Indiana Residents Get Grant for Free Smoke Alarms

The state of Indiana has received a grant to provide free smoke alarms to Indiana residents through volunteer fire departments.

Indiana State Fire Marshal Jim Greeson hopes to provide 500 smoke alarms with 10-year batteries to volunteer fire departments that may not have the resources to purchase them for their communities. The $10,000 grant came from State Farm Insurance.

Greeson says a properly placed, working smoke alarm can give families the extra seconds they need to escape a fire.

Greeson says 85 fire-related deaths were reported in Indiana last year and so far this year 40 have been reported. He says smoke alarms should be installed on every level of a residence and outside each sleeping area.