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Sounding the Alarm for Fire Safety

Hearing a smoke alarm can be startling, but not hearing a smoke alarm go off when it should is even more frightening. As you prepare for the colder winter months and more time in your home, along with holiday cooking and baking, having operating fire alarms is critical to keeping your family safe. To support our communities and promote fire safety, we are continuing our 21-year-long tradition of donating thousands of smoke alarms and hundreds of carbon monoxide detectors to local communities across Delaware and Maryland.

“Working smoke alarms are key elements in providing an early warning to residents to ensure personal protection against the risk of fire,” said Grover Ingle, Delaware State Fire Marshal. “Even with the challenges of COVID-19, Delmarva Power continues to serve as a trusted community leader, promoting safety for all residents through the donation of these needed smoke alarms.”

Here are a few important tips from the National Fire Prevention Association on smoke alarm safety to keep in mind:

  • Smoke alarms detect and alert you to a fire in the early stages. Smoke alarms can mean the difference between life and death in a fire.
  • Working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in a home fire in half.
  • Install smoke alarms in every sleeping room outside each separate sleeping area, and on every level of your home, including the basement.
  • Test smoke alarms at least once a month using the “test” button.
  • Make sure everyone in the home understands the sound of the smoke alarm and knows how to respond.

Our commitment to the communities we serve goes beyond providing safe and reliable energy service. Since 2000, we have worked with local emergency service providers to donate more than 39,000 smoke alarms to communities. We maintain a close partnership with local fire departments and other first responders, who work alongside our employees during storms and other emergencies. In addition to the annual smoke alarm donation, our Emergency Services Partnership Program helps coordinate trainings, share best practices, and sponsor other charitable giving and volunteer activities with area emergency response teams throughout the year.