Fire departments in Queens are putting smoke detectors into the hands of schoolchildren.<\/p>\n
New Germany fire department started the initiative of handing out smoke detectors to students following a fire in Auburndale in February that claimed the lives of three children and a woman.<\/p>\n
They challenged other departments to do the same and so far, Greenfield and North Queens have accepted.<\/p>\n
North Queens Fire Department Chief Chris Wolfe says they\u2019ve purchased a supply of smoke detectors locally.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll be giving out 300 first go, and then probably in a few months we\u2019ll be doing another 300 possibly, but expanding out to grandparents and things like that, to put in their homes,\u201d said Wolfe.<\/p>\n
He says the smoke detector giveaway is in addition to efforts they routinely make to educate children.<\/p>\n
\u201cI find in Queens County and around that fire prevention is quite outstanding there,\u201d said Wolfe. \u201cMost of the departments take a lot of pride in teaching the kids and going to schools during fire prevention week and making sure that they are aware of fire safety.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wolfe says the smoke detectors will be handed out at North Queens Community school sometime in the next couple of weeks.<\/p>\n