Courageous Kids Climbing and Local Groups Giving Out Smoke Detectors

Every year, countless lives are lost in home fires because there were no operating smoke detectors in the home.

A report published by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) in 2024 reported that nationally, smoke detectors were present in three-quarters (74 percent) of the reported home fires from 2018 to 2022. Nearly three out of five (59 percent) home fire deaths were caused by fires in properties with no smoke detectors (43 percent) or smoke detectors that failed to operate (16 percent). At press time, nearly 1400 people have died in house fires in the United States in 2025.

Beyond installing alarms, fire safety also depends on having a plan — and practicing it. Every household should map out two ways out of every room and agree on a safe meeting spot outside. And don’t wait for a real fire to test it. In your home, whenever an alarm goes off — whether it’s a steamy shower or burnt toast — consider treating it as a chance to practice your escape route. The more familiar and routine this becomes, the faster and calmer families can respond when it really counts.

For children with intellectual challenges, the loud noise of a smoke detector activating may scare them. It is not uncommon for the child in this situation to try to hide from the loud noise, making it challenging for firefighters trying to locate the child in a structure fire. As a result of this, it is not uncommon for families with a child that does not like loud noises to disconnect or remove the batteries from the smoke detector, rendering the smoke detector inoperable.

The week of Oct. 5-11 has been identified as Fire Prevention Week. During this week, firefighters from across the US make an extra effort to share the importance of fire prevention in the home and work place.

Courageous Kids Climbing is partnering with the McCall Fire Department and Donnelly Fire Department to provide voice alert smoke detectors to families with a child with special needs that does not like loud noises. These new smoke detectors still sound an alarm but also provide a guiding voice alert in a calm and reassuring manner. Practicing with this feature can make the experience less intimidating for children.

Funding for the purchase of the voice alert smoke detectors is being provided by Courageous Kids Climbing. Courageous Kids Climbing received a grant from a foundation that desires to remain anonymous, to be used for “activities and programs within McCall.” These smoke detectors are being provided by Franklin Building Supply at a reduced cost to Courageous Kids Climbing.

McCall-based Courageous Kids Climbing provides a variety of activities for children throughout the western US with special needs. At these events, executive director Jeff Riechmann noted that there is a significant number of children with special needs that do not like loud noises. “With the approach of Fire Prevention Week and it’s smoke detector-related theme along with receiving the grant money, we felt that this is a perfect way to have a positive impact on our community while staying within our mission of serving people with special needs.”

McCall Fire Fighter Avi Azoulay said, “The goal of your McCall Fire Department is to not just reduce, but to eliminate the risk of fire in our community. But no matter how hard your firefighters work to prevent fires, fires will still occur. When a fire does occur in a home, getting out quickly can be a matter of life or death. With these voice alert smoke detectors, we will be able to help families with a child with special needs to quickly get out of a burning home.”

The smoke detectors will be provided free of charge to families in McCall and Donnelly who have a child with special needs who does not like loud noises. For those families who may not be able to install the smoke detectors, arrangements can be made through the program organizers to have someone install the smoke detector.

Firefighter Azoulay added, “We were very excited when Courageous Kids Climbing approached us with this project and immediately knew that it was something that we needed to be a part of. This is more evidence of how amazing our community is!”

For more information or to obtain a smoke detector, contact Courageous Kids Climbing at [email protected].