Local listing agent Martin Feinberg was pleased to learn that the Culver City Fire Department will be providing free smoke alarms to residents of single family homes who otherwise cannot afford them or who are unable to safely install them.  They will be provided through the Smoke Alarm Program.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, three out of five home fire deaths are caused from fires in properties without working smoke alarms. Similarly, more than 38% of home fire deaths occur in homes where no smoke alarm is present at all.  Finally, the risk of dying in a home fire is cut in half when working smoke alarms are present on the property.

For those interested and who qualify, smoke alarms will be available to pick up at a designated fire station.  Those who cannot properly install the smoke alarms can schedule a time for a member of the Culver City Fire Department to install the alarms for them.

According to the Culver City press release, the Smoke Alarm Program is funded through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant program.  The smoke alarms are available for owner-occupied single family homes only, within the Culver City Real Estate area.

For those living in rental units (houses or apartments), it is the landlord’s responsibility to install and maintain smoke alarms in that property.  The California Building Code requires that smoke alarms are present on every level, inside every bedroom, and also in the hallway adjacent to any bedroom.

Martin Feinberg, Realtor, notes that to qualify for the program interested parties must be an owner of a single family home, must reside within the Culver City borders, and must currently lack smoke alarms or have defective alarms that need to be replaced.

To participate in the Smoke Alarm Program residents should call the Culver City Community Risk Reduction Division at (310) 253-5925to schedule an appointment. Appointments are available from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Mondays – Thursdays.