Grant Buys 12,000 Smoke Alarms for Louisiana City

The Monroe, La., Fire Department has received a federal grant that will allow the department to purchase 12,000 “Sealed-in Battery” smoke alarms.

Chief Jimmie Bryant said the $192,000 Federal Emergency Management Agency Assistance to Firefighters-Fire Prevention grant will be used to purchase the 10-year smoke detectors for public distribution.

The smoke detectors require no maintenance or batteries for a period of 10 years. After 10 years, the complete alarm has to be replaced.

Bryant says many city residents still do not have working smoke alarms and many of the older alarms are in need of replacement.

Information from: The News-Star, www.thenewsstar.com