EASTHAMPTON — The Fire Department responded to more than 40 city homes over the course of five hours this week. The department’s actions were part of a larger effort to safeguard residents against fires and carbon monoxide through a partnership with the American Red Cross, called the “Home Fire Campaign.”

This Monday was the third time the two entities have worked together for this initiative, and as a result, crews installed 85 smoke detectors and 50 carbon monoxide detectors, according to Easthampton Fire Chief Christopher Norris.

The need for these kinds of initiatives was reinforced this past week as four people died in fires across the state within days of each other — one in Dennis and one in Springfield. Both homes did not have working smoke detectors, he said.

“The importance of these preventative programs are critical to help protect the life safety of the families in our community in order to help them prepare and minimize the potential from these tragic events occurring,” said Norris.

The National Fire Protection Association reported that 3,800 people had died from fires in the U.S. More than 40% of fire-related home deaths were caused by fires in properties with no smoke alarms, and 16% that died from smoke alarms that failed to operate.

In several cases, the Red Cross is responding to these fires and have found that with a working smoke detector, many of the fatalities could be prevented, according to Mary Nathan, disaster program manager of the Western Territory or the American Red Cross of Massachusetts.

In Massachusetts alone, the Red Cross responded to more than 700 home fires between July 1, 2021 and June 30, 2022.

Since the Home Fire Campaign started about nine years ago, the program has documented helping to save 2,000 lives, Nathan said.

“This is a life-saving program,” she said. “It’s proven over and over to work.”

As part of the program, members of the fire department and two Red Cross employees go into a person’s home to install up to three smoke detectors and one carbon monoxide detector. At the same time, a member of the Red Cross will provide fire safety tips and help residents develop a fire escape plan that includes two possible escape paths from every room in a resident’s house.

This past January, Easthampton Fire responded to a city resident’s home for a carbon monoxide activation and found a reported, “atmosphere that had 65 parts per million of carbon monoxide.”

Average carbon monoxide levels in homes without gas stoves vary from 0.5 to 5 parts per million and carbon monoxide levels near properly adjusted gas stoves are often 5 to 15 parts per million, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Through the Home Fire Campaign, a carbon monoxide detector was installed in that home in the spring of 2022, said Nathan.

“We counted that as a life saved. Without that alarm she might not have noticed,” she said.

As part of a partnership with National Grid, the Red Cross is also rallying volunteers to install smoke alarms in five cities throughout the state as part of its “Sound the Alarm” events. Through the campaign, volunteers will install 50,000 free smoke alarms nationwide in May.

In Hampden County, the installation event will take place in Springfield on Saturday, May 6. Other installation events will take place in Boston on April 29, Salem on May 6 and Leominster and New Bedford on May 13.

The Red Cross is also seeking volunteers to assist in the five community installation events in May.

Interested residents are encouraged to make an appointment in advance by calling 1-800-564-1234 or visiting soundthealarm.org/MA.

Emily Thurlow can be reached at ethurlow@gazettenet.com.]]>