"Smoke Alarms: A Sound You Can Live With"

With this years Fire Prevention Week quckly approaching and the focus being on Smoke Alarms, lets hear what your departments are doing to get the word out on the street. Any lesson plans you care to share or ways of obtaining donated smoke detectors to hand out to families who are without smoke detectors in their homes?

0 members like this

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Firefighter Chris on August 9, 2010 at 2:27pm

I never gave the liability a thought when giving away smoke detectors...

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by John on August 9, 2010 at 2:32pm

Same here, that makes me wonder if thats why we do not carry them on the apparatus any more as well as batteries for detectors.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by John Crabbe on August 9, 2010 at 2:41pm

What i do as part of fire prevention talks is bring in a Smoke detector and i Hold it up and hit the test butto to get the kids attention, it works

What about the adults?

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Firefighter Chris on August 9, 2010 at 2:41pm

I do the same thing and even use a doll house and show the kids where smoke detectors should go and can even do fire escape plans by placing dolls in different rooms and having the kids show me two ways to get the dolls out of the room.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by John Crabbe on August 9, 2010 at 2:48pm

ways of obtaining donated smoke detectors to hand out to families who are without smoke detectors in their homes?

There are ways around a dept liability if this is the case. A few years ago a couple of non-profit groups purchased smoke alarms and wanted to distribute them to such families. They teamed up with the dept and a few companies went out on a couple Saturdays going door to door. If a working smoke alarm was found the homeowner received a coupon for a pizza, if not one was put in. The FD was there just to observe the non profits. The smoke alarms are tested and placed properly, like close to bedrooms etc. If anything happened after the FD left the house, it is up to the owner.

Basically, don't let fear of litigation turn you away from doing something. The dept doesn't have to purchse the alarms, but if this is something of interest, look to such groups like Aging Resources, other non-profits, etc. However, such campaigns should only be focused on private homeowners. Places like apartments, duplexes, etc the responsibility is on the landlord.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Firefighter Chris on August 9, 2010 at 2:55pm

Seems to me I department here in Michigan did the same thing, really good ideal. Also good for fire department involvment in community

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Firefighter Chris on August 9, 2010 at 3:05pm

Another way around the liability is a waiver, I was just flipping thru NFPA's packet for smoke alarm installation program and see they have included a waiver in regards to the installation of the smoke alarm...