Smoke Detector “Give Away” Day

Subject: The Long Beach Fire Department Partnering with The Community Development Department /Neighborhood Services Division announces the Smoke Detector “Give Away” Day.On Saturday, June 21, 2008 from 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. every Long Beach Fire Station will give away up to Two (2) smoke detectors for each residence in the City of Long Beach.

Statistics show that properly installed and maintained smoke alarms in the home are considered one of the best and least expensive means of providing an early warning of a potentially deadly fire. Smoke alarms save lives, prevent injuries, and minimize property damage by enabling residents to detect fires early in their development. In fact the risk of dying from fires in homes without smoke alarms is approximately twice as high as in homes that have working smoke alarms.

The procedure for distribution will be for the community member to Completely fill out the smoke detector release form provided at the fire station, department members will then provide the smoke detector/s with a brief orientation on there proper usage. This orientation will include at a minimum the proper mounting locations (hallways and sleeping areas) an emphasis on the importance of checking the batteries regularly to ensure their proper working condition, and referring the community member to read the manufacturers instructions for use.

This simple, yet effective tool has proven to save lives. The Long Beach Fire Department and the Community Development Neighborhood Services Division are sponsoring this event in an effort to provide for better safety within our city and encourage community members to take advantage of this great opportunity.

To locate a Fire Station in your area, and for additional information on fire safety go to WWW.Longbeach.gov/fire or WWW.nfpa.org