Free Smoke Detectors

San Angelo’s Fire Marshal’s Office and San Angelo Fire Department firefighters are teaming to provide and install 180 smoke alarms in the homes of low-income and elderly residents on a first-come, first-served basis.

 The effort is part of this year’s “We’re Out to Alarm Texas” smoke alarm campaign spearheaded by the Insurance Council of Texas and the State Fire Marshal’s Office.

The local Fire Marshal’s Office is working to identify potential participants with Meals for the Elderly, the City of San Angelo’s Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program, Angels Home Health Services and Shannon Home Health Services. Participants must own their homes. San Angeloans who meet the criteria but are not served by one of the agencies should call Karla Steppe at the Fire Marshal’s Office at (325) 657-4358.

As manpower allows, the SAFD will install the alarms in the bedrooms and outside the entrances to sleeping areas in the homes of the participants.

In its eighth year, the smoke detector campaign this year donated 1,400 alarms to 13 Texas cities. The State Fire Marshal’s Office chose the cities because of high fire fatality counts and their fire departments’ willingness to install the alarms. While doing so, firefighters point out possible fire hazards in the homes.

“Smoke alarms can wake people from a deep sleep … or remind them they left something on the stove,” San Angelo Fire Marshal Ross Coleman said.  “A smoke alarm can give residents the precious seconds they need to escape a burning house.”

Information provided by the City Of San Angelo Department of Public Information.