Snohomish County Fire District 1 is offering free smoke alarms and educational home safety assessments for residents it serves in the communities of unincorporated southwest Snohomish County, Brier, Edmonds, Mountlake Terrace and Woodway.

Funding for the program comes from a Vision 20/20 Grant awarded through the federal Assistance to Firefighter Grant program. The grant provides resources for Fire District 1 to perform home safety surveys and install more than 550 smoke alarms, including 50 for hearing-impaired residents.

The free home safety assessments will include a brief survey, testing and installation of smoke alarms, identifying potential fire hazards, education on how to prevent a fire and assistance in creating a home fire escape plan. The assessments are conducted by Fire District 1 employees and take about 30 minutes.

“Smoke alarms save lives, but we regularly respond to homes that are lacking alarms or have alarms that have become unreliable because they are more than 10 years old,” said Fire Chief Ed Widdis. “We want to make sure everyone we serve has access to this lifesaving technology.”

Residents of the Fire District 1 service area can schedule a free home safety assessment and smoke alarm installation online at www.firedistrict1.org; by emailing PublicEducators@firedistrict1.org; or by calling Kim Schroeder, 425-551-1254.

CAPTION:  In a program funded by a federal grant, smoke alarm technicians Brendan Magee and Steve Snyder will be providing free home safety checks and smoke alarm installation for residents served by Snohomish County Fire District 1 in unincorporated southwest Snohomish County, Brier, Edmonds, Mountlake Terrace and Woodway.