Clayton Firefighters Aim to Give Families Extra Escape Time
Two homes without a single smoke alarm, 16 families reached, and 49 smoke alarms and three carbon monoxide detectors installed… these are the life-saving results of the Clayton Fire Department’s efforts during Smoke Alarm Saturday.
One of those residents was Sheila Hood, who has lived in Clayton all her life. “It means a lot because I know how important smoke alarms are,” said Hood. “It is just me and my mother, and she is 92. I want to keep her as safe as I can. The fire department made me feel more secure. I thank them from the bottom of my heart.”
New resident Ana Mink also appreciated the visit. She and her family moved to Clayton just 13 days ago. “We have four kids, and the rooms in our house are so spread out, so having working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms makes us feel safer,” she said. “It gives us more time to get out if something happens.”
On Saturday, June 7, Clayton Fire crews joined fire departments across North Carolina to help prevent tragedy before it strikes. The mission was simple: to protect lives by making sure every home has working smoke alarms in the right places.
Firefighters surveyed about 98 homes within the Town limits near Main Street, including Atkinson, Moore, Mulberry, and Stallings Streets. They installed smoke alarms and shared important fire safety information with residents, including:
- Where smoke alarms should be placed– inside each bedroom, outside sleeping areas, and on every level of the home
- How to maintain smoke alarms properly– testing monthly, replacing batteries at least once a year or when low, and replacing the entire alarm every 10 years
- Why smoke alarms are needed to keep families safe – a properly installed smoke alarm gives families an average of two extra minutes to escape safely, according to the U.S. Fire Administration.
This effort was part of a larger initiative from the North Carolina Office of State Fire Marshal. The Clayton Fire Department received 36 alarms through a state grant and purchased additional smoke alarms at a discounted price from Walmart (805 Town Centre Blvd.) to reach even more homes. Captain Bryan Belvin, Community Risk Reduction Specialist, said the goal was to help families who did not have working smoke alarms or who needed more alarms to meet safety guidelines.
“We chose areas with older homes, including some former mill houses,” said Captain Belvin. “Many of these homes either had no smoke alarms or not enough. These devices are often the first warning people get in a fire, especially if they are asleep. We want to give them every chance to get out safely.”
Captain Belvin said residents were welcoming and grateful for their visits. “Even homes that already had alarms let us in to check and test them,” he said. “The reaction from the community was very positive. We were glad to help.”
According to the National Fire Protection Association, three out of five home fire deaths occur in homes without working smoke alarms. The presence of a working smoke alarm cuts the risk of dying in a home fire by half. That is why events like Smoke Alarm Saturday matter. One simple device can be the difference between life and death.
To learn more about fire prevention and safety, please visit townofclaytonnc.org/fire.
