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City marks 10 years of smoke detector program

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March 14, 2010

by Steve Wiandt

Reporter

Cuyahoga Falls -- The Fire Department will continue providing smoke detectors to residents, thanks to a federal grant and City Council's approval.

Council March 8 authorized the purchase of 3,000 smoke detectors from BRK Brands Inc.

Fire Chief Paul Moledor said the Fire Department received a $63,000 grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which is part of the Department of Homeland Security. Moledor said his department applied for the grant in March 2009 and received word it was approved in August.

The grant is an 80-20 split between FEMA and the city, Moledor said. FEMA will provide $50,400 and the city will pay the remaining $12,600, he said.

"One of the nice things is the company gave us a price that is 20 cents less than what we had been paying before," Moledor said, "and they're going to include shipping and handling in the cost of the detectors."

Moledor said that since the Fire Department started the program 10 years ago, the city has provided more than 7,000 smoke detectors to 2,500 homes.

Any resident of Cuyahoga Falls is eligible to receive smoke detectors free of charge as long as they have never received any from the city in the past, according to a spokesperson for the Fire Department.

Chief Moledor said city firefighters will install the smoke alarms themselves and while they are in the residence they can "look around the house" for possible fire hazards and make suggestions where needed. He said this is an added advantage to the smoke detector program because normally they can't go into a home unless they're invited.

"It's been very positive," Moledor said.

"It's a great service," said Councilwoman Mary Ellen Pyke (R-2). Pyke said if firefighters didn't perform the installation work themselves, many of the smoke detectors might not ever be put into service.

Council also approved spending $6,000 on the annual maintenance of the public safety regional dispatch system equipment.

The city's plan to extend Prospect Avenue by using two residential properties purchased last year was also approved by Council.

E-mail: swiandt@recordpub.com

Phone: 330-688-0088 ext. 3141




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