Fairview, NC — The North Carolina Office of State Fire Marshal (OSFM), in partnership with Kidde and State Farm, officially kicked off its annual Smoke Alarm Saturday initiative today with a media event hosted at the Fairview Volunteer Fire Department in Buncombe County.
This year’s initiative, taking place Saturday, June 7, will mobilize more than 150 fire departments across 62 counties to install free smoke alarms and provide critical fire safety education to families across North Carolina. Through OSFM grant funding and support from partners, more than 4,700 smoke alarms will be distributed—1,200 of which were donated by State Farm.
Today’s kickoff event also featured a major equipment donation from Kidde, which provided over 5,000 smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, and fire extinguishers to 12 Western North Carolina fire departments still recovering from Hurricane Helene. These departments include:
- Leicester VFD
- Fairview VFD
- Reems Creek VFD
- Reynolds FD
- Weaverville FD
- Swannanoa Fire Rescue
- Beaverdam VFD
- Black Mountain VFD
- Garren Creek VFD
- Skyland FD
- Asheville FD
- Jupiter FD
"This initiative is about saving lives," said State Fire Marshal Brian Taylor. "Every alarm installed is a potential life saved. Our firefighters and volunteers are going door-to-door, ensuring homes have working smoke alarms and that families know how to respond in case of fire."
Speakers at the event included Kidde representative Stephanie Berzinski, State Farm’s Tammy Murphy, Red Cross Regional Director Jerri Goldberg, and Fairview Fire Chief Scott Jones, all of whom emphasized the life-saving impact of early detection and community preparedness.
Members of the media were invited to join local fire crews immediately following the ceremony to witness firsthand the installation efforts and community outreach in neighborhoods throughout the area.
The Office of State Fire Marshal extends its deepest thanks to the many partners, volunteers, and local fire departments who make Smoke Alarm Saturday a success year after year.