Don't miss the HBA Home & Outdoor Living Show, April 12 - 14, 2024 Wilson Logistics Arena  |  Ozark Empire Fairgrounds  |  Springfield, MO
Don't miss the HBA Home &
Outdoor Living Show
April 12 - 14, 2024
Wilson Logistics Arena
Ozark Empire Fairgrounds
Springfield, MO

HBA Receives Community Service Award from Springfield Fire Department

The Home Builders Association of Greater Springfield was honored by the Springfield Fire Department Thursday with its 2011 Community Service Award. The award was in recognition of the HBA’s leadership in the city’s effort to make 2011 the “Year of the Smoke Alarm.”

The Springfield Fire Department Presented this Community Service Award to HBA Thursday

At the Fire Department’s urging, Springfield City Council last year declared 2011 to be the “Year of the Smoke Alarm”as part of a fire safety awareness campaign. The Department set the goal of installing 1,100 smoke detectors in the city, in those homes that are older and whose occupants are therefore statistically at far greater risk of fire death or injury.

HBA members carry 400 smoke alarms inside while KOLR-10 captures the action.

Partnering with lead sponsors Meek’s – The Builders’ Choice and Metro Appliances and More, the HBA of Greater Springfield donated 400 new smoke alarms to the effort. The association also helped the department lead a public awareness campaign in the local media, teaching the value of working smoke alarms. The HBA’s support helped the fire department more than double its goal by installing 1,499 smoke alarms, 57 alarms for the hearing impaired and 2,190 batteries in homes within the city in 2011.

MO House Resolution Recognizing HBA

The number of new alarms is especially impressive when you consider years prior to 2011. Typically, Springfield firefighters install 400-450 such smoke alarms per year. The department’s recent high of 948 in 2005, was far surpassed by the 2011 effort.

HBA of Greater Springfield CEO Matt Morrow accepted the 2011 Community Service Award at the Fire Department’s annual awards ceremony, held in Springfield on March 22, 2012. In addition to the presentation of the award itself, State Representative Melissa Leach (R-District 137) was on hand to present to the HBA of Greater Springfield with official resolutions of recognition from the Missouri House of Representatives and from the Missouri Senate.

The HBA board of directors voted to make the donation in 2011 because the association shares the Springfield Fire Department’s commitment to expanding access to life-saving smoke alarms, and wanted to help the department meet its ambitious goal. 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.

MO Senate Resolution Recognizing HBA

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.

The HBA donation was a 100% private-sector initiative (no tax dollars were utilized for the donation).

To re-read coverage of the initial HBA donation of smoke alarms to the Springfield Fire Department in support of the “Year of the Smoke Alarm,” please visit the links below:

CLICK HERE FOR ORIGINAL REPORT ON SPRINGFIELDHBA.COM

CLICK HERE TO READ ORIGINAL COVERAGE BY THE SPRINGFIELD NEWS-LEADER

CLICK HERE TO READ ORIGINAL COVERAGE BY KOLR-10 AND KSFX-27

HBA’S FACT SHEET SHARED WITH MEDIA & CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS

CLICK HERE FOR SPRINGFIELDHBA.COM COVERAGE OF OTHER SMOKE ALARM DONATIONS AND MEDIA COVERAGE.