Mayor Joseph P. Ganim

Fire Department
Bridgeport, CT

For Immediate Release 

August 2, 2017

-PRESS RELEASE-

Bridgeport Fire Chief Thode, Bridgeport Fire Department Launch ‘Smoke Alarms Save Lives’ Free Smoke Alarm Program

Video: https://www.facebook.com/BridgeportCT/

BRIDGEPORT, CT- Bridgeport Fire Chief Richard Thode and the entire Bridgeport Fire Department (BFD) came together today to launch the ‘Smoke Alarms Save Lives’ Free Smoke Alarm Program. The free smoke alarm program was initiated in 2005 via FEMA Grant (Fire Prevention & Safety Grant) and was originally called “Safe Asleep” Fire Prevention and Safety Program. Under the program, Bridgeport residents can call or email the BFD to request free smoke alarms and have them installed by firefighters. This year, the Fire Department received funding to purchase 4,000 smoke alarms each equipped with ten-year lithium batteries.

Through ‘Smoke Alarms Save Lives,’ all Bridgeport residents are eligible to have smoke alarms installed in their homes for free. Ninety percent of fire deaths involving children occur in homes without smoke alarms. Many of these deaths could be avoided with working smoke alarms. By providing an early warning signal, the smoke detectors are a family’s best defense against fire.

Under Chief Thode’s leadership, the Fire Department has also begun a new outreach program. After a fire breaks out, the fire department will go door-to-door in the surrounding area with door hangers about the “Free Smoke Alarm Program” to educate the residents about fire safety.

Most residents have limited resources to maintain their homes and often struggle to meet basic needs, let alone purchase and install smoke alarms. Without the ‘Smoke Alarms Save Lives’, many residents in the City of Bridgeport would be vulnerable to devastating consequences that accompany a fire. Our alarms have assisted in over 100 people safely evacuating during the early stages of fires in properties. Over the past 12 years, the BFD have installed more than 60,000 alarms throughout the City.

One and two family houses and owner-occupied three family dwellings located within the City of Bridgeport are eligible to have smoke alarms installed in their homes. To obtain a free smoke alarm, residents can call (203) 335-8835 or go to bridgeportct.gov/smokealarm

You will be asked to provide your name, address for the installation, single family or multi-family, homeowner or tenant and the best contact number to reach them. Once the information is received, a date and time will be scheduled for a Fire Company to do the installation.

Installations are performed 7 days a week. The BFD asks that the homeowner and/or tenant to be available at their scheduled time. Since we are an emergency service, there may be times when the designated fire company cannot be there at the specific time since they may be returning from a call or headed out to a call. We ask for patience if they are a few minutes late. If a cancellation is needed, a follow up call will occur to reschedule.

-##-