Fire Chief James McDonald, Mayor Judith Flanagan Kennedy receiving check for $10,000 from Aubrey Leake of Garelick Farms Lynn, Nick Piccolo of Garelick Farms Lynn and Dr. Catherine C. Latham, superintendent of Lynn Public Schools.
By BRIDGET TURCOTTE
LYNN — Garelick Farms is sparking improvements for fire safety.
Dean Foods, also known as Garelick Farms Lynn, made a $10,000 donation to the city to fund a fire prevention program.
With 50 percent of the money, the fire department will purchase smoke alarms and install them in homes of Lynn Public Schools students who need them. Chief James McDonald estimated the funds would cover the cost of about 100 alarms.
The other half will pay for firefighters to visit the children’s homes and talk to families about fire safety and prevention, cooking safety, electrical hazards and other common fire causes like candles and driers.
“The kids can be any age from the public schools,” said Lt. Israel Gonzalez, from the Fire Prevention Division. “Even a five-year-old should learn what to do in a fire.”
This year’s program will be an extension of a project funded three years ago by a federal grant. More than $295,000 from the U.S. Fire Administration allowed firefighters to install about 5,000 smoke alarms in 1,700 homes, said Gonzalez.
The average two-family home should have seven detectors, and single-family homes should have three to four, he said. Many low-income households lack the devices all together, and others have alarms that have far exceeded their 10-year expected lifespan.
It’s difficult for the department to regulate alarms and other fire codes in one- and two-family homes, said McDonald. Houses with three or more apartments are subject to random inspections.
Recent models have a built-in battery that can’t be changed out, to help ensure the devices are replaced often, Gonzalez said.
“This is super,” said Dr. Catherine Latham, superintendent of Lynn Public Schools. “This is going to make a difference.”
Fliers will be sent home with students to explain the program to parents in the next few months.
Aubrey Leake, plant manager of Garelick Farms Lynn, said the company is safety-oriented and wants to be a good neighbor and help the community.
Bridget Turcotte can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @BridgetTurcotte.