Staff Report

Suffolk firefighters are ready to install 250 smoke detectors for homeowners in the Holland and Whaleyville communities, said Suffolk Fire Marshall Capt. Arthur Barrett.

The program is funded by a grant from the Virginia Department of Health, Center for Injury and Violence Prevention.

Holland and Whaleyville were targeted for the program because &uot;we didn’t get to everyone in that area in our last free smoke detector program,&uot; explained Barrett.

In 1999, fire officials visited 7,200 homes across the city; 3,000 smoke detectors were installed at no charge to homeowners.

Suffolk Firefighters responded to 39 residential structure fires in 2004 where there were no working smoke detectors. Just last month, fire destroyed a home in Whaleyville that without a workable smoke detector.

Holland and Whaleyville residents should stop by the fire station at 6666 O’Kelly Drive or Station 8 at 6235 Whaleyville Blvd. to set up an appointment for installation of the free smoke detector.