LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Lexington firefighters were handing out free smoke alarms to help educate people on the ways to prevent a deadly fire.
Fire crews were out in the Armstrong Mill corridor for Saturday's event.
The smoke alarms are free and were installed by the firefighters thanks to a federal fire safety prevention grant.
The area was chosen for the event due to a high number of house fire calls in the neighborhood where homeowners did not have a smoke alarm.
Lexington FD Battalion Chief Jordan Saas says Kentuckians are 1.6 times more likely than the average American to die in a house fire.
"Smoke alarms are the cheapest form of life insurance that somebody can buy. And so we always recommend that you have one installed in every bedroom, outside of every sleeping area, and one on every level of your home," said Battalion Chief Saas. "Because once those smoke alarms activate you can have less than two minutes to get out of your home safely."
Here are some tips the battalion chief says to keep in mind to help you be fire aware.
- Do not block exits
- Know at least two ways out of your home.
- Don't leave any heat sources or open flames unattended while in use.
- Sleep with your doors closed.
Smoke alarms are good for 10 years, so if yours is older it needs to be replaced. He says replacing smoke alarms or batteries have the new one on hand so you don't leave yourself unprotected.
