Free Smoke Alarm Detectors and Installation From Beacon’s Fire Department and American Red Cross
/
Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth
The Free Smoke Detector Program is back from the Beacon Fire Department. Years ago, then Fire Chief Gary Van Voorhis would urge people to call the Beacon Fire Department to have the fire fighters come by to install free smoke detectors in houses, apartments or businesses. Seemed like an offer too good to be true, or that one wouldn’t want to burden the first responders with, but Chief Van Voorhis insisted in almost every opportunity he got from the microphone at City Council meetings.
Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth
Chief Van Voorhis has since retired, and Chief Tom Lucchesi came out of his retirement as Assistant Chief for the City of Newburgh to replace him. A Little Beacon Blog reached out to the new Chief to inquire if the program was still current. Sure enough, it could have been, but there was unused inventory, so the smoke detectors had been returned to the American Red Cross. Chief Lucchesi reached out to the American Red Cross to replenish Beacon’s supply, and the boxes just came in!
How The Free Smoke Detector Program Works
You simply call the Beacon Fire Department at 845-831-1334 and let them know you’re interested. They will ask you how many bedrooms and floors you have in your place of residence. Then, they will come over to install. That’s it!
Don’t be shy. If you have zero smoke detectors, or if you have ones with dead batteries that have been beeping away night and day. That can all be fixed now for free. Fire prevention is their priority.
In ALBB’s case, two fire fighters came over to install the smoke detectors. Before they installed the first one, an emergency call came for smoke detected on Main Street. They dashed out in their truck to get to the scene. Fortunately, there was no emergency, and they were back with their power drills to install the smoke detectors into the ceilings.
When they returned, ALBB asked Chief Lucchesi if when he came into people’s homes and looked around, if he only saw fire hazards (she asked, as she looked at the Christmas lights plugged in everywhere). “Especially during the winter,” he answered, “we see more. Space heaters are used more frequently, lights. Outlets get overloaded.”
These smoke detectors have batteries that are good for 10 years, have no low battery chirps, are self-testing, and come with voice alerts. The American Red Cross provides a packet of information that includes encouragement to make a Fire Escape Plan.
If you live in an apartment managed by a company, you can still call the Beacon Fire Department. They may opt to work with the management company, but be a nudge to make sure it gets done, if the management company is neglectful.
