The Harnett County Fire Marshal’s Office is pleased to announce the receipt of a Smoke Alarm Grant from the North Carolina Office of the State Fire Marshal and State Farm. In collaboration with Harnett County’s fire departments, these smoke alarms will be distributed and installed on June 1, 2024, which is Smoke Alarm Saturday. This initiative will prioritize homes without operational smoke alarms in sleeping areas and those with smoke alarms over 10 years old.

Smoke Alarm Saturday is a one-day, statewide event aimed at raising awareness about the necessity of having functional smoke alarms in homes. Fire departments throughout North Carolina will join forces on the first Saturday in June to educate their communities on fire safety.

Harnett County Fire Marshal, Rodney Daniels, emphasized the importance of early detection and notification in surviving home fires.

“Home fires can happen under various circumstances, but the majority of home fire deaths result from delayed or absent occupant notification. Our objective is to save lives by raising public awareness about the importance of functional smoke alarms in homes. We also want to provide an easy way for residents to request smoke alarms and encourage everyone to test their alarms monthly,” said Daniels.

Residents of Harnett County who do not have working smoke alarms and wish to have a free smoke alarm installed can fill out the smoke alarm request form here.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, from 2014 to 2018, 41% of civilian home fire deaths occurred in homes without smoke detectors, and 16% occurred in homes where smoke detectors were present but did not operate.

The Harnett County Fire Marshal’s Office is dedicated to protecting lives and property through fire prevention, education, and enforcement. They work in partnership with local fire departments to ensure the safety and well-being of the community.

For more information on home fire safety and smoke alarms visit https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/Staying-safe/Safety-equipment/Smoke-alarms/Safety-messages-about-smoke-alarms

For more information, contact Rodney Daniels, Fire Marshal, at rdaniels@harnett.org or (910) 893-0743.