Smoke alarms proved useful after Cloquet fire

When firefighters responded to a fire on 13th Street in Cloquet earlier this month, it wasn’t their first visit.

According to Cloquet Area Fire District captain and public education coordinator Sarah Buhs, CAFD had been proactively involved years before disaster struck the duplex at 115 13th Street on Feb. 1.

In 2017, CAFD staff updated and installed smoke alarms in the home. They also discussed the importance of having an escape plan for the entire family.

The day the fire occurred, the smoke alarms that were installed in 2017 alerted the occupants of the fire and everyone was able to get out of the home safely.

Buhs said the Home Safety Visit Program was created in 2015 when the CAFD and the American Red Cross partnered with the common goal to update and install smoke alarms in the communities they serve.