Joseph and Kelly Igro and Brad and Jennifer Rockwell will receive the Smoke Detector on Guard Award from the Ohio Department of Commerce’s Division of State Fire Marshal and the Sebring Fire Department on Monday, September 8th. The ceremony will be held at 6:30 p.m. at the Sebring Fire Department, 235 East Ohio.

“The Smoke D.O.G. Award recognizes heroes such as Joseph, Kelly, Brad, and Jennifer who save lives by responding to the warning sound of a smoke detector,” said Donna Owens, Director of the Department of Commerce. “Like a guard dog, a smoke detector 'stands watch' over the home both day and night.”

The Igro family will receive the award for their alert actions after fire broke out in their home on East Wisconsin Avenue in Sebring on January 20, 1997. The family was awakened by three operating smoke detectors after a fire broke out in the early morning. Joseph quickly awakened the family and dialed 911 as the house filled with smoke. His quick thinking and the presence of smoke detectors saved his life, the lives of his family, and saved the house from major damage.

“Of the approximately 200 Ohioans who die each year from fire, half of these lives could have been saved if at least one smoke detector had been installed and maintained in the home,” said State Fire Marshal James J. McNamee. “For the greatest level of safety, a smoke detector should be placed on every level of the home and tested monthly.”

The Igro family will receive the Smoke D.O.G. award certificate and each will receive a “Smoke D.O.G” t-shirt from Tim Royer, a fire safety educator for the Division of State Fire Marshal's Fire Prevention Bureau. Chief James Cannell and the Sebring Fire Department will also be on hand.

The "Smoke D.O.G." program stands for "SMOKE Detector On Guard." Like a guard dog, a smoke detector stands watch over the home both day and night. Most fatal fires occur during the night when people are sleeping and most vulnerable. The Smoke D.O.G. Award recognizes individuals whose lives were saved by reacting appropriately to the warning sound of a smoke detector.

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The Ohio Department of Commerce, led by Director Donna Owens, is one of the state's chief regulatory agencies. It works to protect Ohioans by enforcing regulations involving construction, fire codes, financial institutions, investments, liquor control, real estate, and unclaimed funds. The Department's internet address is www.state.oh.us/commerce.