Fire safety and smoke alarms
BUTLER TWP — Pennsylvania had 208 fire deaths in 2023, according to the U.S. Fire Administration. The state’s rate of fire deaths is on the lower end compared to the other 49 states, but the American Red Cross and Butler Township Volunteer Fire District are working to lower it even more.
On Saturday morning, Sept. 27, the fire department teamed up with the Red Cross to install smoke detectors in residences in and around Butler Township, and firefighters further offered advice on how to prevent life-endangering fire in the home.
Mike Blessel, lead volunteer for the Red Cross and member of the Butler Township VFD, said more than 60 households had already registered to have smoke detectors installed by Thursday.
The installation of the smoke detectors was just one way the department tried to reduce deaths on Saturday. He said volunteers also talked with the homeowners they installed for about their fire escape plan, and the best places to keep smoke detectors and other anti-fire equipment in their homes.
“One of the things we want to make sure we emphasize is to have every home has an escape plan,” Blessel said. “We have a Powerpoint presentation where we give a little background on safety and where in the home we should install them — one on every floor, all the tips on where to put them and place them.”
According to Blessel, the Red Cross has offered this “Sound the Alarm” event several times in the past. The alarms are provided by the Red Cross, and volunteers with that organization and the fire department help install them in homes.
Blessel referenced the U.S. Fire Administration’s statistics when speaking about the importance of spreading fire safety awareness. He said many people who have had smoke detectors installed through Sound the Alarm in the past had not known that smoke detectors should be replaced every 10 years, not just powered with new batteries after that time.
“The point is to help eliminate fire deaths,” Blessel said. “What we try to do is make sure these homes have smoke alarms, and if they are older than 10 years we replace them.”
One of the recipients of smoke detectors on Saturday was Norbert Cronin, a Butler Township resident who said the last time he maintenanced his own smoke detectors was when he put batteries in, but he doesn’t remember how long ago. As three Red Cross volunteers placed detectors on each of his house’s floors, he said he appreciated the initiative.
“I live alone, I forget about them,” Cronin said of his smoke detectors. “I heard about it from my neighbor, Mike (Blessel), he told me they were doing it.”
