Published on March 05, 2021

The City of Wheeling’s Fire Department and the American Red Cross Ohio River Valley Chapter are resuming their plans to install roughly 200 free smoke alarms as part of the “Sound the Alarm” campaign.

Wheeling was chosen as one of three West Virginia “Sound the Alarm” cities in early 2020, with a goal to install free smoke alarms in homes to reduce the risk of death and injury due to a home fire. The presence of a working smoke alarm in a home reduces the risk of dying in a fire by 50-percent. The department was hopeful to complete its mission last spring but was halted because of the ongoing pandemic.

Starting this month and continuing until mid-April, Wheeling Fire Department personnel will install free smoke alarms to anyone living within city limits.

Those wishing to have a smoke alarm installed and receive in-home fire safety and evacuation information are asked to register by calling 304-232-0712. Residents are asked to leave a voicemail message with their name, address, and phone number for a call back from the Red Cross. Before the install date, a representative will inform you of an installation appointment date and time. You must be a Wheeling resident to qualify.

The “Sound the Alarm” campaign, established in 2014, has saved roughly 836 lives by installing more than 2-million smoke alarms making more than 900,000 homes safer across the United States.

The Wheeling Fire Department’s Bureau of Fire Prevention reminds everyone to test their smoke alarm monthly and to replace the batteries during the upcoming ‘spring forward’ time change on Sunday, March 14. The smoke alarms being installed will last for 10 years. Anyone who has a smoke alarm more than 10-years-old should have it replaced.