There are many ways to serve the community. Instead of providing food for those in need or cleaning up a park, volunteers served their neighbors by installing smoke alarms. On Saturday, January 19, a group of volunteers with the Red Cross Home Fire Campaign installed free 10-year smoke alarms in Windsor Green, Greenbrook Village and Lakes at Greenbelt Village. Candice Covin, American Red Cross disaster program manager for Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, coordinated this activity with Greenbelt Mayor Emmett Jordan. The Windsor Green Homeowners Association, led by President Cathy Cruzon, hosted the Red Cross and volunteers in their community building for an orientation and briefing on logistical support. Volunteers then went around to the various buildings and installed 85 smoke alarms for residents who registered in advance and scheduled an appointment.
Maryland law requires the replacement of battery-only smoke alarms with new, 10-year smoke alarms with sealed batteries and a hush feature (to silence the alarm temporarily during cooking).
All smoke alarms must be replaced 10 years after the manufacturer’s date printed on the back of the alarm because they lose their operational sensitivity after that. Smoke alarms must be placed on every level of the home and are recommended for each sleeping area. Maryland’s smoke alarm law was signed in 2013 and included new requirements that took effect on January 1, 2019. The law was designed to achieve the most reliable smoke alarm coverage possible in older dwellings without requiring homeowners to run new wiring. Studies have shown that more than half of the smoke alarms in fire fatalities failed to sound because the 9-volt battery was removed. Sealed batteries are now required in all smoke alarms to ensure they work in case of a fire.
Read more of this story in the January 31 News Review.
