From left, Robert Smith, Jamestown Fire Department fire code inspector; Jessica Dayton, Chautauqua Safety Village executive director; Jamestown Mayor Eddie Sundquist; and Matthew Coon, Jamestown Fire Department deputy fire chief; announcing that the Jamestown Fire Department and Chautauqua Safety Village will be distributing free smoke alarms to city residents. P-J photo by Dennis Phillips

Saving lives, preventing injuries and minimizing damage by alerting people to a fire is what makes smoke detectors so important.

On Monday, city officials and the Chautauqua Safety Village announced that they have partnered to distribute free smoke alarms to city residents. Jessica Dayton, Chautauqua Safety Village executive director, said the smoke alarms are available because of an $8,000 FEMA grant. She said, so far, the Jamestown Fire Department and Chautauqua Safety Village have purchased 400 smoke alarms to give away to city residents.

“Being able to prevent just one fire is so important,” Dayton said.

Robert Smith, code inspector with the Jamestown Fire Department, said city officials are glad to be partnering with the Chautauqua Safety Village to provide the smoke alarms to the public for free.

“We’re very excited to partner with the safety village to provide smoke detectors to our residents,” he said.

Residents interested in a free smoke alarm can call the Jamestown Fire Department’s Office of Fire Prevention at 483-7597 to arrange pickup of a 10-year battery operated smoke alarm. Supplies are limited.

“When it comes to fatal fires, 40% occurred in homes with no smoke alarms and 17% of those fatal fires had smoke alarms that were not operating,” Smith said. “Any opportunity we can take advantage of to help save someone’s life is a good one.”

Smith said fire department officials will assist residents with where to install the smoke alarms and also provide other fire safety information. Dayton said people can also pickup a free smoke alarm by calling the Chautauqua Safety Village, which is located at 2695 Route 394, Ashville, at 338-0171.