Last month, the United States of America celebrated National Fire Safety Month is schools across the nation.  As the Director of Safety and Training at Clarksburg Fire Department, Cindy Murphy had one image in the back of her mind as she worked with elementary students around Harrison County to teach fire safety.

 

The image was one of a little girl who was among a class of 2014 Wilsonburg Elementary students to whom Murphy had taught fire safety.  The girl was a first grader named Hanna. She and her brother, along with her father, were all killed in a house fire shortly after the lesson. 

 

Although Murphy had no way of knowing whether or not they had a working smoke detector, the incident was a catalyst for Not One More, a program Murphy started to ensure families in Harrison County have working smoke detectors in the home of every first grade student. 

 

“This truly is a labor of love for me,” said Murphy.  “These kids are future teachers and doctors, firefighters and maybe even Presidents.  My goal is to give them the opportunity to do whatever they want to do in life and that begins with being safe.”

 

At first, Murphy paid out of pocket to buy the smoke detectors.  Family and friends pitched in and Home Depot greatly reduced the rate of the smoke detectors to make the program work.  Eventually, civic and service organizations and various grants helped fund the program, which now reaches every elementary in Harrison County.

 

“Socioeconomic boundaries do not apply when it comes to fire safety,” Murphy said.  “People don’t always replace the batteries or they take them out for another device or because the alarm sounded accidentally.  After researching, we found what is called a 10-year detector.  The device is tamper-proof, has a silencing button for accidental alarms, and the battery is good for 10 years and cannot be removed.”

 

Although Murphy has no way of knowing for sure that the devices are installed, she does issue a challenge to the students.  “I tell them to put their hand over their heart and pledge that they will have an adult install it and take a picture with the smoke alarm and the child after installation,” she said.  At the end of the school year, over 3000 smoke detectors went to homes in Harrison County and the program is now expanding to other counties.

 

This year alone, there have been over 1800 civilian fire deaths. The 36 in West Virginia included seven children.  On August 16, Clarksburg residents Nathan and Tera Goff were awakened by one of the smoke detectors brought home from the Not One More program and it saved their lives.

 

“Because of stories like the Goff’s, I know the program is working,” said Murphy.  “I have met countless parents who have told me how excited their children were when they took home the detectors.  They wanted to install them, practice the escape plan and check to make sure they worked.”

 

As a 23-year veteran of the Clarksburg Fire Department, Murphy currently holds the rank of Captain. She credits the support of Fire Chief Rick Scott, Clarksburg City Council, and d the West Virginia State Fire Marshall with ensuring the success of Not One More.