Pensacola Fire Department teams up with Red Cross to install free smoke alarms

PENSACOLA, Fla. -- Nearly 1,500 people across the country die every year in house fires due to missing or non-functioning smoke alarms.

The Pensacola Fire Department is taking action to make sure that doesn't happen.

Firefighters took the latest steps to make sure people are safe inside their homes on Saturday.

In Cordova Park, the Pensacola Fire Department was in the neighborhood going door to door checking to make sure there were working fire alarms inside the homes there. If not, they'll come back to install them.

James Cook was one of those Cordova Park homeowners who answered the knock on his door.

"They are going to put us into their database and one of the guys will get in contact with us to schedule a time to come out and change out everything in our house," Cook said. "they'll check out our smoke detectors."

Jared Moores is the Councilman of District Four.

"It's the most valuable and incredible piece of your wealth," Moores said. "The most significant piece of your wealth and such a small thing you don't realize how important it is until you need it."

Since October, the fire department has handed out and installed more than 750 smoke alarms free of charge.

It's part of the sound-the-alarm fire safety campaign.

It's a partnership between PFD and the American Red Cross.

"The goal for everybody is to notify them the smoke alarms are an early notification to save lives," Fire Marshal, Nathan Elder said. "In the past two and a half years, we've had six different fire fatalities and all the houses we've encountered with them had no working fire alarms."

Brian Koontz is currently renovating his home in Cordova Park.

Saturday's visit was a good reminder to make sure he is buttoned up when putting the finishing touches on his remodeling.

"Checking the batteries is easy to forget," Koontz said. "I think it's a great thing to get out and get it squared away for people."

"Our whole goal was to reach as many families and houses as we can," Koontz said. " We'll never know the true impact of this, but even if we save one family, that's an impact. One family is a goal that's met."

If you or someone you know needs a working smoke alarm installed,

Call the Fire Administration Office at 850-436-5200.