Deparatment, Volunteers Go Door-to-Door to Test and Install Smoke Alarms

(Thursday, January 22, 2009) – “ The Little Rock Fire Department and Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) members, in an effort to address the recent fire deaths will be going door-to-door in the neighborhood of the most recent fire incidents to make sure residents have working smoke alarms.

Smoke alarms are critical to home fire safety because they alert us to fire in its early stages. Even more important, they can alert us to a fire when we are most vulnerable - when we are asleep at night. According to the United States Fire Administration in 2007 83.5% of all civilian fatalities occurred in the home and 82 % of those occurred in single-family residences.

Little Rock recorded seven fire fatalities in 2008 and within the first few weeks of 2009 we’ve recorded four fatalities. The majority of the home fire victims in the nation died in homes without a working smoke alarm. The smoke alarms were not working, usually because batteries were dead, disconnected, or missing.

Interim Little Rock Fire Chief Delphone D. Hubbard noted, “The presence of a working smoke alarm doubles your chances of surviving a fire, and our program will ensure that more of our residents have that protection.”

The Little Rock Fire Department is seeking funding for this program through donations and corporate sponsorships. Those interested in contributing please contact the Little Rock Fire Department at 501-918-3700.

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