Mar. 19 – Since late 2002, the Seymour Volunteer Fire Department has provided free smoke detectors to homes without them, in an effort to promote fire safety and preparedness throughout the Seymour area. The program is funded by the kind gifts of contributors to the SVFD and participation in their fund-raising events.
Every volunteer is active in the program in one way or another, and with the support of the community, they are pledged to provide a smoke detector to each home that requests one. Homes of the elderly and low-income/fixed income families are the targets of the program, though no requests will be turned away.
Firefighters visit the homes and install and test the detectors to make sure they are in working order and are installed in the best location.
Kent Leitch, one of the newest active members of the SVFD, is a second-generation firefighter involved in the program. His father, Al Leitch, is one of the longest active members with 19 years of experience who serves as lieutenant chaplain, engine operator and driver, and first responder. Both stress the importance of community involvement in making programs of this nature work.
“Sometimes we actually go out and knock on doors [for contributions],” Kent told The Herald. “We need the support of the community to make this program work.”
Rhonda Ward, a mother of two young girls who recently relocated to Seymour, understands just how vital services like this are. She and her family were burned out of their previous apartment on January 18th of this year – an apartment that had no smoke detectors. She awoke in the middle of the night, sat up in bed, and was immediately engulfed in smoke. Luckily, her and her family escaped injury, but she and her girls, Courtney, age 6, and Alyssa, age 4, were understandably concerned about the lack of smoke detectors in their new home. Thanks to the SVFD and the caring people of the Seymour community, they can now rest easier at night.
Those wishing to participate the program, make contributions, or those who have questions about smoke detector placement and/or maintenance are encouraged to call the Seymour Volunteer Fire Department’s non-emergency number at 573-7475.

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