MANCHESTER, NH – Manchester is one of several cities and towns across the state participating in “Get Alarmed New Hampshire,” a program providing free carbon monoxide and smoke alarms to owner-occupied homes where children and senior citizens reside. The program is part of a FEMA Fire Prevention and Safety Grant (FP&S) distributed through the NH Department of Safety’s Division of Fire Safety.
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) the populations most at risk of fire fatalities in residential structures are children under the age of 6 and adults over the age of 59. About 1-in-4 (23.7 percent) of New Hampshire residents fall in this category, or more than 300,000 residents (314,455).
“A fire doubles in size every minute. When a fire is detected by smoke alarms, occupants only have minutes to escape before being overcome by the effects of smoke,” says Manchester Fire Chief Dan Goonan.
Volunteers and members of the Manchester Fire Department will be conducting a two-day installation blitz on July 11 and 12 throughout the city. If you are in an owner-occupied home, meet the criteria below and would like free smoke and carbon monoxide alarms for your home, contract the NH State Fire Marshal’s Office at 866-989-3771, or visit this link.
Eligibility requirements
- Live in an owner-occupied home
- Have children under the age of 6 or adults over the age of 59 in the home
- Have any disability that could delay egress in the event of an emergency
From 2005 to 2015 New Hampshire had 107 residential fire fatalities, Two-thirds of those (66.4 percent) were people over the age of 51. Of the incidents reported in that time period, 7-in-10 (69 percent) had inoperable or no smoke alarms present.
