The Washington Fire Department’s participation in a statewide initiative to highlight fire safety through no-cost smoke alarm installations gained recognition Wednesday for reaching a noteworthy milestone.
Through the “Be Alarmed” campaign in partnership with the Illinois Fire Safety Alliance's “Camp I Am Me” educational program, the Washington department topped 1,000 smoke alarm installations in 189 community households.
“Creating a fire-safe Washington is a top priority for our department, one alarm at a time,” Fire Chief Tyler Gee said in a media release. “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.”
Figures from the National Fire Protection Association indicate smoke alarms reduce the risk of dying in a home fire by 54%, while noting about three out of five fire deaths happen in homes without working smoke alarms.
Illinois State Fire Marshal Michele Pankow credited the Washington department and others like it for going “above and beyond” in regard to safety awareness.
“Just one properly installed smoke alarm can mean the difference between life and death,” said 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.”
The “Be Alarmed” program provides fire safety education materials and 10-year sealed battery smoke alarms to fire departments across the state. Those departments then pass along the information while installing smoke alarms in at-risk homes.
