Improving fire safety outreaching and education is leading the Insurance Council of Texas (ICT) to work with local emergency officials to install fire alarms in area homes.
It’s all part of ICT’s “We’re Out to Alarm Texas” program, which provides free fire alarms to fire departments during Fire Prevention Week, which was Oct. 7-13. The ICT and State Fire Marshal’s Office provided smoke detectors to the Kyle Fire and Wimberley Volunteer fire departments last week.
The program began in 2005 as a joint effort between the ICT and the State Fire Marshal’s office to save lives by providing smoke alarms to residents who might need them, according to a release.
Mark Hanna, spokesperson for ICT, said the program began looking at cities and communities that had recently suffered a fire-related fatality. Fire departments in New Braunfels, Waco and Lockhart were provided free smoke detectors during the inaugural year.
As word of the program spread, more fire departments in the state asked to join in the program.
Hanna said the program has so far distributed more than 20,000 smoke alarms to 50 Texas cities. The entire program operates at a cost of $30,000 annually.
Orlando Hernandez, State Fire Marshal, said there were more than 16,000 residential fires in 2017 alone. Offering free smoke detectors to residents is a “great thing” as it provides an extra sense of security to home owners and emergency officials.
“If we can get these smoke detectors into house, it’s going to save lives and give people that early notification and gives them an early chance to get out,” Hernandez said.
ICT’s program is also helped by area insurance agents who help with education and outreach to clients.
Cory Pack, a local insurance agent, said prevention is something they do on a regular basis as agents. They make sure to let clients know to check their smoke alarms and replace batteries often.
In addition, insurance agents also inform clients of potential discounts that could be in place with alarms and smoke detectors.
“The ultimate goal is to protect families. Stuff can be replaced but families can’t be,” Pack said. “There’s an education piece on our end to make sure we’re protecting lives and saving families with early detection with smoke alarms.”
For Kyle resident Joe Tijerina, who was one of the first Kyle residents to receive a free smoke alarm, the program offered some piece of mind.
While he and his wife had replaced a smoke detector several months ago, two other detectors in the home had not been operating for at least two years.
“It does work and it’s good for everyone,” Tijerina said. “I really like that. I appreciate them (firefighters) to come out there for people to do things like that.”