LAFD Offers Free Smoke Alarms To Reduce Deadly House Fires
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Mayor Eric Garcetti Monday announced new Los Angeles Fire Department initiatives to reduce residential fire fatalities, including the availability of free smoke alarms at LA fire stations.
KNX 1070's Claudia Peschiutta reports residents in need of smoke alarms can get them for free at any of the 106 neighborhood fire stations across the city.
LAFD Offers Free Smoke Alarms To Reduce Deadly House Fires
Garcetti and LAFD Chief Ralph Terrazas were joined by city officials and representatives of the American Red Cross and My Safe LA in front of a home along the 1500 block of West 36th Place that was destroyed July 29 by a house fire.
Officials later announced there were no functioning smoke alarms in the home.
The fire alarms will be available to the public free of charge courtesy of First Alert, a home safety company that donates 500 alarms every month to the Los Angeles Fire Department, according to officials.
So far this year, 20 people have been killed in LA in building fires, a number that Capt. Jamie Moore said was in large part due to a lack of working smoke alarms.
Among the victims is a 98-year-old woman who died from smoke inhalation in February after being rescued from a house fire in the 200 block of East 47th Place.
According to Moore, the elderly are especially vulnerable to potential fires.
"Those who care for them are really concerned that they have food and making sure that they get their medication, but they're not thinking of emergency plans," said Moore.
Under a new three-month expansion of the Smoke Alarm Field Education Program, firefighters will also canvas certain residential blocks throughout the city to provide smoke alarms, batteries, and fire safety education, as well as discuss the importance of a family escape plan in the event of a fire.
Click here for a list of participating fire stations.
