Pepco’s Contribution to Fire Safety: Donating Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors

In recognition of National Fire Prevention Month, Pepco has made a generous contribution of 650 smoke detectors and 350 carbon monoxide detectors to the DC Fire and EMS Department. This act of goodwill is part of our Emergency Services Partnership Program (ESSP), a program designed to support and fund initiatives such as the donation of smoke alarms, electrical safety training, emergency management conferences, and safety and educational programs that are beneficial to first responders and the public. This year marks the first time we are including carbon monoxide detectors in our donation.

Since our inaugural donation in 2004, we have gifted 19,000 life-saving smoke detectors to the DC Fire and EMS Department, and a total of nearly 60,000 alarms have been donated across our service area in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties in Maryland.

Data from DC Fire and EMS indicate that most fire-related fatalities occur in homes lacking functional smoke alarms. Out of the sixteen fire-related deaths in the District in 2022 and 2023, six occurred in homes without working smoke alarms. During this period, the Department installed over 2,000 smoke alarms, with 90 incidents where these alarms enabled residents to evacuate safely.

District homeowners who cannot afford a smoke detector can request one to be installed by reaching out to the DC Fire and EMS Fire Prevention Division at 202-727-1614 or via e-mail at fems.fireprevention@dc.gov.

This program exemplifies the positive impact of public-private partnerships, allowing us to offer more resources to communities and residents who need them most. We take immense pride in supplying these smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to local residents and continuing our valuable partnership with DC Fire and EMS.