Suburban fire departments to give out smoke alarms
More than a dozen suburban fire departments will receive free smoke and carbon monoxide alarms to distribute to residents in need.
In all, 1,600 smoke alarms and 250 CO alarms will be given away through Operation Save a Life, a partnership between ABC 7 Chicago and Kidde, a leading manufacturer of fire safety equipment. Operation Save a Life is designed to get lifesaving smoke and carbon monoxide alarms into the hands of at-risk families and provide fire and carbon monoxide safety education.
Departments receiving alarms include Des Plaines, Mount Prospect, Bartlett and the Greater Round Lake Fire Protection District.
Illinois currently ranks second in the nation, trailing only New York, for fire deaths in 2017.
"Every death is tragic," said Philip Zaleski, executive director of the Mount Prospect-based Illinois Fire Safety Alliance. "It is especially tragic when needless deaths could be prevented by the installation of a simple, proven, and inexpensive appliance."