Diane Noel and her two children, Greg Noel and Chris Schwierkint will receive the Smoke Detector on Guard Award from the Ohio Department of Commerce’s Division of State Fire Marshal and the Liberty Township Fire Department on December 1, 1997 at 7:30 p.m. The ceremony will be held at the Liberty Township Administration Building, 6400 Princeton Road, Liberty Township.

“The Smoke D.O.G. Award recognizes heroes such as Diane, Greg and Chris 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.”

Diane and her sons Greg and Chris will receive the award for their alert actions after fire broke out in their home at 6502 Lakota Pointe Lane on October 21, 1997. The family was awakened by their operating smoke detector after a fire started in the kitchen in the early morning. Diane quickly awakened her children, and they immediately exited the house. They dialed 911 from a cordless phone they alertly took with them from the house. Diane's quick thinking and the presence of a smoke detector saved her life, the lives of her two children, and saved the house from major damage.

"The quick and cool headed actions of Diane Noel that night made for a quick response from the fire department and a quick escape for herself and her children," said Liberty Township Fire Chief Paul Stumpf.

“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.”

Diane, Greg and Chris will receive the Smoke D.O.G. award certificate and each will receive a “Smoke D.O.G” t-shirt from Sherry Kovach, a fire safety educator for the Division of State Fire Marshal's Fire Prevention Bureau. Chief Stumpf and members of the Liberty Township 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