Danville Fire Dept. partners with local schools to improve community fire readiness

DANVILLE, Va. (WSET) -- Several students have added fire safety to their class schedule this fall.

Danville Fire Department, Danville Community College and Averett University are partnering with First Alert, along with Campus Firewatch and the Michael H. Minger Foundation to participate in the third annual Town/Gown Fire Safety Community Service Project.

The project will raise awareness about fire and carbon monoxide (CO) safety in the community and on campus.

The local Town/Gown Fire Safety Project will kick-off on Wednesday, Nov. 13 throughout Danville.

Students and residents will be able to learn the importance of fire safety and work alongside firefighters to properly equip homes with a combination smoke and CO alarms.

As part of the service project, the Danville Fire Department was chosen along with 24 other departments to host community events nationwide.

“The Town/Gown Project is a great opportunity to further educate our community and students about the importance of fire and CO safety, and equip many homes with needed alarms,” said Battalion Chief Shelby Irving of the Danville Fire Department. “Reducing the risk of fatal fires – by providing adequate protection – helps make our community stronger and safer.”

Danville Community College and Averett University students will work alongside firefighters to conduct home safety visits in at-risk communities and install the 100 combination smoke and CO alarms donated by First Alert.

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), three out of four fires occur in homes, a place where people feel the safest.

“The NFPA reports when a home does have working smoke alarms, it cuts the fatality risk of home fires in half,” said Tarsila Wey, director of marketing for First Alert. “Smoke alarms are one of the best, and easiest, solutions to enhance home safety. And, by partnering with Campus Firewatch and the Michael H. Minger Foundation for the Town/Gown project, we are able to both educate communities about fire safety and install alarms for a long-lasting impact.”

Also, in order to protect what matters most in the event of a fire or CO emergency, Danville Fire Department recommends:

• Do: Check where your alarms are placed. The U.S. Fire Administration and NFPA advise that homes have smoke alarms installed inside every bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement. For CO alarms, homes should have at least one alarm on each level and one in or near every sleeping area.
• Don’t: Install it, then forget it. Smoke alarms don’t last forever and should be replaced every 10 years. And don’t assume your alarm is working properly; test it monthly and change the batteries at least once a year or if a low battery chirp occurs. Alarms with a 10-year sealed battery provide hassle-free protection, eliminating the risk of forgetting to change the batteries or having an alarm deactivated due to battery removal.
• Do: Make and practice an escape plan. It is essential to plan an emergency escape route and practice it at least twice a year. This ensures that everyone knows how to evacuate the home safely and where to meet, in the event of an emergency.