Home inspections offered this fire season

By Staff
Nathan Strickland
The Russellville Fire Department and the local Fire Marshall's office encourage residents to have their homes inspected this winter.
The two units are working together to help the community avoid the threat of residential fires this holiday season.
This fire awareness program has added a 'Door to Door' program, with the goal of equipping as many homes as possible with smoke detectors.
Russellville Fire Marshal Bobby Malone believes this program could save lives.
"A smoke detector more than doubles your chances of getting out alive," he said. "That's pretty good odds."
After having three fire fatalities in the past 15 months, Malone says they are trying their best to help and visit every home in the city.
"After losing a child in a fire last summer in a house that did not have a working smoke detector, Fire Chief Mansell wanted to step it up and go door to door putting in smoke detectors."
Russellville Fire Chief Joe Mansell says it's better to be safe than sorry.
"Our job is to prevent fires," he said. "We encourage people in the city to call us and we will inspect their home to make sure their home is fire hazard free."
The home inspections and smoke detectors are free of charge. People who are interested in receiving help in trying to get their home fire proof this winter, please contact the fire department at 256-332-8761.