Kankakee, IL – The City of Kankakee held a press conference today in conjunction with the Illinois Fire Safety Alliance (IFSA) to bring awareness on the new, 10-year smoke detector law. The Kankakee Fire Department is one out of 10 chosen in the state of Illinois to receive a donation from the IFSA. The donation includes 10 new installation kits and 100, smoke detectors with 10-year batteries.
“This is the second year we received a grant from First Alert for the public education campaign regarding the Illinois new 10 Year Smoke Detector Law. This year we have focused more on communities in the northeast portion of the state. Kankakee was chosen based on its population and geographic location. We are thrilled to have the enthusiasm of both the Mayor’s office, as well as, the Kankakee Fire Department behind our efforts,” said Margaret Vaughn, Government Affairs Director for the Illinois Fire Safety Alliance.
Mayor Wells-Armstrong spoke on why it is important to educate the public and Fire Chief Damon Schuldt reported the department is working daily to make sure the community is up to speed on safety. The Fire Department hosted their 3rd annual Community Safety Day earlier this month to provide families with helpful resources to take home. The department also responded to a fire earlier this morning where residents were able to make it out safely after their smoke detectors went off. The new law would require smoke detectors to have a 10-year sealed battery.
“The updated smoke detectors that were donated today will be installed by the fire department for free. Residents can contact us at the Kankakee Fire Prevention Bureau at 815-933-0458. I would like to thank the Illinois Fire Safety Alliance for their generous donation,” said Fire Chief Damon Schuldt.
Although the new law doesn’t go into effect until January 2023, city officials are making sure the word gets out ahead of time.
“I appreciate the support from the IFSA and our state legislators. With the majority of fire-related deaths occurring in homes without working smoke detectors, this legislation was long overdue. Improving public safety is a key component of the Kankakee Forward agenda and the administration is working to keep families and neighborhoods safe. I urge our residents to comply because doing so will save lives,” said Mayor Wells-Armstrong.
