Barrow County Emergency Services is offering, free of charge, smoke detectors to residents who cannot afford them.
A recent donation from the Kidde company (manufacturers of smoke alarms and fire extinguishers) has allowed BCES to provide these life-saving tools to the citizens of Barrow County.
The National Fire Protection Agency reports that since 2012, 60% of fire deaths nationwide occurred in homes without working smoke detectors.
“Houses today and their furnishings are made with materials that burn much quicker than homes from generations past. Today’s homes contain a large amount of plastics, foam upholstery, and engineered wood. These materials make for inexpensive furniture and housing, but allow occupants very little time to get out before a fire grows to the point that people are incapacitated by toxic smoke and heat. A working smoke alarm can alert residents to a fire earlier which can literally mean the difference between life and death. In a house fire, seconds matter,” said Lt. Steve Rose, BCES Public Information Officer.
To request a smoke detector, contact Lt. Joseph Rinke in the BCES Fire Marshal’s Office at [email protected] or by calling 770-307-2987.
