Houston Fire Department Providing Free Smoke Detectors for the Deaf
At a a press conference held September 25, The Houston Fire Department(HFD) along with the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities(MOPD), announced a new program created to furnish smoke detectors to members of Houston’s deaf community.
This announcement was given by Mayor Annise Parker, HFD Assistant Chief Thomas Munoz and Elaine Roberts, Director of the MOPD at the Center for Hearing and Speech located at 3636 West Dallas.
“Working smoke detectors save lives” is not just a slogan but the most important safety message the Houston Fire Department and convey to our citizens. Every year Houston firefighters respond to thousands of residential fires. Unfortunately, some of these fires involve fatalities that could have been avoided simply by having a working smoke detector.
It is estimated that up to 75 percent of fire fatalities occur in home that have nonworking smoke detectors or none at all. Smoke detectors are one of the most important and least expensive security devices you can have in your home.
“Every citizen has the right to be protected and safe in their homes”, said Mayor Annise Parker at the September 25th press conference. She added “And with the help of the Houston Fire Department with assistance from the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Department of Homeland Security have awarded the HFD with a $168,000 grant to purchase and install 2,000 smoke detectors for the deaf.” She continued by saying “this is one of the largest grants of it’s type in the nation.”
Continued in the Civic Safety Chain Fall Newsletter.
Click here to download the full Civic Safety Chain Fall Newsletter.
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