SafeKids Coalition, MFD to Deliver Fire Prevention to Homeowners

The City of Madison Fire Department is partnering with the Madison Area SafeKids Coalition and Pizza Hut to deliver fire prevention in the form of education about smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms as part of this week's fire prevention activities. Fires and burns are the fifth leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children ages 14 and under. Children, especially those ages 5 and under, are at the greatest risk from home fire-related death and injury, with a fire death rate twice the national average. A less acute perception of danger, less control over their environment, and a limited ability to react promptly and properly to a fire contribute to this excess risk. With the City of Madison's new smoke alarm ordinance and the State's new rules for carbon monoxide going into effect, SafeKids and the Fire Department are working to help families make informed choices to ensure the safety of their families. The two agencies are partnering with the Pizza Hut restaurant at 7440 Mineral Point Road to deliver safety education along with pizza. On Thursday evening, October 8, families ordering pizza from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. may get their dinner delivered by SafeKids Coalition Coordinator Nicole Vesely and Community Education Officer Lori Wirth thanks to Delivering Fire Prevention, a program of SafeKids Wisconsin Coalition. Families will be chosen at random. If they have working smoke detectors in their home, they will receive a voucher for a free pizza on their next order, compliments of the Pizza Hut. Some families may receive a free smoke or carbon monoxide detector, and all families will receive fire prevention education. The goal is awareness - as of August 15, 2010, City homeowners will be required to install either hard-wired smoke alarms or tamper-resistant smoke alarms with 10-year lithium batteries.