Be Alarmed Program with East Dundee Fire
East Dundee Fire District
Be Alarmed Program
We are dedicated to serving our community, and what better way is there to offer FREE smoke alarms? This program is available to Illinois residents year-round to educate them on home fire safety and prevention methods. We, along with hundreds of other fire departments, seeks to reduce fire-related injuries and deaths.
About the program
Fire Prevention and Safety Education
“Be Alarmed!” is a fire safety education and smoke alarm installation program administered cooperatively between Camp I Am Me (CIAM) by Illinois Fire Safety Alliance and the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal (OSFM). The program distributes FREE fire safety education materials and FREE 10-year sealed battery smoke alarms to fire departments in the state of Illinois. The fire departments then deliver the education and install smoke alarms in at-risk homes within their communities while recording data for reporting purposes. Both the educational materials and smoke alarms are provided to fire departments at no cost as a result of funding from both the CIAM and OSFM.
The program was developed to educate Illinois residents on the dangers of fire in the home and how to prevent fires from occurring in the home, as well as to ensure there are working smoke alarms properly installed in homes. By providing 10-year sealed battery smoke alarms, it ensures that the power source cannot be removed from the unit and, if properly maintained, will last the life of the device.
CIAM & IFSA
Camp I Am Me by Illinois Fire Safety Alliance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides free programs throughout the year to children, adults, and families.
Apply for Smoke alarms here!
Apply for Smoke alarms here!
Statewide Smoke Alarm Installation Blitz October 20-26
We love our community, review our FAQs below and please apply!
"How many alarms do I need?"
1. In every sleeping area
2. Outside of every sleeping area
3. On every level of the home, including the basement
4. Replace any non-functional or expired alarm
Requirements:
Must be a resident of the Fire District.
Apartment and commercial businesses are not included. Please get in touch with your landlord for further inquiries.
Homeowners must be present at all times during the appointment.
Frequently Asked Questions
On January 1, a new Illinois law will require that any new smoke alarm installed in a single-family or multi-family home have 10-year sealed batteries. This will ensure the detector works when needed without homeowners maintaining new batteries every six months. Monthly testing is still encouraged!
Two of our very own firefighters will be installing your new smoke detectors!
Unfortunately, if you are not a resident of East Dundee, we can not offer you the benefits of this program. Carpentersville Fire Department (acarrillo@cville.org) is offering this program as well! Reach out to your local Fire Department to find out!
By law, the Illinois Smoke Detector Act requires a smoke detector within 15 feet of every sleeping room. If mounted to the ceiling, smoke detectors must be 4-6 inches from the wall. They must be placed on every level of a home, except unoccupied attics. Carbon monoxide detectors are also required within 15 feet of sleeping spaces. You may request to have smoke alarms placed in every bedroom.
Absolutely! Your hard-wired alarms in your home must stay active and up to code. These offered alarms are not to replace them but to add to your home.
Smoke detectors should be replaced every 10 years. Check the manufacturer's recommendations for your specific model. We suggest writing the date on the Smoke Detectors when they are installed!
No, as a business owner, they must supply and install their own smoke alarms for their tenants by policy. The smoke alarms received from the Be Alarmed! Program are for homeowners only.
As long as there is no radioactive symbol or warning label, the detector can be disposed of through the regular trash. If the detector has a radioactive symbol or warning label, please consult your local recycling service. Please be sure to inspect the device thoroughly before making your final decision regarding disposal.
Leave the home or building immediately and call 911 and/or the gas company from a safe location.
Install carbon monoxide detectors on every floor of your home and near sleeping areas. Have your heating system, water heater, and any other gas or oil appliances serviced annually by a qualified technician.
A multipurpose ABC fire extinguisher is recommended for home use.
Kitchen fires! Never warm up your house with the stove, unplug unused appliances, and always make sure all, especially gas, appliances are turned off after use or when you leave your home.
The East Dundee Fire Protection District does not take household-hazardous waste products. Check with the County that you live in to inquire whether or not a designated hazardous waste disposal drop-off location has been established for your area. DO NOT THROW THESE ITEMS IN THE TRASH. Chemicals can radiate heat and if mixed can produce spontaneous combustion.
While space heaters are legal and widely used, the Fire Department does not recommend their use because they can pose certain hazards. Before using a space heater always make sure you have a functioning smoke and carbon monoxide detector. Use only safety-listed space heaters that are labeled with the U.L. or A.G.A. certification.
Make sure all furnace controls and emergency shut-offs are in good condition and accessible. Also, have your furnace inspected annually by a licensed professional. Keep trash and combustible materials away from the furnace. Inspect the chimney and flue for cracks or holes. Follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for other maintenance recommendations.
Sit down with all members of the family and discuss escape routes to the outside from each room in the residence. Family members should identify a “meeting place” in front of the residence to all members can be accounted for after the escape. Whatever plan you develop, it should be practiced at different times of the day.
Test every month! (Know what each sound, sounds like)
Change batteries every year! (We are providing 10 yr battery sealed)
Replace alarms every ten years!
401 Dundee Ave, East Dundee, IL 60118
Copyright © 2024 East Dundee Fire Protection District - All Rights Reserved.