West Michigan firefighters join Maranda at ArtPrize 7 outside the Grand Rapids Art Museum while they promote Operation Save A Life and fire safety!
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October 4 through 10 is Fire Prevention Week. This year’s fire prevention theme is “Hear the BEEP where you SLEEP! Every bedroom needs a working smoke alarm.” Michigan has seen a dramatic increase in home fires resulting in injury and death. This listing provides numerous opportunities for children and families to learn about fire safety, injury prevention, and smoke alarm maintenance close to Where You Live. If you have questions about fire prevention and safety or need a smoke alarm, e-mail [email protected].
>>> List of fire department open houses
ESCAPE Inc. is celebrating 20 years in West Michigan! See the ESCAPE smoke demonstration trailer and Jake the Fire Safety Dog at Zoo Goes Boo at John Ball Zoo on Saturday, October 17. There will be experts to answer questions and free fire prevention materials between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Dozens of firefighters from West Michigan joined Daybreak on WOOD TV 8 on Friday for Fire Prevention Week.
Michigan ranks in the top five states in the U.S. for the most home fire deaths.
This year, home fire deaths in West Michigan are up 44-percent from 2014.
In an effort to prevent fire-related deaths, WOTV 4 Women, Kidde and E.S.C.A.P.E. Fire Safety have partnered together to create Operation Save a Life.
>>LIST: Smoke alarm installation programs across West Michigan
The free program is designed to make sure people in need of smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors not only get them, but also have them installed.
During Fire Prevention Week, which runs from Oct. 4-10, firefighters have been visiting schools and the community to stress the importance of fire safety plans and testing smoke alarms. Alarms more than 10 years old need to be replaced.
Recent statistics show the number of fire-related deaths are on the rise in Michigan. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, from Jan. 1 to June 2, 2015 the number of fire deaths were up 25-percent from 2014. A total of 61 people died in fires across the state. Twenty-three of those deaths were in West Michigan which is a 48-percent increase over this same time last year.
Operation Save A Life is working to save lives by providing free smoke and carbon monoxide alarms to fire departments in West Michigan where they will be installed in high risk homes by trained firefighters.
“We’re finding the majority of fire fatalities are occurring in homes that don’t have working smoke alarms,” said Michael McLeieer, program coordinator for Operation Save A Life.” We want to make sure that families have working smoke alarms.”
“Electrical fires seem to be one of the major issues behind this. Unsafe use of extension cords, things of that nature. Be attentive to anything you’re doing with the stove,” said Fire Marshall Ted Karnitz of the Norton Shores Fire Department.
Nearly 3,000 smoke alarms have been installed throughout Muskegon County since Jan. 1.
There will also be a big push for fire safety education at all five Maranda Park Parties this summer.
For a complete list of West Michigan smoke alarm installation programs, click here. If your community is not listed or you have questions about smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, or home fire safety, send an email to [email protected].
Firefighters across West Michigan are participating in a program to help families stay safe in the event of a fire. Operation Save A Life is a new program through WOTV 4 Women, Kidde, Home Depot, and E.S.C.A.P.E. Inc. that offers free smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms, installed in homes by trained firefighters.
Fire deaths are up dramatically in West Michigan, and the first line of defense is early warning from smoke alarms. A smoke alarm should be installed on every level of a home and inside and outside each bedroom. Smoke alarms should be tested once a month. Non long-life battery operated smoke alarms should be changed twice a year, and any smoke alarm should be replaced every ten years. Carbon monoxide alarms should be installed on every level of your home.
>>> Fire safety tips from E.S.C.A.P.E. Inc.
Fire departments take the message of fire safety directly into West Michigan school to teach children what to do in case of a fire. Those messages include stop, drop, and roll, home escape planning, practicing fire drills, calling 911, and the importance of working smoke alarms. Community outreach is just as important. Fire departments partner with cities, counties, and organizations like the American Red Cross to spread the word about fire safety.
For a complete list of West Michigan smoke alarm installation programs, call your local fire department or click here. If your community is not listed or you have questions about smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, or home fire safety, send an email to [email protected].
Fire prevention starts with education and partnership. That was the key message when Maranda stopped by Walker Fire Department’s Station #2 in Grand Rapids to talk about Operation Save A Life which will be featured on “Maranda Where You Live” on April 15 at 7 p.m.
Operation Save A Life is the public service campaign that WOOD TV8/WOTV 4 Women kicked off in March thanks to a partnership between WOTV 4 Women, E.S.C.A.P.E Fire Safety, The Home Depot and Kidde, the smoke alarm manufacturer that so generously donated 2,500 smoke alarms and 500 carbon monoxide alarms.
Firefighters from all across West Michigan were on hand to talk to third graders from Zinser Elementary School in Kenowa Hills. The kids made the special field trip to learn all about fire safety and smoke alarms. They also got an up-close look at the fire apparatus and met Jake the Fire Safety Dog!
Maranda also talked with State Fire Marshal Richard Miller who emphasized how having working smoke alarms in your home can cut in half your risk of dying in a fire. He also talked about how important partnerships are between fire departments and companies such as Kidde for fire education and prevention programs, noting a similar statewide program, Michigan S.A.F.E. (Smoke Alarms for Everyone) that launched last year. Olivet Fire Department Lt. Michael McLeieer, who is also the founder of E.S.C.A.P.E. and the program coordinator of Operation Save A Life, opened the show explaining just how the program came about and how it will positively impact the area.
Thanks to Operation Save a Life, participating fire departments from five West Michigan counties are busy installing smoke alarms in homes where they are most needed. The area was particularly hard hit this winter with a high number of home fires and related deaths.
For a complete list of West Michigan smoke alarm installation programs, click here. If your community is not listed or you have questions about smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, or home fire safety, send an email to [email protected].
Jeremy is joined in studio by Michael McLeieer(w/ E.S.C.A.P.E.) & Elliott Jones (w/ The American Red Cross).
E.S.C.A.P.E. Fire Safety’s Michael McLeieer and Team Firestoppers Project Manager Elliot Jones updated efforts and preview the April 18th Global Youth Day of Service fire safety education initiative.
(left: Fire Marshal Ted Karnitz, Norton Shores Fire Department right: Fire Inspector Mark Nicolai, Muskegon Charter Township Fire Department)
Monday morning, two representatives from Muskegon County area fire departments received 1,000 smoke alarms donated by Kidde through the Operation Save A Life program, a partnership between WOTV4Women, Kidde, The Home Depot and the non-profit fire safety charity E.S.C.A.P.E. The alarms will be distributed to Muskegon County Fire Departments and will be installed in at-risk homes.
Fire Marshal Ted Karnitz from the Norton Shores Fire Department and Fire Inspector Mark Nicolai from the Muskegon Charter Township Fire Department will be facilitating the program throughout Muskegon County.
“The risk of dying in a home fire is cut in half in homes with working smoke alarms,” said Karnitz. “Programs like Operation Save A Life and Michigan S.A.F.E. (Smoke Alarms For Everyone) allow fire departments throughout Muskegon County as well as other areas of Michigan to place a combined effort on installing smoke alarms in homes and providing fire safety information which will reduce fire-related injury or death.”
For more information about the Muskegon County smoke alarm installation program, please contact:
Muskegon Charter Township Fire Department – 231-773-4316
Norton Shores Fire Department – 231-799-6809
or email [email protected]
Did you know three out of five home fire deaths result from fires in properties without working smoke alarms? More than one-third (37%) of home fire deaths result from fires in which no smoke alarms are present. The risk of dying in a home fire is cut in half in homes with working smoke alarms.
Michigan Civilian Fire Fatalities (from the United States Fire Administration)
- Currently, Michigan ranks #2 in the country for civilian fire fatalities
- As of 12/31/2014, West Michigan accounted for 26% of the state’s civilian fire fatalities
- Fire fatalities are affecting older adults (those over 65 years) and younger children (those under 14) at a faster rate compared to any other age group.
- Since 2012, Michigan fire fatality numbers have been the worst, not seen since 1999.
Operation Save a Life
Kidde and WOTV 4 Women are proud to partner together on Operation Save A Life — a public service campaign designed to educate consumers and raise awareness about the dangers of fire and carbon monoxide poisoning. Since 2002, Kidde has donated more than 1 million smoke alarms to participating fire departments for installation in area homes as part of this program.
In addition, each area specific ABC-affiliate creates safety vignettes that air during the campaign. Our hope is that these educational messages combined with Kidde product donations and informative product displays in retail stores across the country will help save lives.
Kidde donated 2,500 smoke alarms and 500 carbon monoxide alarms for installation by fire departments and other trained professionals in select homes throughout West Michigan. Each type of alarm contain a 10-year sealed battery for worry-free protection.
You can follow the Operation Save A Life conversation via #OpSaveALife and by liking Kidde’s Facebook and Twitter pages.
Learn more: http://www.kidde.com/IntheCommunity/Pages/OperationSaveALife.aspx
Kidde
Kidde is a leading manufacturer of residential smoke alarms, carbon monoxide (CO) alarms and fire extinguishers. It has been delivering advanced fire-safety technology since producing the first integrated smoke detection and carbon dioxide extinguishing system in 1917. Kidde is a part of UTC Building & Industrial Systems, a unit of United Technologies Corp., a leading provider to the aerospace and building systems industries worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.kidde.com/ or follow @KiddeSafety on Twitter (https://twitter.com/KiddeSafety).
For more information on Operation Save A Life or to find out how to get a smoke detector or carbon monoxide detector installed into your West Michigan home contact us:
Email: [email protected]