According to the National Fire Protection Association, roughly 33 percent of American homes are not adequately protected with smoke detectors. The NFPA also reports that “46 percent of the occupants that lived through a fire thought their smoke detectors were working at the time.”
All these numbers build to the statistic that should have us checking batteries and looking to ceilings for those little white plastic circles, the death rate by fire is 45 percent lower when even one working smoke detector is present.
The community lost another member this week to fire – and in a home that appears to have not had a smoke detector. Our heart goes out to them, and to the teenaged boy who lost his life. Jarvis Griffin was had cerebral palsy, and who is to say that the extra warning time of a smoke detector would have saved him? But who is to say otherwise? How many times in our lives do we all wish we could have done something to prevent a tragedy, just one thing differently? This is our chance to do something simple, yet potentially life-saving.
In Jarvis Griffin’s memory and to honor his family and friends’ loss, we should all try and be more conscious of taking this step to protect against death by fire.
Yes, smoke detectors can be expensive. And who hasn’t taken a battery out when it gets low and beeps through the night, or when a cooking experiment goes awry? But we need to take better care, our lives could depend upon it.
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, low income houses are more likely to have no working smoke detectors. Newberry has a way to address this fact of life. The fire department helps those on low incomes to obtain smoke detectors. All you have to do is ask. It’s just that simple, and how many people knew it? Spread the word. If you are visiting a friend or family member and notice they are in need, tell them, give them a ride to the fire department. The effort could be that simple.
Those 9 volt batteries, they can be pricey to keep around too. The fire department already makes sure to remind us to change the batteries in detectors at time changes. Why not start a new tradition in your house? Put 9 volts in Christmas stockings along with batteries for toys. Stuff them in Easter baskets too. We all find money for treats on those holidays. Let’s make safety a regular habit too.
Raise money as a group, be it church or civic, have a smoke detector/battery giveaway. Take pictures, send them to us and we will spread the word. We want keep this need at the forefront of our community mind. Everyone’s heart goes out to families who lose so much in fires. Let’s go down a new path together and put our hurt to use.
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