WEST HAZLETON, Pa. — Going door to door through West Hazleton, volunteers from the American Red Cross and the West Hazleton Fire Department are making sure people have working smoke alarms.
"Usually, year to year, there's more people lost in home fires than any other disaster, so we are working on cutting that down by providing safety info to the public, that sort of thing, we picked this area because there have been many multi-family fires," said Seth Hoch, American Red Cross program manager.
It's part of operation 'Sound the Alarm' where more than 200 free smoke detectors were provided and installed by members of the fire department.
Just last week, a fire on Alter Street in Hazleton City left 20 people displaced.
"Unfortunately, in Hazleton City in the past week, we've been to Hazleton City to assist on two major fires where thankfully I think one person was injured in the one fire, but a lot of people were displaced and basically lost everything they own, and that is always tragic," said Chief Richard Sparks, West Hazleton Fire Department.
West Hazleton Fire Chief Richard Sparks says studies have shown in modern-day homes-fires burn faster and hotter.
"One of the things we've learned is that fires with modern-day furnishings now burn at the same temperature roughly as gasoline at 900 degrees, your chance of survivability in a fire that intense is very slim," explained Chief Sparks.
The American Red Cross reminds people to check their smoke alarms frequently or replace them if needed in an effort to save more lives.
"So lots of times they may have a working smoke alarm, but it might be old, it might be 10-15 years old, so what we are trying to do is even if a person does have an older smoke alarm, we're trying to get the newer ones put in," said Hoch.
The American Red Cross provides free smoke alarms to residents year-round.
To learn more on how to request one, click here.
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