PELHAM – With the week of Oct. 7 being dubbed Fire Prevention Week in the city of Pelham by Mayor Gary Waters, Fire Chief Tim Honeycutt announced at a City Council meeting on Monday, Oct. 1, that the PFD will launch a new program aimed at fire safety this month.

So far this year, 49 Alabamians have died in home fires, Honeycutt said. The PFD is gearing up to start a new program to install smoke detectors in the homes of Pelham residents for free.

“We’ve never lost a person to a home fire in Pelham and we don’t plan to start now,” Honeycutt said. “It’s time to step up with prevention efforts before a tragedy occurs.”

Through the program, residents will be able to have up to three smoke detectors installed in their home free of charge. PFD crews will also provide residents with instructions on how to create a family fire plan.

The offering works in conjunction with the Alabama Association of Fire Chiefs’ “Turn Your Attention to Fire Prevention” campaign.

“It’s something that we’re very passionate about and we want to find more ways to do more community outreach,” Honeycutt said.

Honeycutt said more details about the program will be released in the coming days. Keep an eye on the department’s Facebook page, City of Pelham Fire Department, and the city’s Facebook page, City of Pelham, for updates about the service.

Every year during October, which is Fire Prevention Month, the PFD also spends two weeks going into Pelham schools and daycares to educate students about fire safety and prevention.

“We educate them on everything from stop, drop and roll, to what to do if there’s a fire and what a fire alarm sounds like,” Honeycutt said.

During the meeting, Waters read a proclamation that stated four out of five United States fire deaths occur at home each year. According to the National Fire Protection Association, home fires killed 2,735 people in the U.S. in 2016 and fire departments responded to 352,000 home fires.

Smoke alarms should be placed in every sleeping room in the home, outside each separate sleeping area and on every level of the home. Those who have planned and practiced a home fire escape plan are more prepared and will therefore be more likely to survive a fire.