SPOKANE, Wash. — Five hundred homes in Spokane’s Chief Garry Park neighborhood had the opportunity to get new smoke alarms installed for free Saturday.
Spokane Fire Department said having smoke alarms that are up to date, working correctly and in all of the necessary rooms can mean saving a life in an emergency.
“We can have as little as two minutes to safely evacuate if there’s a fire in the place we live. Having that smoke alarm not only in the right place but also in the lifetime of the smoke alarm can really make the difference,” said Jamie McIntyre, the community risk reduction manager for the Spokane Fire Department.
For the last decade, SFD has teamed up with the Red Cross to install smoke alarms in homes, focusing on areas with a higher risk of fires.
“When we pick those areas, we’re really intentional on picking. We pick homes that have had a high number of working fires in the neighborhood,” McIntyre said.
According to SFD, Chief Garry Park has had over 24 house fires in the last five years. On Saturday, 25 volunteers went door-to-door offering help.
“When we knock on the door, we’re generally greeted with appreciation because thinking about the needs of your smoke alarm is something that’s not necessarily on the forefront of a lot of people’s minds,” McIntyre said.
Some of the key things you need to know to make sure your home is safe in case of a fire:
Get a new fire alarm if yours is over ten years oldGet a fire alarm in every bedroom, hallway and each level of your houseTest smoke alarms once a monthChange smoke alarm batteries once a year.
SFD said free installations are available year-round for low-income, owner-occupied homes in Spokane.
You can find out more information here.
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