New partnership between Henrico Fire, American Red Cross aims to eliminate house fire deaths

A new Henrico County effort aims to place at least 2,000 smoke alarms annually in county homes as part of a goal to eliminate residential fire fatalities. The Smoke Alarm Initiative is spearheaded by the Henrico Division of Fire but draws on the efforts of several county agencies, including the departments of Information Technology and Social Services, the Sheriff’s Office and the Police Division. The Richmond office of the American Red Cross is a key partner as well.

Capt. Taylor Goodman, public information officer for Henrico Fire, noted that for many years the division has provided and installed smoke alarms for residents upon request. The new initiative is taking a more direct approach.

“This is an active effort,” he said. “In addition to continuing to respond to requests, we are actively approaching homes that we have identified as potentially being at risk for fire. We are knocking on doors and leaving doorhangers when no one is home. “We want to ensure that there is at least one working smoke alarm in every home.” Although the initiative will launch formally in October in conjunction with National Fire Prevention Week, Goodman said a trial effort has been underway since late June.

The initiative relies on county real estate data and other information to identify potentially vulnerable homes. Qualifying factors include whether a home is privately owned and a singlefamily residence or a duplex; was built before 1970; has not been sold since 1980; and has no obvious external heating source, such as an oil tank or a heat pump.

Those criteria generated an initial list of about 3,500 homes considered at high risk for a potential fire. Goodman pointed out that these homes are located throughout the county and can be found in each of Henrico Fire’s response districts.Fire personnel are visiting these homes and, with residents’ permission, are installing a smoke alarm on each level of the home, focusing especially
on the bedrooms.

“Smoke alarms should be located closest to the areas where people are sleeping,” Goodman said. “We are working to place them in the most appropriate location in each home.” Once the installation is complete, the date and address are logged in a database developed for the initiative by Henrico’s Information Technology Department.

The alarms are 10-year sealed units that won’t require new batteries, unlike the models with 9-volt batteries that need regular upkeep and are still common in many residences. When the alarms are nearing the end of their operating life, Henrico Fire plans to return to the home and replace them.

The Richmond office of the American Red Cross is donating the smoke alarms for the initiative. Goodman noted the significant financial commitment by the organization — the 10-year sealed units cost about $20 each. The alarms are installed at no cost for Henrico residents.

While Fire personnel are placing alarms in a home, they will share emergency-preparedness materials and other information from the Red Cross with the residents and track the interaction in the initiative’s database. “This is a true partnership,” Goodman said. “We have developed a robust program that is sustainable and designed to serve county residents for years to come.”

Additional frontline county agencies are helping expand the initiative’s reach. Personnel from Police, Social Services, the Sheriff’s Office and other departments that regularly interact with residents in their homes are being trained to look for damaged, outdated and misplaced smoke alarms. When these employees are making a routine visit and they determine circumstances are appropriate, they will ask to examine the home’s smoke alarms and assess if they should be replaced. Using a data-reporting system developed for the initiative, employees will provide this information to Henrico Fire and generate a call for service. In most cases, Fire personnel will be able to install new alarms within 24 hours.

Goodman said the initiative’s target is a minimum of 2,000 smoke alarms installed in homes each year, with the goal of eliminating residential fire deaths in Henrico. The initiative’s genesis traces to the winter of 2016-17, when a series of home fires in the county over a five-week period resulted in the deaths of five residents. A majority of those homes had working smoke alarms, Goodman said, or the toll could have been higher.

Nationwide, three out of five home fire fatalities occur in homes without a working smoke alarm, according to the National Fire Protection Association. Goodman also noted that fires often are spreading more quickly than previously, as contemporary homes often contain furnishings made from petroleum products. “Having a working smoke alarm doubles your chance of getting out safely,” he said. “Early notification is essential.

Residents can request help with their smoke alarms by following the link for Smoke Alarm Assistance or by calling Henrico Fire at 804.501.4900.

Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in Henrico Today, the county’s quarterly update to residents.