VIDEO: As communities across the nation observe Fire Prevention Week, the Coffeyville Fire Department is emphasizing the critical importance of fire safety in homes. The familiar sound of smoke alarms is one every household should recognize and respond to promptly. In between responding to emergency calls, Coffeyville firefighters teamed up with Domino’s to help ensure residents have working smoke alarms in their homes.
Fire Captain Bobby Tracy shared the department’s motivation for this community outreach. “What excites me about today is just being in the community, being out and about, teaching those in the community about how to be safe around their homes and to prevent fires. You know, we’re here to do a job and that is to fight fires if they occur. But ultimately, if a fire starts, it puts us in danger. It puts the community in danger and puts those that are in the home in danger. So being out today is just to let people be aware of, of how they can be safe in their homes and prevent fires.”
The importance of working smoke detectors cannot be overstated. Captain Tracy explained, “When somebody has working smoke detectors in their home, it has been proven that 50% more lives are saved with working smoke detectors. Checking your batteries every time the time changes. Check your batteries on your smoke detectors.”
Some community members were pleasantly surprised to learn their pizza was free if their smoke detectors worked. Peggy O’Connor, a Coffeyville resident, described what safety means to her. “It means everything. I mean, it gives you such a sense of peace to know that your home is ready and that you will be warned so you can have fire. I do have a step stool in the bedroom so I can get to the window. I just have to drop out the window.”
While a free pizza is a nice gesture, firefighters stress that safety is the real reward.
