Businesses help provide free smoke detectors

Mentor Fire Department recently got a boost from local businesses in its campaign to make the community safer.

The department is receiving a $3,687 grant from the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation for its Resident Smoke Detector Program. The city will provide a local match of $2,003.

The program was developed to install detectors at no cost in the homes of senior citizens and residents with a physical disability or financial need.

“The Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation’s mission is dedicated to serving the community and to positively impact the lives and local heroes in the community,” said Mentor franchise-owner Diane Gregg. “That’s what this grant accomplishes and that’s why it was approved.”

The grant will go toward the purchase of 500 smoke detectors for the program, which has been in place for more than a decade.

“It has always been supported by donations used to buy smoke detectors,” said fire department Public Information Specialist Jerry Craddock. “What we feel we are doing now is launching a campaign to introduce to our Mentor community a smoke detector with new photoelectric technology and (that) has a 10-year battery life.”

He added that the department will replace a battery or smoke detector for anyone who cannot afford one, but department personnel must do the installation.

“We are not just handing out smoke detectors,” he said.

Mentor Lowe’s Manager Rick Bruinsma is selling the detectors to the department at cost.

Mentor residents who are unable to afford a smoke detector are asked to contact the Mentor Fire Department at 440-974-5765 with any questions or to schedule installation.