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Fire chief outlines smoke-alarm blitz; council sends fire strategic-growth plan to committee
Summary
Chief Oni described a citywide smoke-alarm program backed by a $25,000 grant and partnerships with the Red Cross; Councilmember Hale moved the Lexington Fire Department's strategic growth plan to the Social Services and Public Safety committee, and the motion passed.
Chief Oni of the Lexington Fire Department briefed the council on the department's smoke-alarm program and a $25,000 grant that will be used to purchase alarms for targeted "blitz" deployments in neighborhoods with increased fires or fire deaths.
"We have a smoke alarm program where we provide smoke alarms to anybody in the community who would like them. We ensure the entire house or structure is covered appropriately," Chief Oni said. He told the council the department installed more than 7,000 smoke alarms last year, about 5,600 the year before, and roughly 4,000 the prior year. The city uses grant funding to focus efforts in areas with demonstrated need; recent blitzes included Masterson Station, and planned target areas are the Georgetown Corridor, Connor Woods, Suburban Point Trailer Park and Oakwood Subdivision. Chief Oni also said the department partners with the Red Cross and that emergency medical services crews can install a smoke alarm on the spot during an EMS call if crews observe a lack of alarms.
Separately, Councilmember Hale moved to place the Lexington Fire Department's strategic growth plan on the agenda of the Social Services and Public Safety committee for further review; the motion passed on a voice vote. Hale said the review will address anticipated needs in the near and longer term as the city grows, and noted that Councilmember Morton will work with him in committee.
The briefing and the committee referral are intended to support fire prevention work and to identify longer-term capital and staffing needs; the meeting record did not include specific cost estimates or an implementation timeline for the strategic-growth plan.
