Program Highlights

Successes: Since 1998, 34 local communities throughout the State became involved in the project. Documented over 101 lives possibly saved or injures averted! Approximately 47,722 smoke alarms have been installed. Over 350 smoke alarms for the hearing impaired were installed. 27,674 Virginia homes are fully protected. 60,391 home canvassed for working smoke alarms Smoke Alarms Save Lives... October 2007 - Appalachian Agency for Senior Citizens A medically fragile elderly man was awakened in the middle of the night by two of the Project’s smoke alarms. He noticed fire around his chimney that was spreading up the wall. He exited the house and called the fire department. He was able to get out of the home without injury. Unfortunately, his 100 year old home was totally lost. April 2006 - Danville Fire Department A father of four small children was in the shower when he heard the smoke detector that was installed through the Get Alarmed, Virginia! project going off. He investigated to find a fire on and around a mattress in one of the children's bedrooms. He got his four children out of the house and called 911. The Danville Fire Department arrived and extinguished the fire. The father's three year old son had plugged in an open element hot plate in the bedroom. The element ignited bedding materials and clothing causing moderate damage to the bedroom and smoke damage throughout the home. The father had suffered minor burns to the bottom of both feet. February 9, 2003 - Danville Fire Department A 7-year old boy, playing with a cigarette lighter, caught his bed on fire. He tried to suppress the fire on his own, but was not successful. He crossed the door and went downstairs and did not tell anyone about the fire for fear of getting in trouble. The boy's grandmother, who was babysitting him and his 3-year old sister, was alerted to the fire by the sound of the smoke alarm installed through the Get Alarmed Virginia program. The grandmother led the children out of the home to a neighbor's house and called 911. Danville Fire Department received the call at 7:33 pm and arrived on the scene at 7:37 pm. When firefighters arrived, heavy fire and smoke was coming from the upstairs bedroom.