delivering crucial fire safety education and making sure residents understand their fire escape plans or helping them develop one,” said Washington Fire Department Fire Chief Tyler Gee. “We’re grateful to Camp I AM Me and the State Fire Marshal for this recognition, but this is just the beginning. We remain committed to installing alarms and spreading the life-saving fire safety message throughout our community.”
Chief Gee talks about the program and what it means to the department and residents of the city: https://youtu.be/Rwj2oo_rkXY
According to the National Fire Protection Association, smoke alarms reduce the risk of dying in a home fire by more than half, 54% to be exact. Meanwhile, roughly three out of five fire deaths happen in homes with either no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.
The Washington Fire Department offers these key smoke alarm safety tips and guidelines:
- Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area, and on each level of the home.
- Make sure smoke alarms meet the needs of all family members, including those with sensory or physical disabilities.
- Test smoke alarms at least once a month by pushing the test button.
- Replace all broken or expired smoke alarms that are 10 years old or older.
“The Be Alarmed! Smoke Alarm installation program aims to protect and educate residents across the entire state of Illinois, while reducing residential fire deaths and injuries,” said Philip Zaleski Executive Director of Camp I Am Me by Illinois Fire Safety Alliance. “The partnerships built between us, OSFM, and the 350+ Illinois fire departments participating in this program and has led to more than 43,000 smoke alarms being distributed to protect citizens of Illinois. We are proud to highlight the Washington Fire Department and their efforts with this program as they have installed more than 1,000 alarms in 189 households, protecting 422 of their residents since joining the program.”
“Be Alarmed!” is a fire safety education and smoke alarm installation program administered cooperatively between Camp I Am Me (CIAM) and the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal (OSFM). The program distributes fire safety education materials and 10-year sealed battery smoke alarms to fire departments in the state of Illinois. The fire departments then deliver the education while installing smoke alarms in at-risk homes within their communities. Both the educational materials and smoke alarms are provided at no cost as a result of funding from both the CIAM and OSFM.
To learn more about the program visit: https://www.ifsa.org/prevention-resources/smoke-alarm/.