IFSA and Operation Save A Life to Distribute Smoke Alarms to Chicago Suburbs

Mount Prospect, IL – The Illinois Fire Safety Alliance (IFSA) will be joining Operation Save a Life, a partnership between ABC 7 Chicago and Kidde, a leading manufacturer of fire safety equipment. Operation Save a Life is a public service program designed to get life-saving smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms into the hands of at-risk families and provide fire and carbon monoxide safety education. In the coming weeks and months, the IFSA and Operation Save a Life will distribute 1,600 smoke alarms and 475 CO alarms to fire departments in the Chicago suburbs in an effort to prevent future fire injuries and deaths.

The smoke alarms that will be distributed are all equipped with long-lasting, sealed-in batteries capable of powering the device for at least 10 years. These alarms are effectively impossible to disable and require virtually no maintenance during their lifespans. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), three of every five home fire deaths in the United States occurs in a home without working smoke alarms. The most common reason smoke alarms are not working is because the batteries either expired, or were removed. Ten-year alarms present a solution to that problem.

“We are extremely excited to join Operation Save a Life,” said Philip Zaleski, Executive Director of the IFSA. “Working smoke alarms are the most important appliances that can be found in one’s home. Distributing working smoke alarms to those who need them will go a long way toward preventing burns and fire deaths."

Fire departments in the Chicago area interested in participating in this new program should visit the IFSA's website - www.ifsa.org/programs/alarms.

ABOUT THE ILLINOIS FIRE SAFETY ALLIANCE: Since 1982, the Illinois Fire Safety Alliance (IFSA), a 501(C)(3) nonprofit organization, has been promoting and disseminating fire safety and burn prevention materials and resources. The IFSA also hosts a variety of support programs for burn survivors including the Young Adult Summit, Family Day, and Camp “I Am Me,” a unique weeklong camp for children who have experienced severe burn injuries. For more information, visit www.IFSA.org.

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