Wake Up Delaware: Free Smoke Detectors

Fire companies throughout Delaware have free smoke detectors on hand. It's part of 'Wake Up Delaware', a fire safety program that was started in 2001 by firemen after 16 Delawareans lost their lives to residential fires in the same year.

Wake up Delaware was started by the Department of Justice targeting low to moderate income families. Warren Jones is the Public Information Officer for the Rehoboth Beach Volunteer Fire Company was part of the group that initiated the program. "It was started for that one purpose, to have people realize the number one thing they can do to save their lives is this thing, the smoke detector. You know, our charge as firefighters, our very first charge is life safety but by using these smoke detectors, they can get out of their house before we ever get there."

This year in Delaware, eight (8) people have already died in house fires and five (5) of those eight (8) did not have working smoke detectors.

This year a joint partnership with a local community business and the Indian River Volunteer Fire Company have promulgate an additional supply of smoke detectors for targeted residential populations within our fire district.  By partnering with the fire company and the business community this allows us to work together to get another resource out to the families.  This year marks the first of the partnership of its kind with the prominent Long Neck business.

Indian River fire district residents are able to pick up a smoke detector which has a lie expectancy of ten (10) years.

Everyone without a smoke detector are encouraged to go to their local fire company to pick one up.

The Indian River Volunteer Fire Company reminds everyone to check that their smoke detectors are working and that they have a new batteries.

You may contact our Fire Prevention Coordinator at (302) 945-2800 or via email at [email protected].

Additional information regarding the benefits of working smoke detectors can be viewed at http://irvfc.com/gallery/detail/9513?ss=1.