Tuesday, December 20, 2011
BOARDMAN
Lowe’s home improvement store donated 500 smoke detectors to the fire department for its “No Child Sleeps Unprotected” program.
The program’s goal is that every child in Boardman will have a working smoke detector in his or her home, Fire Chief George Brown said.
Store manager Brian Heckert and creditor coordinator Christine Bagnoli represented Lowe’s and handed the donation of 500 new First Alert smoke detectors to the chief Monday at Stadium Drive Elementary.
Principal Jim Goske said letters were sent home to students to find out who was in need of a smoke detector. About 60 families responded and took home smoke detectors.
“It’s great for the safety of the kids. Our No. 1 priority is keeping them safe at school and we try to help keep them safe at home,” Goske said.
The project began in November when the Kiwanis Club of Boardman donated 60 smoke detectors to children at Market Street Elementary.
The donation from Lowe’s will be split among Willow Creek Learning Center and Stadium Drive, Robinwood Lane, West Boulevard and St. Charles elementary schools.
But the chief stressed that the project will never be complete.
“There always will be new students each year and the next phase is to approach the senior community, too,” Brown said.
Anyone who needs assistance installing a smoke detector can call the fire department at 330-726-4199.
Brown said since he was hired as chief in June township firefighters have been to four fire scenes where smoke detectors woke up the residences and allowed them to leave the building safely.