| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2015
CONTACT: Kevin Walters
OFFICE: (615) 253-8941
Over 1,700 Smoke Alarms Installed During Second “100 For 100” Challenge
Next “100 For 100” Challenge Planned for December
NASHVILLE – The Tennessee State Fire Marshal’s Office (SFMO) proudly announces that eight fire departments who accepted the SFMO’s second “100 For 100” smoke alarm installation challenge more than doubled the goal of the Nov. 14, 2015 event.
Created to commemorate the SFMO’s 100th anniversary, the “100 For 100” challenge is a fun way for fire departments to test their limits while providing crucial alert devices and safety education to the citizens of their local communities. Eight Tennessee fire departments accepted the SFMO’s challenge to install at least 100 alarms on Nov. 14 – then went above and beyond and installed 1,758 smoke alarms during the event. So far, over 2,800 new smoke alarms have been installed during the two "100 For 100” events.
“I am proud to thank all of our participating fire departments for their outstanding efforts to help ensure the safety of the citizens they serve,” said State Fire Marshal and Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance Commissioner Julie Mix McPeak. “Our ‘100 For 100’ partners are showing their commitment to their communities by going above and beyond during these events. We look forward to individually recognizing our ‘100 For 100’ partners in the coming weeks. Congratulations to everyone!”
The eight participating departments for the November challenge included:
Dresden Fire Department (FD)
Martin FD
Willette Vol. FD
DeKalb County FD
Murfreesboro FD
Crossville FD
Sneedville Vol. FD
Sweetwater FD
Total: 1,758 alarms installed
According to National Fire ProtectionAssociation research, working smoke alarms cut the chance of dying in a fire in half. Meanwhile, three out of five fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms. The SFMO created the “Get Alarmed, Tennessee!” smoke alarm program in 2012 to help address this problem through the installation of free smoke alarms in high-risk areas across the state. Since then, more than 26,000 homes have received the alarms and 106 lives have been potentially saved when the devices alerted occupants to fire danger.
Murfreesboro Fire Rescue Chief Mark Foulks: "MFRD was proud to participate in the ‘100 For 100 Challenge’ because it worked in conjunction with our Project SAFE (Smoke Alarms for Everyone) Program. MFRD is passionate about equipping our residents in Murfreesboro with working smoke alarms, and the challenge allowed us to get 195 installed in one day. We are thankful to the SFMO for letting us be a part of this and to our local American Red Cross volunteers for helping us exceed our goal!"
Sweetwater Fire Prevention Coordinator Tripp Hall: "The citizens of Sweetwater have greatly benefitted from the ‘Get Alarmed’ program. It has opened their eyes to the danger of living without smoke alarms. This program has been a great avenue to get fire prevention material into homes that otherwise would not be able to reach out, too."
City of Martin Fire Department Chief Jamie Summers: “Our motto for the City of Martin Fire Department is ‘Dedicated to Protecting the Lives and Property of the Citizens of Martin.’ With the ‘Get Alarmed’ program, this allows us to fulfill this motto. Providing the public with lifesaving smoke alarms is a testament to the passion the State Fire Marshal's Office has for saving lives. Our department and the citizens of the City of Martin thank you for that passion.”
The “100 For 100” initiative began in October with 10 fire departments completing the inaugural challenge with a total of 1,116 alarms installed.
A third challenge is planned for December. A date has not been finalized.
Participating fire departments will receive a special recognition from the SFMO for their work in making these events a success.
About the Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance: TDCI is charged with protecting the interests of consumers while providing fair, efficient oversight and a level field of competition for a broad array of industries and professionals doing business in Tennessee. Our divisions include the Athletic Commission, Consumer Affairs, Tennessee Corrections Institute, Emergency Communications Board, Fire Prevention, Insurance, Tennessee Law Enforcement Training Academy, Peace Officers Standards and Training, Regulatory Boards, Securities, and TennCare Oversight.
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