North Adams Firefighters, Red Cross Install Free Smoke Detectors
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Fire Department teamed up with the Red Cross to install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in 50 homes at no cost to residents.
Red Cross Disaster Program Manager Mary Nathan said the national initiative Home Fire Preparedness campaign aims to reduce the number of deaths and injuries caused by home fires by 25 percent over a five-year period.
Even though the program is only a year in, it has already saved lives in Western Massachusetts.
"We put in an alarm and a week later the alarm went off and the fire department was called," Nathan said. "It was a carbon alarm going off ... they got over there and he had a carbon monoxide leak. So just locally in Western Mass we already had a save."
Fire Director Stephen Meranti said the Fire Department has done similar programs before, however only individuals over the age of 60 could apply. Any single family residence could apply for this program and a free install by the North Adams Fire Department.
Meranti said people tend to forget about maintaining their detectors and some people install them incorrectly.
"It is great to be able to provide this to the citizens of North Adams and this helps us out because these detectors allow us to get to the house quicker," Meranti said.
Mayor Richard Alcombright agreed and said prevention is often the key to saving lives.
"You save lives by prevention whether that be medical with physical health or the condition of your house in this case having something that allows people that extra time to get out in a crisis," Alcombright said. "From the city's perspective we are very grateful to the American Red Cross folks for having this program…and certainly to our fire fighters."
Firefighters split into two teams — carrying power drills instead of hoses — and drove off to homes that signed up for the program. Upon arrival, Red Cross representatives sat with the residents and went over safety tips while firefighters made their way up stepladders to install the detectors in optimal locations.
Resident Joyce Wrend was first on the list and explained that she received an education upon the Fire Department and the Red Cross' arrival.
"I didn't realize how involved it is, and there are carbon monoxide detectors and things that have to go up ... I never thought of that," Wrend said. "I love the Fire Department, and ... I think it is an excellent program, especially for these older houses that are all wood."
Firefighters explained to Wrend that a detector's location is important because smoke will move certain ways and in certain directions. If a smoke detector is placed wrongly, the room could fill with smoke before it even goes off.
Next on the list was Lynn Taft, who said she wanted a carbon monoxide detector installed by those who knew best.
"I learned a lot in a short amount of time, but I did know carbon monoxide was bad so when we heard about this program we jumped right on it," Taft said. "The Fire Department is awesome, and I know when they install them they are being placed in the proper area and being done the right way, not guess work by me and my husband."
Tags: fire safety, NAFD, Red Cross,
