Late in the evening on February 16th, a residential fire broke out in Greenville, IL and despite the devastation and damage to the home, a ray of light emerged – the first recorded smoke alarm save through the Be Alarmed! Smoke Alarm Installation Program.
Thanks to the proactive efforts of the Greenville Fire Protection District, working smoke alarms, which were provided through the Be Alarmed! Program, had been installed in the home where the fire erupted. These alarms proved to be lifesaving as they awoke the elderly resident from sleep, allowing them to evacuate the house safely before succumbing to smoke inhalation or flames.
The Be Alarmed! Program, a cooperative initiative between Camp I Am Me and the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal, serves as a tremendous benefit to local fire departments and their residents by promoting fire safety and prevention while protecting residents with smoke alarm devices. This recent incident serves as a poignant reminder of the critical importance of having functioning smoke alarms in every household.
Though a successful save enabled by the Be Alarmed! Program is celebrated, this moment can also be used to reflect on everyone’s responsibility towards fire safety. Regularly testing and maintaining smoke alarms, ensuring they are in working order, and replacing units if they are more than 10 years old are simple yet powerful actions that can protect loved ones from potential fire hazards.
To learn more about the Be Alarmed! Smoke Alarm Installation Program and the nearly $1 million worth of life-saving equipment that has been distributed to more than 320 Illinois fire departments, visit www.IFSA.org/alarms.
For more smoke alarm and fire safety prevention tips, click here.