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Smoke Alarms Recently Installed by SVFD Alert Family to Danger
Firefighters Quickly Extinguish Residential Fire
Smoke Alarms Recently Installed by SVFD Alert Family to Danger
July 17, 2017
Spokane Valley, Wash. – A father and his teenaged daughter safely escaped with the family cat from a fire in their home today, thanks to smoke alarms recently installed by the Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD).
The fire broke out in the daughter’s unoccupied bedroom in the single-family home at 9811 E. 8th Avenue shortly after 11:30 a.m. The first unit to arrive on the scene found smoke coming from an upstairs window of the home and upgraded the incident to a working structure fire which brought additional units to assist with firefighting operations. Fourteen units responded, including Command and Support vehicles, and an engine from Spokane County Fire District 8. Crews quickly extinguished the fire before it could spread into the attic and cause further damage.
Yesterday afternoon, the daughter reported a strange smell in her bedroom. The family searched for the source without luck and decided that the daughter should not occupy the room until checked out by an electrician today. The bedroom door was closed at the time of the fire, helping to contain the fire and limit damage to the rest of the home. The father was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation. No other injuries were reported. SVFD fire investigators determined the cause to be an aging wall outlet that was arcing and caught fire. Damage is estimated to be at least $20,000. The Red Cross is assisting the family of four and their two pets, a dog and a cat.
On April 29, a team of SVFD firefighters installed five smoke alarms in the home as part of a one-day “Home Fire Safety Visit” campaign conducted in the area with the with the American Red Cross. The home did not have any working smoke alarms. The campaign resulted in 305 smoke alarms installed in 95 homes by 43 volunteers and on-duty crews during a four-hour time period. The target area for the campaign was selected based on Department data, demographics, the age of homes in the area, and risk factors including a fire fatality in the neighborhood within the last 10 years.
SVFD would like to remind residents that the importance of smoke alarms cannot be overstated. Smoke alarms over 10 years old should be replaced. And smoke alarms should be placed in every bedroom and on every level of a home. SVFD residents are urged to schedule a free Home Fire Safety Visit online at www.spokanevalleyfire.com or by calling 892-4153.
Did you Know?
- You can sign up for a station tour. Great for small groups.
- You should replace the batteries in your smoke alarms twice a year.
- Creating a defensible space with regards to wildfires could just save your home or property.
- We have Friends & Family CPR classes every month.
