NEW HAVEN – The city of New Haven alongside American Red Cross will try to help save lives by holding their annual “Sound the Alarm” campaign.
This Saturday, April 27 the campaign will give away free smoke alarms.
Last year the city of New Haven placed second in the nation for most amount of free smoke alarms given away. The campaign hopes this year they will place first and save lives.
New Haven Fire Marshal, Robert Doyle attended to news conference announcing the campaign and said, “It’s a proven fact, smoke alarms save lives there is statical data out there that a properly installed a properly maintained smoke alarm is the best defense in a home.”
Doyle says nationwide seven people die in a home daily due to fires. The sound the alarm event which provides free smoke alarms courtesy of the Red Cross is meant to help reduce that number and warn people before disaster strikes.
Deputy Chief James Watkins with the city’s fire department explains that having a smoke alarm is vital. He says this is more effective than giving away free fire extinguishers.
Deputy Chief Watkins said, “Within a room in context, let’s say a living room, if someone would say drop a cigarette it would take 3-5 minutes for that room to be fully engulfed in flames, so you think about the response time it takes us to get to a house fire the average 3-5 minutes and we are pulling up that room could be fully engulfed.”
New Haven’s response time is below the national average of 5-7 minutes, but officials say a smoke alarm can at least start the process of getting people out of homes.
Doyle said, “Look for about two ways out, you want to have two ways out of your residence whether it's the front door, rear door or a window; recognize that fact, practice it and understand it.”
The Red Cross say it will give out about 100, 000 smoke alarms over the next three weeks across the country.
If you would like to receive a free smoke alarm you can register here.