A successful smoke alarm installation program requires organizing volunteers to install alarms in homes, which can significantly reduce fire deaths. The document provides details on two such programs in Mississippi that installed over 12,000 alarms together. It outlines keys to success as organizing a planning committee, relying on dedicated volunteers, and promoting the program publicly.

1. lan ning & Implement
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Smoke Ala aS
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Ins
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tal
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rogram

2. Smoke Alarm A Safer Community—For Everyone
Statistics After a tragic fire, communities often come together to address fire safety. But
what if there was a way for communities to work together before a fire broke out,
to help save property and lives before they were lost?
• Smoke alarms are the A smoke alarm installation program in your community can make a measurable
residential fire safety difference in reducing deaths and injuries in a fire. Smoke alarms are the life-
saving success story of the past 30 years. Roughly 70 percent of home fire
success story of the past deaths in the United States result from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no
quarter century. working smoke alarms.
Installing Safety
• Each year, roughly 70 percent
The approach to an installation program is simple: fire safety advocates in your
of home fire deaths result community—from firefighters and safety educators to business leaders and
representatives of older adult or health groups—team up to install smoke alarms.
from fires in homes with no
Your installation program can be broad, targeting an entire community, or very
smoke alarms or no working focused, reaching out to a core group of vulnerable citizens.
smoke alarms. However you choose to go about it, by installing smoke alarms in homes, you’ll
be doing your part to make residents and your entire community much safer.
• Homes with smoke alarms From Start to Finish
(whether or not they are To help you plan and implement your own
operational) typically have a smoke alarm installation program, the
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
death rate that is 40 to 50 has developed this comprehensive guide.
percent less than the rate for In it, you’ll find everything you need to get
started, from tips on how to select and train
homes without alarms. volunteers, to pointers on soliciting donations
and publicizing your program.
• If every home had working In putting together this guide, we’ve relied
on the experts: safety advocates from across
smoke alarms, U.S. home the country who’ve conducted their own
fire deaths would decrease successful smoke alarm installation programs.
From urban areas, to sprawling suburbs, to
by an estimated 36 percent, rural hamlets, our experts have helped to get
resulting in an estimated smoke alarms installed just about everywhere. Chances are, there is a community
mentioned in these pages that isn’t that different from your own.
1,120 lives saved per year.
So what are you waiting for? Let’s get started!
• Smoke alarms fail most of Note: Smoke alarm installation programs, in which firefighters and trained
volunteers install smoke alarms and batteries, are not the same as smoke alarm
the time because of missing,
giveaway projects. Experts warn that simply giving residents alarms does not
disconnected or dead ensure that they will be installed correctly, if at all.
batteries.
1

3. The Mississippi Project Yazoo City
In 2002, a home fire in Tchula, MS, claimed the lives of six children. Since then,
local leaders and the Mississippi High-Risk Fire Safety Task Force have been
working with national safety organizations, including NFPA and the U.S. Fire
Administration, to keep such a tragedy from happening again.
Their goal: to get working smoke alarms
installed in every home in Holmes
County–where Tchula is located–one
of the most impoverished counties On October 21, 2004, three adults
in the nation. It was a monumental and three children, ages 9 to 15,
task. Firefighters and volunteers have safely escaped a fire in their home
installed 8,700 smoke alarms, with in Yazoo City, MS. Firefighters say
10-year lithium batteries, in homes that a smoke alarm installation
throughout the county. project, spearheaded by NFPA,
was responsible for the successful
For coordinator Margaret Wilson
escape.
and her team of volunteers from the
community and the Holmes County fire In 2003, after five children died in
departments, making sure that local residents get a home fire in Yazoo City, the NFPA
the message has required phone calls, home visits, community meetings and Center for High-Risk Outreach
a whole lot of shoe leather. They have also publicized the installation project in donated 3,000, 10-year battery
local newspapers and television stations and by distributing brochures through smoke alarms to the city, as well
area churches. as drills, ladders, and educational
materials. Also, First Alert home
“We’re doing it street by street, going house to house,” says Wilson. “For people
safety products company donated
who aren’t home, we leave a flier telling them to call us if they need an alarm or
250 alarms and the Mississippi
if they need the batteries changed. A lot of people think that it’s enough to have
Department of Health donated 300.
the smoke alarms in their home, but they need to check to make sure that they
work.” Fire Marshal James Jackson
says that by the time he and his
While installing 8,700 alarms may seem like a tall task, Wilson insists that the
volunteers are done, they will have
key to an efficient and effective installation program is good, reliable volunteers,
installed 3,550 alarms. Every home
no matter how many alarms you are seeking to install. “Make sure you have
in Yazoo City will have smoke alarm
some good volunteers who are dedicated and get the job done,” she says.
coverage. To get the word out about
the program, the fire department
has run announcements on
local radio stations and in the
newspaper. One key to the
program’s success: a visible
presence by the fire department.
“When we go out, we take a fire
truck. If folks see a fire truck, they’ll
let you in,” says Jackson.
2

4. Keys to Step One: Organize a Planning Committee
Success A successful smoke alarm installation requires more than just installing smoke
alarms. The key to a well-run program is advanced planning and a steering
Spotlight: Fire committee that has leaders from throughout the community.
Department Participation
Start by identifying organizations that should
From big cities to small towns, be part of your planning team. You’ll probably
organizers of successful smoke want to start with representatives of the local
alarm installation projects can fire department, including the local fire chief,
agree on one thing: fire department head of the firefighters union, or the leader
of the volunteer firefighter association. You’ll
participation is key to an effective
also want to involve local safety advocates,
campaign. “People associate smoke
community organizations and businesses.
alarms with fire departments,” Remember, the more diverse the group of
says Mark Jackson, a public health institutions you include in the planning process, the better chance you’ll have of
advisor for the Centers for Disease reaching local residents and conducting a successful installation project.
Control and Prevention in Atlanta,
Here’s who you should think about involving—and how they can make your
GA, who administers a program that program a success:
has funded 16 states to do smoke
alarm installation and education. Local fire department or firefighters union
They are the first link to fire safety in the community.
“Partnering with the fire department
gives credibility to an installation Businesses, including retail outlets
program and that uniform is often From big home improvement stores to small local outfits, businesses are often
what gets people into the homes,” willing to donate supplies, including smoke alarms, batteries, ladders and drills.
says Jackson.
Local chapters of service clubs
Service clubs such as Rotary International, The Lions Clubs International, 100
Black Men of America, The National Coalition of 100 Black Women, The Elks
Club and Kiwanis International, can be a key source of volunteers and often have
connections with local businesses.
Older adult organizations
Older residents are among the most vulnerable to fire death. Organizations that
service this population can help you reach them.
Health and safety agencies and organizations
Fire prevention is a key issue for organizations and agencies that work on health
and safety issues.
Faith-based institutions
Local houses of worship can help you get the word out about your smoke alarm
installation project.
Electricians or members of an electricians’ union
Their labor can be key (and they may be willing to donate it), especially if you are
installing alarms that must be hardwired.
3

5. Step Two: Identify Your Target Population Keys
You’ve decided that you want to conduct a smoke alarm installation program.
You’ve even begun to assemble your planning committee. But what kinds of
to Success
residents are you going to target?
Spotlight: Know Your Community
While organizers of smoke alarm programs, like the
The people behind successful
one in Holmes County, MS, set an ambitious
smoke alarm installation
goal of installing alarms in every home,
programs share one
many other communities have successfully
very important trait:
conducted installation campaigns that take
No matter where
a far more limited approach. Some choose
they live, they
homes within a single census tract, while
are extremely
others identify a particularly vulnerable
knowledgeable
population, then try to reach them block
about the
by block.
communities in
The scope of your installation program will which they reside
be determined by the resources available and work. And if
to you and the nature of the community there is something
in which you live. Answering the following they don’t know,
questions will help you to take the next steps they know how to
toward planning and implementing a successful find the information.
campaign. When the SAFE KIDS
Coalition of Southeastern
• How would you characterize the size and population
Pennsylvania was preparing to
demographics of your community?
launch an ambitious installation
• Are there neighborhoods in your area that have experienced many fire deaths or and education program in an
have the most fire runs? (Note: the local fire department will know the answer to impoverished Philadelphia
this question.) neighborhood, they knew that they
couldn’t move forward without
• What are the high-risk populations in your area?
answering a basic question: Did
• What kinds of resources are available to you to conduct an installation residents of the neighborhood trust
campaign? the fire department? To answer
that question, SAFE KIDS, which
spearheaded the program along with
the Philadelphia Children’s Hospital,
held two sets of focus groups in
the neighborhood. “We needed to
know what the best vehicle was for
getting into these homes,” says Gina
Duchossois, chair of the coalition.
“This was going to be a two-year
project for us and we wanted to
make sure that we had the right
information.”
4

6. Keys to Step Three: Identify High-Risk Residents
Success in Your Community
NFPA research consistently shows that certain populations are particularly
Spotlight: Answering a vulnerable to fire-related deaths and injuries. By targeting these populations in
Wake-Up Call your smoke alarm installation efforts, you’ll be striking a significant blow against
Fire safety advocates in Plano, the risk of death and harm from fire. These at-risk groups include:
TX, didn’t need to do research to • Young children
determine which of their town’s
residents were vulnerable to fire • Older adults
death. In 2003, after 22 years • People with disabilities
without a fire death, this town of
240,000 lost two elderly people • Low-income communities, communities with many recent
in home fires. While the fire immigrants from non-English speaking countries
department had been conducting • Residents of homes with security bars
smoke alarm installations since
1996, the tragic deaths spurred But the home of a vulnerable individual, or even an entire at-risk neighborhood,
a new effort to reach out to older never exists in isolation, notes safety advocate Sharron Beals, the executive
adults, particularly those living director of Beechwood on the Bay, a nonprofit agency in Quincy, MA, that serves
alone. young children and older adults. “A community is at risk if it has vulnerable
homes and those tend to be the homes of seniors,” says Beals, who helps
In the past, notes fire safety coordinate a smoke alarm installation program for adults 75 and older. “If your
education coordinator Peggy Harrell, neighbor is elderly and can’t
fire department representatives get up on a ladder to check
and volunteers have targeted single the battery in his alarm,
family residences. “But both of our then you’re at risk too.
fire deaths were in apartments, so When you have vulnerable
we’re really focusing on how we can residents, you have a
reach out to apartment dwellers.” vulnerable community.”
Now, in addition to installing smoke
alarms in targeted neighborhoods
three times a year, volunteers are
also visiting apartment complexes,
leaving behind door hangers and
newsletters emblazoned with a
simple message: Make sure that
your apartment has a working
smoke alarm. “I leave my phone
number behind too,” says Harrell.
“That way, they can call me with
any questions.”
5

7. Step Four: Solicit Financial Support Keys to
and Donations Success
You’ve got your plan, and you’ve assembled a group of experts to help you
Spotlight: Business to the
implement it. But you’re still missing an essential component: supplies, including
Rescue
smoke alarms, batteries, ladders, drills and other equipment. When fire inspector Cindy Kettering
of the Bend, OR, fire department
While some fire departments and safety organizations rely on grants from
got a call from a local resident in
national organizations including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
need of a special smoke alarm for
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and NFPA to fund their smoke
the hearing impaired, she knew
alarm installation programs, many communities conduct their campaigns using
just what to do: She contacted
equipment and labor that’s donated locally. Donations solicited from area
Gentex, Inc., a manufacturer of fire
businesses can significantly defray the cost of your installation program.
protection equipment, including
But how to begin? You should start by identifying businesses —either national smoke alarms that utilize visual
corporations with an outlet in your area, or home-grown companies— or signals. “They donated $5,000
institutions that might have an interest in fire prevention. Even businesses that worth of alarms, enabling us to
would seem to have little to do with safety often share an interest in supporting expand our smoke alarm program
initiatives that work to make their community safer. These could include: to include services to Bend’s
hearing impaired residents,” says
• Stores that sell smoke alarms or batteries Kettering. It’s far from the first
Including Wal-Mart, Lowe’s, The Home Depot, True Value and other hardware, time that she has approached
home improvement and retail outlets. businesses—both local and
national—about supporting
Bend’s smoke alarm installation
• Insurance companies with offices in your area
program. In recent years, she has
Ask them to consider making a donation to support the program.
secured donations from companies
including Lowe’s, The Home
• Hospitals or other healthcare organizations Depot, Wal-Mart, Fred Meyer
Supporting a smoke alarm installation program complements their community
and Costco. What’s the trick to a
health mission.
successful solicitation? “Try to get
a face-to-face meeting with store
• Printing presses or copy shops management as a way to introduce
Approach them about donating the printing of promotional materials. yourself. Just say ‘Hey, I’m in the
community.’ That’s how you begin
• Restaurants or grocery stores to cultivate that good relationship,”
They may be interested in donating food to feed hungry volunteers. says Kettering. “And don’t forget to
send a thank you letter.”
6

8. Keys Sample Letter to Area Businesses
to Success Send this letter to area businesses months before you plan to conduct your
smoke alarm installation.
Spotlight: Rural Installation
Programs
Dear (Nam
Conducting a smoke alarm e of Store
Manager)
installation program in a rural :
The comm
area presents a unique set of itment of
(NAME O
of this, th F STORE)
challenges. Paying repeat visits e (Town/C to public
ity) Fire D safety is w
like to inv epartmen ell known
to residents who live in isolated ite you to t and (NA . Because
support o ME OF O
areas, for example, is much more are the m ur smoke RGANIZA
ost effecti alarm ins TION) wo
ve tool we tallation p uld
time consuming than returning City) resid have to p roject. Sm
ents don’t revent de oke alarm
have work aths from s
to a densely populated urban (NAME O ing alarm fire, but m
F STORE), s in their any (Town
neighborhood. “Once you get we’ll be a homes. W /
ble to rea ith the su
outside of the city limits, it’s just There are ch more lo pport of
many wa cal reside
ys that yo nts than e
not realistic,” says Steve Davidson, program, ur (NAME ver.
including ) store ca
program administrator for the donating n support
contributi smoke ala this life-s
on, or by rms and b aving
Office of Injury Prevention in the letting yo atteries, m
hope that ur custom aking a fi
Georgia Division of Public Health. you’ll con ers know nancial
sider part about the
a success nering wit installatio
Instead, firefighters and fire safety . h us to m n campaig
ake this e n. I
advocates in Davidson’s neck of ssential s
In return, afety prog
we will re ram
the woods leave door hangers at cognize th
how you e support
houses where no one is home, plan to pro of (STORE
mote the NAME) b
and rely on a tight network of business’s y (Clearly
I will follo involveme explain
w up with nt in your
neighbors and friends to spread you next campaign
ways that week, and .)
the word about the installation we can w look forw
ork togeth ard to spe
be reache er to incre aking with
effort. “The good part about d at (pho ase fire sa you abou
ne numbe fety in (To t
living in a rural area is that considera r) if you h wn/City).
tion. ave any q I can
uestions.
people tend to know each Thank yo
Sincerely, u for your
other and you get very few
refusals,” says Davidson.
He notes that rural Georgia
(Your Nam
is often referred to as the e)
“Burn Belt” due to its (Title)
high percentage of old (Town/Cit
y) Fire De
partment
and highly combustible Or Organiz
ation
dwellings. Thanks to the
efforts of Davidson and
other safety advocates, however,
rural Georgians are increasingly
likely to escape from home fires
safely. Davidson’s office currently
oversees 25 smoke alarm
installation programs across the
state. “In the past three years,
we’ve had 70 saves.”
7

9. Step Five: Get the Word Out About Your Program Keys to
You know the story about the tree that fell in the forest, but there being no one
there to hear it? The same rule applies to public safety initiatives. An effective
Success
smoke alarm installation program depends on a successful publicity strategy.
Spotlight: Life-Saving Publicity
Getting the word out about your campaign will inform local residents that you’re
going to be in their neighborhood, and get people talking about smoke alarms and When Battalion Chief John Flahie
fire safety. of the Moab Valley Fire Protection
District in Moab, UT, wanted to
Contacting the local media is one way to generate publicity for your installation
get fliers about a smoke alarm
program (We’ve included a sample press release that you can customize and send
installation program into the hands
out to newspapers, television and radio stations in your area).
of residents, he started with local
But there are other ways to spread the word as well. Here’s a look: social service agencies. “They were
best able to identify their clients,”
Let them know you’re coming says Flahie. “I supplied the fliers
If you plan to be in a particular neighborhood on a scheduled day, let residents and they handed them out. Then
know in advance. Leave door hangers or post handbills on telephone poles in the it was up to the client to contact
targeted area. us.” The result: The Moab Fire
Department had more requests than
Work through the schools alarms. Flahie also runs ads on the
radio and television and in print
One way to contact parents in a targeted area is to get materials into the hands
about his smoke alarm installation
of their children through teachers who are fire safety advocates. Look for teachers
program, but has found that working
who are part of NFPA’s Risk Watch® and the Learn Not to Burn® programs, or
with aid agencies has been key in
who regularly participate in Fire Prevention Week activities.
reaching Moab’s large population of
seasonal workers. “This is a boom
Reach people where they are
and bust economy. We have a lot of
If you plan to target a particular population—say, older adults—identify places people who are just scraping by and
that cater to them and ask about handing out your materials there. NFPA’s if we can let them know that we’re
Remembering When: A Fire and Fall Prevention Program for Older Adults™ offering free smoke alarms, they’re
includes a smoke alarm installation component. going to take advantage of it.”
Leave a calling card
If you miss residents in a targeted area, don’t give up. Leave a door hanger to
let them know that you’ve stopped by.
Give residents the option of calling a
contact in the fire department
to have an alarm installed at a
later date.
8

10. Training Tips Sample Door Hanger
Door hangers are a great way to let residents know that
Know where to install smoke you’re planning to be in the area to install smoke alarms.
alarms And if you miss a resident, especially in rural areas where
A successful installation program the distance between homes can make
involves making sure that alarms are multiple visits unrealistic, door hangers
installed correctly—and in the right are a convenient reminder that a smoke
We Missed
locations. alarm installation program is under ry
Sor
way. You also have the option of
Y ou !
• Install smoke alarms on every allowing residents to contact you at
level of the home, including the their convenience to schedule an
basement, making sure that there installation appointment.
is an alarm outside every separate We wer
What does a door hanger look e in yo
sleeping area. today f ur neig
or a “S hb
like? Here’s an example, provided Drive” moke A orhood
and ha larm
• In addition to installing alarms on or chec ve inst
by Capt. Michael McLemore of ke alled a
every level and outside the sleeping of man d alarms in t nd/
the Sugar Land Fire Department yo he hom
Sugar L f your neigh es
areas, it’s a good idea to install an bo
in Sugar Land, TX. has pro d Fire Depar rs.
vi tment
smoke alarms in all bedrooms. for the ded this FRE
past 10 E servi
years! ce
• For manufactured (mobile) homes, The fir
efighte
L and w rs o
install a smoke alarm outside of ould lik f Sugar
family e to he
each sleeping area and inside of sta lp y
increas y safe. One w our
e safety ay
each bedroom. that ho is by en to
mes ha suring
numbe ve an a
• If someone in the home is deaf or r of sm dequat
proper oke ala e
locatio rms in
hard of hearing, consider installing alarms n and t the
are fun ha
an alarm that combines flashing ctionin t those
Smoke g.
lights, vibration and/or sound. alarm i
home i nstalla
ns tions a
of the n pections are nd
on-eme ju
• Mount smoke alarms high on offered rgency st two
by the s
walls or ceilings (remember, smoke Depart Sugar L ervices
ment. and Fir
rises). Ceiling mounted alarms e
Appoin
should be installed at least four tments
by calli can be
ng the schedu
Public le
inches away from the nearest wall; Progra
m Offic Educat d
0000. T e at 00 ion
wall-mounted alarms should be here is 0-000-
these s no cha
installed four to 12 inches away ervices rge for
.
from the ceiling. Fire S
afe Su
A Com gar La
munit nd
• If you have ceilings that are y Fire
Safety
pitched, install the alarm near the Progra
m
ceiling’s highest point.
• Don’t install smoke alarms near
windows, doors, or ducts where
drafts might interfere with their
operation.
• Smoke alarms should not be
installed in kitchens, bathrooms or
garages.
9

11. Sample Press Release Keys to
Send this release out at least two weeks before
you plan to conduct your smoke alarm installation.
Success
Spotlight: Choose
Volunteers Carefully
r)
onth/Date/Yea
For release on: (M ame) Fire safety advocate
tact: (Your N
rmation, con Sharron Beals hopes that
For more info
)
one number however you recruit your
(Your teleph
volunteers, you’ll do so
ity) rms
(Your Town/C
ons to In stall Smoke Ala with an eye toward the
y/) and Comm unity Organizati ghters from
(Your safety of the people
(Your Town/Cit fire preventio
n effort, firefi
sidents on
munity-wide ations) will vi
sit local re you’re ultimately
art of a com g
(Your Tow n/City)– As p icip ating Organiz ies and installin serving. “We’re trying
bers of (Part placing batter
ent) and mem spections, re
Fire Departm oke alarm in to ensure senior
form free sm
(Month, Date) to per safety,” says Beals,
. , including
s as needed lo cal residents
smoke alarm reach out to eaths. executive director of
f an effort to able to fire d
ign is part o ho are vulner
ity) campa borhoods, w ave them will Beechwood on the
The (Town/C ents of neigh who don’t h
ng peo ple and resid it y) residents Bay in Quincy, MA.
seniors, you es of (Town/C
oke alarm s in the hom “You don’t want
Installing sm .
g a home fire l nonprofit
r od ds of survivin internationa to end up making
increase thei (NFPA), the
Association n 80 years,
Fir e Protection eek for more tha their vulnerability
the National revention W es with no
According to l spon sor of Fire P fires in hom
te and officia y result from effective earl
y aware to the wrong
safety advoca in the countr
m e fire deaths s are the most people.” She
ercent of ho “Smoke alarm Center for
roughly 70 p oke alarms. tor of NFPA’s
s or no work
ing sm ecutive direc dying urges planning
smoke alarm Gamache, ex ur chance of
says Sharon h ome cuts yo
ice there is,” larm in your committee
warning dev g a smoke a
utreach . “Just havin members to
High-Risk O ,” says (Your
rly in half.” smoke alarm know who their
in a fire nea tection of a re death,
residents have the pro won’t pre vent ever y fi volunteers are
to make sure alarms alone they know
“Our goal is “B ecause smoke es cape plan so and to make
rganization). a home fire
N ame, Title, O ting resi dents to have sure that they’re
cludes educa
our project in larm sounds.” nit y volunteers adequately
the smoke a and commu
what to do if rogram, loca
l firefighters Residents
borhoods). supervised
installation p wns or neigh
smoke alarm ting residen ts in (List to nding for the
During the
the area, visi ber). Local fu during the
me) at (Num
will fa n out through sh ould call (Na installation
a home visit .
to schedule local funders)
who wish ded by (List says Judy Co
moletti, portion of
am was provi of minutes,”
inst allation progr e in a matter nce warning the project.
rough a hom why the adva
and spread th tion. “That’s in th is Beals’s group
“Fire can gro
w public educa articipating
tant vice president for g lives. By p a t local
NFPA’s assis al to savin to ensure th uses off-duty
n be essenti t) is helping
sm oke alarms ca ir e Departmen firefighters
provided by tion, (Your F
oke alarm installa
community sm homes.”
and the
safer in their
residents are local Rotary
group as its resource (Beals
is a member). “It could be another
group, but the key is that you have
a group with knowledge of the
members it’s supplying and a level
of accountability.”
10

12. Keys to Step 6: Recruit Volunteers
Success Your ability to recruit and provide training to volunteers will play a big part
in determining just how successful your smoke alarm installation project is.
The more volunteers you have, the more houses your team members will
Spotlight: Partnerships
be able to visit. And while numbers are important, quality is key as well.
When it comes to getting smoke You’ll be visiting the homes of some of the more vulnerable members of your
alarms into the homes of vulnerable community. You’ll want to make absolutely sure that the volunteers you recruit
are both trustworthy and accountable.
older adults, the state of Virginia is
tops. Since 2000, state agencies First of all, you’ll need to develop a strategy for recruiting volunteers. Here are
and fire prevention groups have some tips:
installed more than 3,800 smoke
alarms, and provided NFPA’s Fire department first Target the community
Remembering When: A Fire and
As we’ve stressed throughout this Very likely, there are groups in your
Fall Prevention Program for Older guide, fire department participation is community that share your mission of
AdultsTM to more than 6,500 older essential to an effective smoke alarm fire safety and prevention, but aren’t
adults. What’s Virginia’s secret? A installation project. Depending on the involved in the actual planning of the
unique partnership with so-called department’s level of commitment, event. Supplying volunteers to help with
AAAs, or Area Agencies on Aging. the fire chief may be willing to the installation of smoke alarms is a
assign on-duty firefighters to the task relatively easy way for these groups to
A statewide program called Get
(Of course, be prepared for them support your efforts.
Alarmed Virginia, now funded by
to leave quickly in the event of an
the Virginia Department of Health,
emergency). Off-duty firefighters can
is conducted through nine different
Branch out—with care
also be called on to help.
AAAs. “They are providing services With the proper training, all sorts of
people can serve as volunteers on your
at the local level, so they’re able to Start with your planning
installation team. Installation campaigns
reach a huge number of seniors in committee
across the country have circulated
the state,” explains Carol Cooper
Groups involved in planning your their appeals for volunteers via radio,
Driskill, a program director with the smoke alarm installation project are television, even light posts.
Virginia Department of Aging. “In a good source of volunteers, from
turn, the agencies are partnering the staff members of health and
with their local fire departments. It’s safety organizations to members
been wonderful.” of local chapters of service
organizations such as The Lions
Clubs International and Rotary
To order a Remembering International.
When program or
supporting brochures go to
www.nfpacatalog.org.
11

13. Step 7: Provide Your Volunteers with the Necessary Smoke Alarms with Special
Features
Training, Tools and Materials
Many smoke alarm models now
You’ve assembled enough volunteers to fan out across the area you’ve chosen to come equipped with enhanced
check smoke alarms, install new ones and replace batteries as needed. So how do features so that they can be more
you make sure that your volunteer force is up to the task? Simple: train them. You’ll easily tested, even by people with
want to ensure that your helpers understand how to install smoke alarms correctly vision and hearing problems.
and can speak about the purpose of the program and about fire safety in general.
Escape Light: When the smoke
alarm sounds, an escape light is
Installation 101 your volunteers, their ‘people skills’
are key as well. Do role-playing also activated, helping you to exit
Thanks to enhanced features, testing
activities to make sure that they can the area.
your smoke alarm to ensure that
it works can be as easy as using a explain the program in a friendly and Alarms with Strobe Lights: Some
TV remote control. And thanks to knowledgeable way. alarms come equipped with strobe
advanced warning systems, alarms lights to alert people who are deaf or
are more easily seen or heard, even
Have materials ready
hard of hearing.
Chances are, you’ll want to have
by people with vision and hearing
problems. Most successful campaigns
some materials to distribute to the Lithium Batteries and 10-Year
recommend conducting a thorough
residents of the homes you’re visiting. Power Cells: Alarms that use
Many of these are available online these power sources can operate for
training session before the big day.
at www.nfpa.org. Under ‘Research up to 10 years without requiring a
The top lesson on the agenda: how to
& Reports’ navigation bar, click on change of battery.
install a smoke alarm. To make sure
‘Fact Sheets’ and then ‘Fire Prevention
your training covers the basics, follow
Equipment’. Make sure you have
Combination Alarms: A smoke
the suggested Installation Training alarm and carbon monoxide alarm
brochures, fact sheets and home fire
Agenda on page 17. are in one unit. Make sure to note
escape plans ready before the big day.
the difference between the sound of
Firefighters lead the way
Ask firefighters to help you conduct
Tools for success each alarm.
Whether you end up with donated Remote-Controlled Testing
the training. Have them break down
alarms and batteries, or purchase Buttons: No need to climb up
the installation process into simple
them yourself, you’ll need to divide on a ladder—smoke alarms with
steps that can be easily replicated.
them among your volunteers when this feature allow you to use most
Training volunteers to lead installation day finally arrives. In standard TV/VCR remote controls to
If you are relying on on-duty addition, you may also want to test your smoke alarm.
firefighters to lead the installation consider supplying your volunteers
teams, be sure you’re prepared in with the following: Hush Buttons: This feature allows
you to temporarily silence the smoke
the event of an emergency (one that • Cordless drills and screwdrivers
alarm in the event of a “nuisance”
requires them to leave the installation • Safety goggles alarm (cooking smoke that is not
project to do what they do best: fight
• Safety step stools fire-related, for example). Depressing
fires). You’ll want to make sure that
• Liability release forms the hush button automatically
your volunteers can step up to
(see page 13) switches the alarm to a reduced
the challenge if there are no
sensitivity condition for a limited
firefighters present. • Installation survey
period of time. If a real fire occurs,
forms (see page 14)
Role-play the day and the quantity of smoke reaching
While you’ll want to the smoke alarm is sufficient, the
check on the knowledge alarm will sound.
and installation skills of
12

14. Installation Sample Waiver Form
Waiver Sample waiver form for smoke alarm installation program*
Before your team members actually
install a smoke alarm in a particular
household, they’ll need to get the
resident’s
signature on the
following waiver.
By signing the
waiver, the
resident agrees
not to sue the fire
department, the
city or town, or
other organizations
involved in the
smoke alarm
installation program
in the event that the
smoke alarm fails to
work properly.
13

15. Survey Form for Smoke Alarm List of service
Installation Program organizations
Your volunteers will need some means of keeping track of the work they’ve Service organizations are a great
done. This installation survey from NFPA will allow them to record important source of volunteers. Here’s a list of
some of the better known clubs, and
information about the residence they’ve visited, as well as the number of alarms
their national offices. Contact them
they’ve installed or batteries they’ve replaced.
to identify a branch near you.
www.nfpa.org/assets/files/PDF/installationsurvey.pdf The Association of
Junior Leagues International Inc.
90 William Street, Suite 200
New York, NY 10038
FIRE Ac
Smoke A
larm Insta t Grant 212.951.8300
1. Date: llation Su
rvey Form www.ajli.org
11. Was
the
each slee re a smoke alarm 100 Black Men of America
ping area outside 141 Auburn Avenue
2. Installe �Yes � ?
r’s Name No
: Atlanta, GA 30303
12. How
many sm (404) 688-5100
test? oke alarm www.100blackmen.org
s did you
3. Occup �zero �
ant’s Nam one �tw
e: o �three
or more Benevolent & Protective
13. How How ma
4. Street �zero �
many ala
rms did n ny ___ Order of the Elks of the USA
Address: one �tw ot w
o �three ork? 2750 N. Lakeview Avenue
or more
14. If smo
ke alarms How many ___
Chicago, IL 60614-1889
please in did not w (773) 755-4700
dic ork
the follow ate how many ala , www.elks.org
ing proble rms had
�battery m
was disco (s):
�battery nn
was dead ected________ Fraternal Order of Eagles
�battery ________
wa __
5. Town: �other (s s missing______ _____ 1623 Gateway Circle S.
pecify)__ _
________ ______ Grove City, OH 43123
_______
15. How (614) 883-2200
many sm
more tha oke alarm
n1 s were www.foe.com
6. Type o �zero � 0 years old?
f Residen one �tw
�one fam ce: o �three
ily �2-fa or m Kiwanis International
�apartm m
ent �ma ily (duplex)� 16. How m How man ore
any batte y ___
nufacture
d home replace? ries did y
ou
3636 Woodview Trace
(mobile h
ome) �zero �
one �tw Indianapolis, IN 46268-3196
7. Numbe o �three (317) 875-8755
r of levels or m
�one �
two �thre
in the hom
e How man ore www.kiwanis.org
e or more : y ___
17. How m
How man any new
y ___ you insta smoke ala
ll? rms did Knights of Columbus Headquarters
8.How ma �zero �
ny smoke one �tw
in the hom
e
alarms w
ere
o �three
or more 1 Columbus Plaza
alarms? (I before you installe 18. What
f zero, ple d new safety info How many ___ New Haven, CT 06510
Question ase skip leave with rmation d (203) 752-4000
16 to th id
�zero � .) Please sp e home’s occupa you
one �tw
o �three ________
ecify:___
________ t?
n www.kofc.org
or more __ ___
9. Was th ________ ______________ _____
ere at lea How many ___ ________ __ Lions Clubs International
on every st one sm
oke alarm ________ _____
lev _______
�Yes � el of the home? 19. Did y Headquarters
No ou help o
ways out ccupant fi 300 W 22nd St.
of nd two
10. If “no
”, which le �Yes � every room? Oak Brook IL 60523-8842
No
smoke ala vel(s) did
rm not have (630) 571-5466
�baseme ? a 20. Did
you help
nt �first occ www.lionsclubs.org
�other (s floor �se
pecify)__ cond floo outside meeting p upant select an
________ r �Yes lace?
________ �No
Rotary International
One Rotary Center
1560 Sherman Ave.
10/19/04 Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 866-3000
www.rotary.org
14

16. Training Tips Step 8: Be Prepared for Challenges—
Tools for Volunteers and Know How to Overcome Them
Smoke Alarms: Be sure to use Sometimes, even the best-laid plans fail to come off, and a smoke alarm
smoke alarms that bear the label installation program is no exception. From recruiting volunteers to reaching out to
of an independent testing agency.
the residents you want to serve, you may encounter difficulties along the way. To
When distributing alarms to the
installers, be sure to keep track help you overcome these bumps in the road, we’ve asked some campaign experts
of the number of alarms given to to tell us about the hurdles that they encountered, and how they overcame them.
each volunteer. The installer must
complete surveys to account for
every alarm. Additional alarms
Problem: Too Few Volunteers
should not be given to the installer When Cackie Joyner, training coordinator for the Occupational and Environmental
until all alarms are accounted for. Safety Office at Duke University, set out to help plan Durham, NC’s first ever
Survey & Waiver Forms: Provide smoke alarm installation, she had an ambitious plan to recruit more than 100
forms for volunteers to complete when volunteers. But while her efforts garnered tons of local publicity, she had trouble
they visit a home. Provide installers getting people to make a commitment. And on the big day: disaster. Many
with pens and a clipboard to make it volunteers who’d signed up to participate didn’t show at all. “The volunteers were
easier to complete the forms.
supposed to come to a big festival we were putting on that day and have lunch.
Identification: All volunteers should We were kind of surprised at how many didn’t show up.” In the end, Joyner
be able to identify themselves. and her team went to Plan B: They brought fire trucks into designated areas
Consider using badges, T-shirts, and had volunteers and firefighters canvas the neighborhoods. “It worked,” says
jackets, or hats to identify your Joyner. “But it would have been more fun for me if there had been hundreds of
volunteers. Inform residents
thousands of volunteers!”
requesting an installation/inspection
that they should ask to see the
credentials of the installer. Problem: Trouble Reaching Designated Recipients
Drill: If possible, have cordless drills The Camden-Gloucester County SAFE KIDS Coalition in southern New Jersey had
and screwdrivers available on a loan a plan. With the help of a grant, the group identified 145 children in Camden
basis for volunteers. Teach installers
who were both low-income, and suffered from moderate to profound hearing
how to operate the drill. Be sure
loss, then offered to provide each family with specially designed smoke alarms
to recharge the drills according to
manufacturer’s instructions. for the hearing impaired and install them free of charge. But to the frustration of
coordinator Valerie Chapman, the group had trouble reaching the people they’d
Drill Bits: Extra drill bits should be hoped to help. “The population wasn’t responsive. Even when we went through
provided with the drill.
the schools, we didn’t get a response, or the families wouldn’t agree.” The
Safety Ladder: If possible, loan a solution: Organizers ultimately relaxed their criteria in order to boost the number
safety ladder for the installer to use. of participants in the program. “We ended up opening it up to anyone who met
the hearing impairment part,” says Chapman.
Dry Wall Screws: Screws designed
to be used with dry wall may be easier
to use than the screws and drywall Problem: Residents Live in Apartments
anchors provided with the alarms.
Peggy Harrell and her team of fire safety advocates in Plano, TX, wanted to install
Batteries: If an installer discovers smoke alarms in the homes of older adults but they had a problem: Many older
an alarm with missing or dead adults in Plano live in apartment complexes, and installing smoke alarms is the
batteries, fresh batteries can be
province of the landlord or building supervisor. “We can’t go door-to-door in the
installed and the alarm tested.
apartments,” says Harrell. “Instead we’re working with building maintenance and
Goggles: Installers can protect their supervisors, making sure that they understand the importance of having working
eyes from injury by wearing goggles. smoke alarms.” Harrell has even applied for a grant to do a print media campaign
specifically for residents of apartments.
15

17. Step 9: Evaluate Your Program Spotlight:
Once the big day has come and gone, you’ll want to evaluate your program’s Keep Your Installation
success. Having completed survey forms from volunteers will facilitate this
process. As you answer the following questions (and no doubt come up with Program Going
a few more of your own), try to focus on ways that you might strengthen the
installation project the next time around. The town of Deerfield, IL, has been
conducting smoke alarm installation
campaigns for more than 20 years.
How many alarms did you install?
In 1983, the community, located
18 miles north of Chicago, made
Were you able to gain access to the community
headlines with its ambitious effort
or communities you were targeting?
to install alarms in every one of
Deerfield’s 7,000 homes. Every year
Did you meet the installation goals you set?
since then, firefighters have paid
If not, what were the problems?
return visits to those homes, making
sure that the alarms and their
Was your effort to recruit volunteers successful?
batteries are still working. The key
to their efforts: a huge commitment
Did you receive coverage in the local media?
from the local fire department,
says Keith Patterson, director of
What kinds of financial support did your campaign receive?
education and media affairs for
the Deerfield-Bannockburn Fire
How might you conduct the project differently next time?
Protection District. “Everyone in
the department got involved and
the chief came up with incentives
to get people to participate.”
The incentives included allowing
firefighters to wear comfortable
athletic shoes, and special shorts
and T-shirts that identified who
they were. Since the success of that
initial effort, civic and community
groups have joined the cause,
raising money to support the
initiative. “It’s important to think
outside the box and be persistent,”
says Patterson. Reminder: Smoke
alarms are only good for 10 years.
After 10 years, the entire unit needs
to be replaced. Here are other ideas
to keep your installers motivated:
• Recognition certificates
• Gift certificates
• A recognition breakfast, lunch or
dinner
• Having installers featured
on your web site
Sparky® and Sparky the Fire Dog® 16
are registered trademarks of the NFPA.

18. Training Tips Safety Tips
Sample Smoke Alarm Share these life-saving tips with residents as you install new alarms for them, or
Installation Training Agenda change the batteries in existing alarms.
This sample agenda will help make • Once the alarm sounds, you may • Regularly vacuuming or dusting
sure that you cover the basics when have as few as two minutes to your smoke alarms, following the
training volunteers. escape. manufacturer’s instructions, can
keep them working properly.
1. Welcome and introductions • Test your smoke alarms once a
month, following the manufacturer’s • Smoke alarms don’t last forever.
2. Objectives of the project
instructions. Replace yours once every 10 years.
3. Local smoke alarm requirements If you can’t remember how old the
• Replace the batteries in your smoke
and placement of smoke alarms alarm is, then it’s probably time for
alarm once a year, or as soon as
a new one.
4. Features of the smoke alarm you the alarm “chirps” warning that
will be using for your project the battery is low. Hint: schedule • Consider installing smoke alarms
battery replacements for the same with “long-life” (10-year) batteries.
5. Demonstration and practice of
day you change your clocks from
smoke alarm installation and • Plan regular fire drills to ensure that
daylight saving time to standard
testing everyone knows exactly what to
time in the fall.
do when the smoke alarm sounds.
6. Respectful interaction with
• Never “borrow” a battery from a Hold a drill at night to make sure
residents
smoke alarm. Smoke alarms can’t that sleeping family members
7. Using the survey form warn you of fire if their batteries are awaken at the sound of the alarm.
missing or have been disconnected. Some studies have shown that some
8. Using the waiver form
children may not awaken to the
• Don’t disable smoke alarms even
9. Fire safety and fire escape sound of the smoke alarm. Know
temporarily. If your smoke alarm
information what your child will do before a fire
is sounding “nuisance alarms,” try
occurs.
10. Review of all handouts relocating it farther from the kitchen
or bathroom, where cooking fumes
11. Program plan and coordination
or steam can cause the alarm to
12. Other issues sound.
Need help putting together a
presentation for your team? Go to
the Web site below to download
a PowerPoint presentation, used
by NFPA professionals to conduct
smoke alarm installation trainings
across the country. It covers the
basics and is ready to go.
www.nfpa.org/alarminstall
17

19. A guide—to saving lives NFPA products
Here are NFPA materials you can
We hope that this guide to conducting a community-wide smoke use to support your project.
alarm installation program has provided you with the facts, tips
and training tools you will need. As you can see, the kind of
installation program you plan and implement will depend on the
nature of the community in which you live. But whether you’re
in a sparsely populated rural area, a teeming metropolis, or
somewhere in between, your smoke alarm installation program
will depend on one essential component: your initiative. So start
planning—and saving lives—today.
XYZ Fire D
epartmen
t
Recogniz
e
certifica your volunteers
te for ea
ch volunt at an event. Crea
eer using te
your own a
logo.
Order your materials at
1-800-344-3555
or www.nfpacatalog.org
18

20. HOW TO REACH US . . .
e-mail lbraxton@nfpa.org
phone (617)-984-7274
fax (617)-984-7222
mail NFPA
Public Education Division
One Batterymarch Park
Quincy, MA 02169
NFPA Web sites www.nfpa.org
www.firepreventionweek.org
www.losbuenosrecuerdos.org
www.riskwatch.org
www.sparky.org
NFPA PUBLIC EDUCATION DIVISION
Sandra Araujo Public Education Specialist
Lisa Braxton Public Education Project Manager
Judy Comoletti Assistant Vice President for Public Education
Barbara Dunn Public Education Assistant
Sharon Gamache Executive Director,
NFPA Center for High-Risk Outreach
Amy LeBeau Public Education
Communications Manager