Statewide Smoke Detector Campaign Hits Heritage District

On March 29, 2025, the Maricopa Fire and Medical Department spearheaded an essential fire safety initiative in the Heritage District, where volunteers installed free lithium smoke alarms. This effort is part of a broader campaign led by the Arizona Burn Foundation aimed at enhancing community safety.

Daniel Wehle, a community risk reduction specialist for Maricopa, expressed the significance of this initiative. “We did this 10 years ago, and the alarms last about that long, so it’s time again,” he stated. Many homes in the district lack hard-wired smoke alarms, highlighting the importance of this outreach.

Teams, comprising Fire Corps volunteers and local residents, worked diligently to install as many smoke detectors as possible before noon. Rex Albright, a program leader with the Burn Foundation, noted their ambitious goal: “We’re hoping to get 100 alarms in today.” Typically, each home received two to three detectors during the brief installation process, averaging less than 15 minutes per residence.

Additionally, the initiative focused on raising awareness regarding specialized alarms for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community. Albright assured, “If someone out here needs one today, we’ve got a system ready,” indicating that the group intends to follow up with specialized teams for those in need.

Since the beginning of 2025, the statewide effort has successfully installed around 2,500 smoke alarms across 24 communities. By the end of summer, Albright hopes to reach a total of 2,700 installations.