MFRD and Blackman High School Football Team to Partner for Fire Safety Outreach

Sep 25, 2014 at 10:25 am by bryan


Murfreesboro Fire & Rescue Department, Blackman High School Football Coach Philip Shadowens, and members of the Blackman Blaze football team will hit the streets on Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. to install free smoke alarms in some of the high-risk areas of Murfreesboro.

This outreach is part of a collaboration between the State Fire Marshal's Office and high school football "Guru" Murphy Fair which involves 10 high schools in the state partnering with local fire agencies to provide and install free smoke detectors in high risk areas of their communities through the State Fire Marshal's Smoke Alarm Campaign.

According to the State Fire Marshal's Office, in 2013, 95 Tennesseans lost their lives in accidental, residential fires. They also report 39 lives lost in fires in Tennessee to date.

The National Fire Protection Association states that having a working smoke alarm cuts the chances of dying in a fire in half.

State Fire Marshal Gary West commented, "This is a unique partnership with our high school football teams. We hope to involve more teams across the state in this vital program as well as increase awareness of the importance of having a working smoke alarm in your home."

Blackman Blaze Coach Philip Shadowens jumped at the opportunity to participate. "When approached about the program, we became very excited and interested to assist our community," he said.

Team members and MFRD will go door to door in the areas of January Street, Central Magnet School, and Mitchell Neilson during the two-hour event.

If you do not live in those areas, you still have an opportunity to receive free smoke alarms through MFRD's Project SAFE (Smoke Alarms for Everyone) program. This program provides free smoke alarms with installation to the citizens of Murfreesboro. MFRD even has specialty alarms for the visually or hearing impaired.

For more information on the Project SAFE program, contact MFRD Admin Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 615-893-1422 or visit www.murfreesborotn.gov.

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