AREA RESIDENT TO RECEIVE AWARD FOR USING SMOKE DETECTOR

TO SAVE HIMSELF FROM HOUSE FIRE

Douglas Cheney will receive the Smoke Detector on Guard Award (Smoke D.O.G.) from the Ohio Department of Commerce's Division of State Fire Marshal and the Maumee Fire Division on Saturday, December 11th.  The ceremony will be held at the home of Douglas Cheney, 711 Key Street, Maumee.

"The Smoke D.O.G. Award recognizes heroes such as Douglas who save their lives and the lives of others by responding to the warning sound of a smoke detector," said State Fire Marshal Robert R. Rielage.  "Like a guard dog, a smoke detector 'stands watch' over the home both day and night."

Douglas will receive the award for his alert actions after fire broke out in his home on November 22, 1999.  He was asleep upstairs when his smoke alarm sounded.  He quickly arose and found a fire in the basement.  He attempted to call the fire department from inside the residence, but his telephone had been disabled due to the fire.  He rushed outside and phoned for help from his neighbor’s house.  Rather fortuitously, he had recently replaced the smoke detector’s battery.

"Checking your smoke detector monthly and changing the battery once a year will help prevent faulty detectors and could help your family avert a fatal fire," said Marshal Rielage.  "By taking these precautions, Douglas Cheney saved his own life.

Cheney will receive the Smoke D.O.G. award certificate and t-shirt from Ron Ferguson, a fire safety educator from the Division of State Fire Marshal’s Fire Prevention Bureau.  Maumee Fire Chief Donald McConnaughy and Maumee Fire Prevention Chief Patrick Wambo will also attend the ceremony.

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The Division of State Fire Marshal is part of the Ohio Department of Commerce.  The Fire Marshal's Office trains firefighters, enforces the Ohio Fire Code, investigates the cause and origins of fires and explosions, provides fire prevention programs, and performs other services.  Other Commerce divisions enforce regulations regarding industrial compliance, financial institutions, liquor, real estate, securities, auctioneers, unclaimed funds and private investigators, among others.  The department's internet address is www.com.state.oh.us

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