Piedmont Triad firefighters gear up for ‘Smoke alarm Saturday’

by: Sarah Winkelmann

Posted: Jun 2, 2023 / 04:16 PM EDT

Updated: Jun 2, 2023 / 04:16 PM EDT

GUILDFORD COUNTY, N.C. (WGHP) — The number of lives lost in fires in the state this year is 64.

The number one way to make sure you get out in time is to have a working smoke alarm. The state is launching "Smoke Alarm Saturday" on June 3 to get the lifesaving devices into as many homes as possible.

When drawing up their maps, one thing they look at is where have they had deadly fires. There was one on Exeter Road in Guilford County, so Pinecroft-Sedgefield firefighters will be in that area over the weekend.

"We are on pace to set a new record for fire deaths if it continues this way," said Capt. Holt Alcon with the Pinecroft-Sedgefield Fire Department. "We will walk from house to house from one end of the road to the other and just either leave a door hanger and hopefully go inside and help them out."

Smoke alarms need to have new batteries twice a year and need to be replaced every 10 years.

"A lot of these areas are homes that we know are older than 10 years old, so we know the smoke alarms have not been replaced, so we want to target those," Alcon said.

While at your house, they will also go over your evacuation plan.

"We can go ahead and put notes in our computer system, so when we are dispatched, we already know that there is someone in a wheelchair in this home in the back right bedroom and that helps us," Alcon said.

They are taking time out of their Saturday to make sure homeowners have the time they need when every second counts, especially with the material used in modern-day homes.

"It used to be in the 70s, you would have eight to 10 minutes to get out of your house. Today you have two or less to get out of your house before you will be overcome by the smoke," Alcon said.

This is a statewide campaign, and firefighters will be giving out thousands of smoke alarms, many of them in the Piedmont Triad.

If you don't get a knock on your door, make sure your smoke alarm is working.

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