The West Chester Borough Fire Department in conjunction with 6abc Action News Operation Save a Life and corporate partners The Home Depot, Kidde Fire Safety and Toyota USA received over 100 free smoke alarms as part of a new community-wide fire prevention effort.

Residents who wish to schedule a home visit should email smokealarms@wcfiredept.org. Eligible areas include: Borough of West Chester and portions of West Goshen, East Bradford Township, Westtown Township, Birmingham Township, and Thornbury Township.

The WCFD campaign is part of an effort to reach out to local residents, including older adults, young people and residents of neighborhoods, who are vulnerable to fire deaths. Installing smoke alarms in the homes of West Chester area residents who don’t have them will increase their odds of surviving a home fire.

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the international nonprofit leader in fire, electrical, building, and life safety and official sponsor of Fire Prevention Week, working smoke alarms are the key to saving lives from fire.

“Smoke alarms are the most effective early warning device there is,” says Judy Comoletti, NFPA’s division manager for public education. “Just having a smoke alarm in your home cuts your chance of dying in a reported fire in half.”

“Our goal is to make sure residents have the protection of a smoke alarm,” says Jon Stafford, Chief of the West Chester Fire Department, “because smoke alarms alone won’t prevent every fire death. Our project includes educating residents to have a home fire escape plan so they know what to do if the smoke alarm sounds.”

Firefighters will comb through neighborhoods that have been affected by a fire. In addition, residents who wish to schedule a home visit should email smokealarms@wcfiredept.org. These areas include: Borough of West Chester and portions of West Goshen, East Bradford Township, Westtown Township, Birmingham Township, and Thornbury Township.

"Fire can grow and spread through a home in a matter of minutes,” says Comoletti. “That’s why the advance warning provided by smoke alarms can be essential to saving lives. By participating in this community smoke alarm installation, the West Chester Fire Department is helping to ensure that local residents are safer in their homes.