575 smoke alarms being given out free of charge.
PETOSKEY -- In 2007 the northern lower Michigan chapter of the American Red Cross responded to 50-percent more house fires than the year before. Now they're hoping the distribution of free smoke detectors will help bring that number down.
"We want to make sure that every family in our communities in Antrim, Cheboygan, Charlevoix and Emmet counties are prepared if this event occurs," said Bess Bleyaert, Marketing Director of the local American Red Cross chapter.
The chapter is distributing 575 smoke detectors - free of charge - to any family that needs one. Purchases for the smoke detectors were made possible by funding from the Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa Indians Revenue Sharing Board, State Farm Insurance, and the Fire Fighters Association.
"Anyone who does not have an actively working smoke detector in their home is eligible to come in to get a smoke detector," Bleyaert said. "We do not discriminate who we give aid to after a fire or another disaster and we're not discriminating against who we're giving smoke detectors out to at food pantries." Bleyaert says they started the program last year as an effort to enhance preparedness for when disaster may strike.
The smoke detectors are being distributed throughout a handful of food pantries in the four county region. The Salvation Army food pantry in Petoskey is one such location.
"It's been pretty good so far," said Roman Hank of the Salvation Army food pantry in Petoskey. "We've given away 7 or 8 of the 20 we were given and we've put some down to our thrift store and some here at our pantry." Bleyaert says having a home equipped with smoke detectors can greatly increase the change of making it out of a fire alive.
The following is a list of food pantries distributing the free smoke detectors:
ANTRIM COUNTY
Bellaire Community Pantry - Bellaire
The Good Samaritan - Ellsworth
Mancelona Resale Shop - Mancelona
CHARLEVOIX COUNTY
Assembly of God Church - Charlevoix
Bible Baptist Church - Charlevoix
Walloon Lake Community Church - Walloon Lake
Care & Share - East Jordan
EMMET COUNTY
American Red Cross building - Petoskey
Bay Shore Presbyterian Church - Bay Shore
Harbor Springs Community Food Pantry - Harbor Springs United Methodist Church
Mackinaw City Bible Church - Mackinaw City
The Manna Food Project - Harbor Springs
Grace Community Church - Pellston
Salvation Army - Petoskey
Brother Dan's Food Pantry-Petoskey
CHEBOYGAN COUNTY
Salvation Army - Cheboygan
St. Thomas Church - Cheboygan
The American Red Cross suggests changing smoke detectors every ten years. In addition it is suggested that batteries are checked monthly, but replaced annually.
