The Houston Fire Department (HFD) has been awarded a grant which will allow HFD to purchase and install 500 visual smoke alarms and bed shakers. The Fire Prevent and Safety Grant Program is awarded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and will allow HFD to expand it's current "Get Alarmed Houston!" smoke alarm installation efforts. The $173,328 provided by the grant will be matched by over $8,000 by the HFD.
“The Houston Fire Department aims to reduce fire related deaths and injuries in homes and possibly eliminate these in our community through early warning provided by working smoke detectors," said Fire Chief Samuel Peña. "This grant will provide us the path needed as we work to make this goal a reality."
Often, the smoke in a house fire overcomes people so quickly that they cannot make it to an otherwise accessible exit so every second counts. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) from 2014-2018, almost three of every five home fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms (41%) or no working smoke alarms (16%).
HFD will identify those in need through outreach with our community partners who serve and work with the deaf and hard of hearing. HFD’s goal is to install 250/year hearing impaired smoke alarms through local contributions, however this is the first time the alarms will include "bed shakers".
The "Get Alarmed Houston" program was introduced by HFD in December 2001, challenging the private industry to donate and help with installing smoke alarms. As a result of this challenge, more than 2,000 standard smoke alarms have been installed in Houston area homes almost every year since the program began.
For more information about this program please visit the HFD website at www.houstonfire.com