Harrisonburg Fire Department to host Pizza and Smoke Alarm event

The Harrisonburg Fire Department will host its 16th annual Free Pizza-Free Smoke Alarm event on Wednesday, July 10, in partnership with Cicis Pizza.

The goal of the event is to ensure as many city residents as possible have working smoke alarms in their homes.

Any city resident can call 540-4329099 between 4 and 8 p.m. on July 10 to receive a free, large cheese pizza, which will be delivered by fire department personnel and volunteers on fire apparatus who will also check your home’s smoke alarms. HFD Fire Chief Ian Bennett says this is a win-win for all involved.

“Pizza night is an outstanding community risk reduction event designed to enhance the safety of our residents,” Bennett said. “It is important to ensure as many residences as possible have working smoke alarms and we encourage all city residents to participate.”

While the effort helps makes residents across the Friendly City safer, it’s also a good opportunity for HFD to create lasting bonds with people throughout the community. And what better way to bond than over pizza?

“The reason that this event is such a benefit to our community is that it allows the fire department to communicate with residents in something other than emergency circumstances, when the message is most impactful,” Public Education Officer Lt. Erin Stehle added.

In more than half of home fire deaths across the country, there was either no smoke alarm present or no working alarm in the home. Smoke alarms save lives through alerting occupants to the presence of smoke or fire. During the Free Pizza-Free Smoke Alarm event, fire personnel and volunteers will make corrections to smoke alarms to ensure the safety of all residents.

(Above) Want us to show up at your door with free pizza? Just let us check your smoke alarms and we’ll handle the rest during the July 10 Free PizzaFree Smoke Alarm event from the Harrisonburg Fire Department.
Harrisonburg officials are pleased to know the program is not only helping our community, but others who are beginning to follow HFD’s lead.

“We are extremely proud that our Fire Department takes its commitment to public safety so seriously,” City Manager Eric Campbell said. “We know that this program is a model for others to emulate and strongly support its goals and objectives.”

City residents who are unable to participate July 10 can call the HFD Administrative Office during business hours, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., throughout the year to have their smoke alarms checked.