The ten aforementioned lives saved by this program have been well-documented, but, more recently, in the summer of ’06—two more families can attribute being alive to having a working smoke detectors. That’s 11 more people in two separate fires who are alive today thanks to, you guessed it, a smoke detector.

Every year, as part of the smoke detector program, the Calgary Fire Department knocks on literally thousands of doors and asks homeowners if they can check their smoke detectors.  Any device not working is replaced with a new one, FREE of charge. If the batteries are dead, they are replaced. Last year, approximately 1,500 smoke detectors were replaced.

But the program does more than just replace detectors and batteries.  Each homeowner is educated on the importance of a working smoke detector, the life of a smoke detector, when and how they should be tested as well as escape routes and what to do when a fire breaks out. 

Education is shared through a number of initiatives presented throughout the year, such as the poster contest launched last year through The Calgary Board of Education with New Home Living magazine as corporate sponsor.  Prizes are awarded at two levels, grades K-3 and grades 4-6.  The first place winner in each category receives a $500 cash prize with second place receiving $250 and third each receiving $100 cash. Each school attended by the winners receives an amount of money equal to their winner’s. NL