Macon-Bibb Fire Department: Smoke detectors save lives

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Macon-Bibb Firefighters say a smoke detector gives a person a 50-percent better chance of surviving a fire.

Lieutenant Ellen Kicklighter, The Fire Safety Educator for The Macon-Bibb Fire Department, said children and senior citizens are most at risk when it comes to fires. 

The Fire Department reports 4 fire fatalities this year. That’s a decrease from the 12 deaths that happened last year. 

Lieutenant Kicklighter said almost all of these fires didn’t have a working smoke detector. Some didn’t have one at all. 

“When you install it, put it in the hallway outside of the sleeping areas. You don;t want to put smoke detectors in the kitchen because it will constantly be set off,” explained Lieutenant Kicklighter. 

Fire Officials recommend testing the smoke detector battery once a month and changing the battery twice a year. 

“When you change your clocks back, change your batteries in your smoke detector,” advises Lieutenant Kicklighter. 

Statistics show most deaths come from inhaling smoke, not the actual fire itself. Firefighters recommend getting low to the ground to avoid the rising smoke.

Lieutenant Kicklighter will teach fire safety classes this year at 25 schools in Macon-Bibb County.

One of her students, Carson Butcher, said she knows exactly what to do in case of an emergency. 

“I live on the second floor of our house and you need two exits so you would either go down the stairs and creep down, open the door, and go to your meeting place,” explained Butcher. 

The Fire Department will also be going into assisted living homes to educate senior citizens about fire safety. 

Lieutenant Kicklighter wants everyone in Macon-Bibb to know they can easily get their own smoke detector for free. All you have to do it call the Fire Department and they will set up a time to come by your home and install one. 

This week is Fire Prevention Week and the Fire Department is hosting a number of events.

October 10th – Live fire training for Middle Georgia State College from 10 a.m. until noon.
October 11th – Smoke Detector Blitz with The American Red Cross in 4 areas of Macon from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m.

The Fire Trucks will also be at a few different restaurants and stores this week.

October 6th – Firehouse Subs, 4123 Forsyth Road. 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.
October 7th – Chick-fil-a, 5055 Brookhaven Road and 5920 Zebulon Road. 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.
October 11th – Lowes Home Improvement Store, 6011 Zebulon Road. 10 a.m. – Noon.