ORLANDO, Fla. – Orlando firefighters will go door-to-door Thursday in Parramore to install free smoke alarms as freezing weather plunges into Central Florida.
The Orlando Fire Department said the initiative, which will be focused near South Parramore Avenue, is a community outreach program to neighborhoods that recently experienced a residential fire and to bring awareness of the importance of having working smoke alarms.
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The initiative was initially scheduled for Wednesday but was postponed because of inclement weather, officials said.
A man was killed and a woman was burned Tuesday in a house fire on South Parramore Avenue, officials said. A space heater may have sparked the blaze.
"Fire investigators did not locate any working smoke alarms in the home," officials said in a news release.
Firefighters will offer one free smoke alarm for homeowners in need. Each smoke alarm is equipped with a 10-year lithium battery that does not have to have the battery changed for the life of the device, officials said.
Crews will also check if current smoke alarms need new batteries.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, three of every five home fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms. Officials said having a smoke alarm in the home cuts the chance of dying from a house fire nearly in half.
Orlando Fire Department said homeowners should:
- Install smoke alarms in every sleeping room and outside each separate sleeping area.
- Place smoke alarms on every level of the home.
- Test smoke alarms at least once a month.
- Get outside and stay outside when a smoke alarm sounds.
- Replace all smoke alarms in your home every 10 years.