SOUTHWICK – On Oct. 29, the American Red Cross hosted a smoke detector program for the very first time for Southwick residents.
As interested individuals had to sign up prior to the event happening, they had to own their own home, it had to be built before 1975, and the smoke alarm or device had to be at least 10 years old or not existing at all.
The American Red Cross teamed up with the Southwick Fire Department and the Council on Aging.
According to Southwick Fire Chief Russ Anderson, it has been found that volunteers went into 32 different homes and installed around 100 devices.
Mildred Smith, second from the left, is 91 years old and is one of several seniors in Southwick that received a new smoke detector in her home. (Photo from Cindy Sullivan)
Chief Anderson also pointed out that some of the smoke detectors in people’s homes were about 20 years old.
As the majority of individuals in the community that signed up for the one-day program were seniors in town, Anderson recalled one senior that was very appreciative of the program.
“You folks are saving lives doing this,” said one senior during the program on Oct. 29.
Cindy Sullivan, the Southwick Council on Aging Director, also went into several homes helping install devices and remembered that another senior didn’t even have a smoke alarm in his home.
“He was happy that we were there,” said Sullivan.
The American Red Cross is in charge of the program and with the success recently seen in Southwick the hope is that the program will not be the last time it is in the town.
“I thought it was a great program,” said Chief Anderson. “The seniors were very appreciative of it.”
