As a part of National Fire Prevention Week, The Home Builders Association of Greater Springfield teamed up this week with the City of Republic Fire Department to provide new smoke alarms for residents of homes without working smoke alarms. The smoke alarms are a joint donation to the fire department from the HBA of Greater Springfield, Meek’s – The Builders’ Choice, and Metro Appliances and More.
Here, KY3‘s Dustin Hodges reports on the joint effort:
The HBA of Greater Springfield shares the Republic Fire Department’s commitment to expanding access to life-saving smoke alarms, and wants to help the department protect lives. Modern building codes require hard-wired smoke detection systems to be installed in all new homes. The requirement – along with other modern building practices and codes – has contributed to a substantial decrease in fire deaths over the last thirty years. In fact, statistically, building a new home is one of the most fire-safe decisions a person or family can make.
But it is equally important to make sure that older homes – built before smoke detectors were required by code – also have working smoke detectors. These older homes are where the vast majority of residential fire deaths still occur – and they are where our attention should be focused to save lives. Working smoke alarms are proven life-savers. They are the most effective, efficient, and cost-effective method to prevent fire deaths and loss of property.
Earlier this year, the HBA assisted the Springfield Fire Department in providing smoke alarms to homes in need as a part of Springfield’s effort to make 2011 the “Year of the Smoke Alarm.”
To learn more about the HBA’s support of the Republic Fire Department for National Fire Prevention Week, see this news release and this Q&A Sheet.