Missouri HBA Donates 600 Smoke Alarms

Springfield builders hold a press conference with local firefighters .

The HBA of Greater Springfield, Mo., celebrated Fire Prevention Week (Oct. 4-10) by presenting 600 free smoke alarms – and batteries – to five local fire departments.

In a special Sept. 30 ceremony, representatives from Springfield, Logan-Rogersville, Ozark, Nixa and Republic Fire Departments and Springfield Mayor Bob Stephens joined HBA leaders and members Meek’s – the Builder’s Choice and Metro Appliances & More, which donated the alarms in partnership with the HBA Charitable Foundation.

It’s the fourth year in a row that the HBA has supplied the smoke alarms – and the first year that it was able to supply five nearby fire departments with the devices, said EO Charlyce Ruth.

“These 600 smoke alarms represent the potential to protect and save more than 1,500 of our friends and neighbors in Springfield and surrounding communities,” she said.

It’s also a way to demonstrate the HBA’s support of fire prevention initiatives, even as industry advocates continue their push to mandate more expensive fire sprinkler systems in new one- and two-family homes.

“It is important to make sure that older homes, built before smoke alarms were required by code, have working smoke alarms.  Older homes are where the vast majority of residential fire deaths still occur, and they are where our attention should be focused to save lives.  Working smoke alarms are proven life-savers.  They are the most effective, efficient, and cost-effective method to prevent fire deaths and loss of property,” she said.

NAHB members can download information about smoke alarms and combatting sprinkler mandates at nahb.org/sprinklers. Learn more about the Springfield program on the HBA’s website.