Free smoke alarms for Houston-area homes in need
HOUSTON - It's almost time to turn your clocks back. That means it's also time to test your smoke alarms and replace their batteries.
If you don't have smoke alarms in your home, several local fire departments are ready to give free alarms to homes in need.
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The Houston Fire Department estimates that 30% of homes in the area don't have smoke detectors, or have alarms that don't work properly.
It happens too often. Lives are lost in fires in homes without working smoke alarms, which can give people precious minutes to get out in time.
"There certainly have been fatalities where smoke detectors could have alerted residents earlier," said Terry Wygal, Assistant Chief of the Atascocita Fire Department.
The National Fire Protection Association says there are 20,000 structure fires in Texas each year and 50 deaths. Two thirds of them are in homes with no working smoke alarm.
"There are a number of residences that aren’t protected adequately," said Chief Mike Mulligan with the Atascocita Fire Department.
Through its Out to Alarm Texas program, the Insurance Council of Texas is using a grant from State Farm Insurance to donate smoke alarms to fire departments in 30 Texas cities, including the Atascocita Fire Department.
"It allows us to get into homes where people may not have the resources to replace their smoke detectors. We’re getting them out there, we’re putting them in, installing them, replacing batteries where needed," said Wygal.
"It’s an honor to be asked and be a part of this, because this is our community and we take a lot of pride in that," said Stephan Perry with State Farm Insurance.
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Experts say smoke alarms should be placed on every floor of a home, in each bedroom, in main living areas, and near the kitchen.
Smoke alarms should be replaced every ten years. Batteries should be replaced and tested twice a year.
The City of Houston, through it's Get Alarmed Houston! program, now gives out smoke alarms with ten-year lithium batteries.
But no matter what type you have, now is the time to check them.
"Don’t ignore not having a smoke detector or not having batteries that have gone bad. Call us out there. We will go out there, and we will help you out," said Wygal.
The Texas Department of Insurance lists the 30 Texas cities that receive smoke alarms through the Out to Alarm Texas program.
You can contact the Atascocita Fire Department and Houston's Fire Departments about getting smoke alarms and batteries.
The American Red Cross Texas Gulf Coast Region also installs smoke alarms in homes that don't have them.