Program includes installation in city residences
By Ed Nadolski
Editor in Chief
During his firefighting career, City of Burlington Fire Chief Perry Howard has had the unfortunate experience of working the scenes of several fatal fires.
One, in particular, remains lodged in his mind.
“It was a fire on a second floor and we went up to ventilate the roof,” he said.
Howard recalls looking down into the bedroom below and seeing two white indentations on a bedspread outlined in soot.
It was the spot where two children – since removed by rescue crews – had perished in the blaze.
“That sticks with you,” he said, again imagining the sight of children huddled on the bed as flames grew around them. “Those poor kids never had a chance.”
Those types of memories drive Perry and other firefighters throughout the world to advocate for fire prevention – especially in homes where children live.
And now in his role as chief, Perry has a chance to spread the word about a citywide program that offers free smoke detectors to local residents.
Thanks to a grant obtained earlier this year through the Focus on Fire Prevention Foundation, the city currently has 150 smoke detectors to install free of charge in the homes of local residents. And, according to Perry, if the demand exceeds the initial 150, the number will be doubled to 300.
“Nothing would please me more than to order another batch,” Perry said this week. “The whole goal is to get these out into the community – especially into homes where kids live.”
All local residents have to do to qualify for installation of as many detectors as needed is to fill out a one-page application that includes name, address and several simple questions regarding the layout of the home (number of bedrooms; whether it has a basement, etc.)
The application is available for printing and download by clicking here.
The program is not limited to homeowners. Renters are welcome to apply as long as they are willing to seek permission from their landlords to allow the installation.
“We could put as many as eight detectors in each home, depending on the number of floors and number of bedrooms,” Howard said.
And, at a value of roughly $25 apiece, plus what it would cost to have the detectors installed, the free program could be worth as much as an estimated $300 for some residences.
According to Howard, city Fire Inspector John Niederer attended an installation seminar in Florida sponsored by the Focus on Fire Prevention Foundation’s initial $7,000 grant.
Niederer was trained how to install and where to install the detectors in residential homes. He, in turn, passed that knowledge onto other members of the department who will handle installations by appointment on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.
All the installations will comply with National Fire Prevention Safety Standards, Perry said.
In addition to photoelectric and ionization smoke detectors, the department has several special versions that are approved for use in homes occupied by people with visual or hearing impairments.
For additional information on the program, contact the fire department at (262) 763-7842.
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