(Greensburg, IN) – The Greensburg Fire Department, Decatur County United Fund and the American Red Cross teamed up Thursday to distribute free smoke detectors to homes in Highland Addition and Vista Village.
Eight firefighters, Red Cross volunteers and members of the Greensburg Rotary Club fanned out to offer detectors and installation to residents of those neighborhoods.
“We install smoke detectors throughout the year. The Red Cross provides them for us through the United Fund,” said Assistant Fire Chief Brian Wenning. “So our guys are very versed in hanging up smoke detectors. We do not hand them to them (homeowers) because we typically find that the detector never gets hung up. So we have to install them.”
Wenning adds that have been several times in which residents who have experienced house fires are thankful for smoke detectors installed by GFD.
“They have said to us, ‘Hey! The smoke detector worked and it got me out of the house.’ So yes, it does work,” Wenning said.
A total of 64 detectors were installed in 39 homes during Thursday’s blitz.
United Fund Executive Director Joanne Cunningham says it’s the third such effort in which her organization has participated.
“Many of them (recipients) are just very overwhelmed by the generosity of our community partners and coming into the home personally, and being in their homes to help them stay safe,” Cunningham said. “We’re very proud of the group today and very honored with the partnerships we have, as well.”
Red Cross Disaster Program Specialist Mars Fulton also stresses the importance of smoke detectors.
“You only have two minutes to get out in a fire and you want to have a predesignated point to where you’re going to meet up,” Fulton said. “None of those things cross your mind on a daily basis, so we want to go out and make sure it’s in everyone’s minds.”
Fulton says any Greensburg resident who would like a detector but were not reached by the volunteers on Thursday can request one by calling the Red Cross at 888-684-1441.
