• Uncategorized ,
• 14 May

By Josh Kattenberg

Derek, Dan, and I spent a Saturday in November helping the American Red Cross install smoke alarms in homes in the Whittier Neighborhood.  Statistics show that as many as 62% of all home fire related deaths result from non-working or missing smoke alarms. Tony Burke, the American Red Cross representative said that 9 people died in Sioux Falls last year as a result of not having a working smoke alarm. We were set up with a team that included Fire Captain Chuck Smith, and RE/MAX realtor Leon Waldschmidt. As we made our way through our assigned neighborhood, rousing residents to great the frigid morning to ask them if they had a working smoke alarm, we were met with a mixed response. Many either were not home or didn’t answer the door. Some were suspicious of us and didn’t want to talk. In one case, the resident admitted that she didn’t have a smoke alarm and no, she didn’t want one. She thought she had enough protection with a fire extinguisher! However, for other residents, we found quite a few smoke alarms with dead or missing batteries, which we replaced for free. And in some homes, we found no working smoke alarm at all. Perhaps the worst offenders were rental properties. Landlords need to make sure that there are working smoke alarms in their properties. This is one of the reasons Real Property Management conducts property assessments once a quarter to check smoke alarms.

In addition to placing smoke alarms, the American Red Cross had us ask questions of the residents about general disaster preparedness and give them information on how they can build a 72hr emergency kit including food, water, weather radio, etc. In addition, our team included Levi, a pharmacy student. Levi and I provided residents a free blood pressure checks and instructions to see their doctor if the blood pressure was outside the normal range. We even got a bit of TV time!  You can see Derek on KELO carrying the ladder and I have the blue EMT bag over my shoulder. Hopefully our effort will make a difference if a fire breaks out. Remember to check your own smoke alarms in order to keep you and your family safe.
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