ASHEVILLE – The city Fire Department will get $91,886 in federal funds to encourage people to install smoke and carbon dioxide alarms in their homes and for several other fire safety measures.
The money will also go for stove-top fire extinguishers, address numbering kits, a portable children's fire education house and other measures.
Local officials and 10th District U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry announced the grant recently.
Kelly Hinz, the department's fire and life safety educator, said the department has been canvassing homes in different parts of the city to check on their fire detection and prevention measures.
In homes where firemen are invited inside, 95 percent do not have operating smoke detectors, Hinz said. Some homes never had them and people remove batteries or disconnect detectors' wiring when they beep when there is no fire, she said. Detectors are designed to work properly for only 10 years.
The department will start implementing steps financed by the new grant during the first quarter of next year, Deputy Chief Chris Budzinski said.
The money comes from the Department of Homeland Security. McHenry's office sponsors regular seminars with a fire chief from the Gaston County town of Cherryville to help other departments in his district compete successfully for the funds.
McHenry announced a $109,091 Department of Homeland Security grant in May for the Skyland Fire Department. The department used the money to buy 54 sets of protective clothing -- jackets, pants, helmets and boots -- firemen wear when responding to a fire, replacing older turnout gear, Chief Denis Presley said.
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