GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Gwinnett County firefighters are conducting door-to-door visits to deliver an urgent safety message after a record year of fire deaths in the county.
Nine adults have died in house fires in Gwinnett County this year, surpassing the total number of fire deaths from the last three years combined. The fatalities were primarily caused by cooking fires and electrical problems.
“With this many deaths this year, we are making a focused, just an intensified effort to get that message out in the community of being prepared,” Capt. Ryan McGiboney of Gwinnett Fire told Channel 2 Gwinnett County Bureau Chief Matt Johnson.
Firefighters are visiting neighborhoods like Saddleback Way to inspect smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.
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They are also installing new smoke alarms equipped with ten-year lithium-ion batteries. The initiative includes teaching residents how to test smoke alarms monthly, use fire extinguishers, and create escape routes for every room in their homes.
McGiboney emphasized that the visits are purely for safety purposes and not for reporting back to code enforcement or police.
“Anything that’s going to make sure that the neighborhood and my house is safe,” Baron Griffin, a resident who appreciated receiving a visit, and the safety effort, said.
Officials said the smoke alarm blitz is part of a long-standing initiative by the Gwinnett County Fire Department, which will continue throughout the year and beyond to enhance fire safety in the community.
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