Saving Lives, One Smoke Alarm at a Time

When Jo McNall greeted Arizona Burn Foundation’s (ABF) volunteers at her door last Friday, it was with tears in her eyes. She had been waiting for years for a specialized smoke alarm that would meet her needs.

Reena Banerjee is not surprised. As the Community Engagement Coordinator for the Arizona Commission for the Deaf and the Hard of Hearing, she says that ABF’s Deaf and Hard of Hearing Smoke Alarm program addresses a major safety gap: standard alarms aren’t designed for the deaf and hard of hearing community.

“Many individuals have gone far too long without accessible smoke alarms, simply because the standard systems aren’t designed with their needs in mind,” said Reena.

For Jo, the need was two-fold: she wears hearing aids and relies on lip reading, and she lost her great-grandfather in a fire. At one point, a well-intentioned handyperson installed a ‘talking’ alarm she couldn’t hear, so she was thrilled to discover ABF’s free program offering smoke alarms paired with Bluetooth-enabled strobe lights and bed shakers.

“I now have some security knowing that I will survive a fire – that’s the bottom line,” said Jo.

Reena adds, “The impact of Arizona Burn Foundation’s Deaf and Hard of Hearing Smoke Alarm program has been both life-changing and lifesaving.”

More than thirty other Surprise residents are also sleeping more soundly now after receiving alarms last week, thanks to partnerships with the American Red Cross, the Arizona Commission for the Deaf and the Hard of Hearing, Arizona Freelance Interpreting Services, American Red Cross, the Surprise Fire Department and City of Surprise.

The Surprise smoke alarm walk is the eighth in a series of fire safety prevention and education events. Recently, 20 volunteers, including five from ASU’s School of Nursing, installed 59 standard and specialized smoke alarms in 18 homes in Maricopa.

For Maricopa Mayor Nancy Smith, the relief on the faces of the deaf and hard of hearing residents was particularly moving, as were the reasons why the volunteers took part.

“We had one gentleman from Chandler participate because of how his family was affected by fire and his desire to help save lives,” said Mayor Smith. “Residents want to serve, and this program is a great way to do that. Once they serve, they then have the knowledge to share with others.”

For other volunteers, they may not have been directly impacted by fire. Elaine Marzola attended her first Festival of Trees gala to benefit ABF three years ago. She didn’t anticipate the impact it would have on her life. Though she hadn’t experienced a burn herself, the event profoundly impacted her, highlighting that burns can happen to anyone. She reflected on both the physical and emotional impact burns have on a person.

“You don’t think about the fact that it could happen to anyone, any day, so having this foundation that I had never heard of and knowing they are there to hold out a hand to people going through this, is what really pulled me in,” said Elaine.

Driven by a desire to make a difference, Elaine joined ABF’s Board of Directors in 2024. During her first smoke alarm walk in Sun City, she saw the program’s true value. Initially nervous, her volunteer group was soon sought out by grateful residents, many of whom couldn’t reach to install new alarms or change the batteries.

“Sadly, there had been two fire-related deaths in Sun City, so seeing the look on people’s faces and their genuine gratitude was so rewarding,” said Elaine.

It is that sentiment and the truly lifesaving nature of the program that compels ABF to do even more. As ABF’s smoke alarm program continues to expand into vulnerable communities across Arizona, the people and the partnerships that make these types of programs possible are essential.

“Each partner brings something unique to the table—like direct outreach, cultural knowledge, or technical resources—and together, we’re able to offer solutions that are more holistic and accessible,” said Reena. “Without these partnerships, the work would be slower and far less impactful.”

That impact of ABF’s smoke alarm program is already being felt across the Valley. This year alone, ABF and 306 volunteers have:

• Installed 747 smoke alarms in 352 households
• Empowered 742 individuals with critical fire safety information

This brings our total smoke alarm installations to over 38,000! Help us continue this vital work. If you’d like to get involved or donate, please click here.