Zanesville Fire Department offers free smoke detectors

ZANESVILLE, Ohio – One of the most common reasons a house fire may occur in the winter season is due to a space heater being left on.

It is because of this that the Zanesville Fire Department provides the community with free smoke detectors. Lieutenant Jeff Bell said the fire department has been giving away these smoke detectors for years through the ABC Wilson Fund. This fund originally started after a family lost three children to a house fire.

“We have to have you come in just so we can keep track of where the smoke detectors go,” said Bell. “So you’ll come in, you’ll give us your address where the smoke detector is going to be, and your name. So we can keep track of that and we’ll make sure each residence has at least one working smoke detector and we test it in here before we give it to you.”

Now benefactors and fundraising events bring in money to donate towards the fire department purchasing smoke detectors. Bell said for those who have smoke detectors already should keep testing them and make sure they’re not over ten years old.

“We want you to test your smoke detectors every month,” said Bell. “There is a test button on them. Make sure they’re working if you have your detector starting to chirp that usually means that your battery is low and you need to change the battery. We recommend  that you change your batteries when you change your clocks. If you look on the back of your detector there should be a date on it and if it’s been ten years or more since that date it should be time to replace that detector.”

To receive a free smoke detector call (740) 455-0714 or stop by the Zanesville Fire Station on South Street during open hours. The station’s office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.