This week, thanks to the work of the Baltimore City Fire Department, the City Fire Marshal's office, and the 3-1-1 call center, we announced a new initiative to distribute smoke alarms to Baltimore residents, which will be installed free-of-charge. Those interested in obtaining a new smoke alarm can call 311. Fire fighters from neighborhood stations will deliver the smoke alarms.

The single most important life-saving device in a home is a smoke alarm. More often than not, investigators find that fire deaths could have been avoided with the proper installation and maintenance of a fire alarm. It is our duty in these tough economic times to leverage funding to make it easier for residents to get the safety and protection they need.

A federal grant supported the purchase of 10,000 new smoke alarms with lithium batteries, which will last for ten years. Recently, the Johns Hopkins University performed a study of smoke alarms installed by the Fire Department. The study found that, after a year, the 10-year lithium battery smoke alarms were still in place and working in 90% of the homes. Alarms with conventional batteries were still in place and working only about 40% of the time a year later.

For your safety, and the safety of your family, please call 311 Call Center to request a smoke alarm. Agents will complete a Smoke Alarm Installation Request form, and the installation request form will be immediately forwarded to the Fire Communications Bureau. At that time, a fire suppression company will be dispatched to the respective resident's home to install a ten-year lithium, tamper resistant smoke alarm.