North Carolina Baptist Aging Ministry Receives Fire
Prevention and Safety Grant
North Carolina Baptist Aging Ministry
(NCBAM) has been awarded a $40,000 Fire Prevention
and Safety Grant from the Department of
Homeland Security/FEMA.
NCBAM will use grant funds to enhance its Priority
#1: Prevention outreach to make aging adults
safer in their homes. Trained volunteers will
install long life, battery-powered smoke alarms, at
no charge, in the homes of individuals 65+ who do
not have working alarms and replace alarms that
are more than 10 years old. In addition, the ministry
will have carbon-monoxide alarms to provide
in homes with
appliances
that burn fossil
fuels as well as
a limited number
of Lifetone
alarms for deaf
individuals.
Properly-
volunteers will canvas neighborhoods and ask permission
to check residents’ smoke alarms. When
alarms need to be replaced, new alarms will be
installed in the proper locations at no charge. To
follow Covid-19 safety precautions, volunteers will
wear masks and gloves and maintain social distancing.
Residents will also be asked to wear masks
during installation.
Individuals may contact the NCBAM Call
Center at 877.506.2226 to request smoke
alarms. Alarm recipients must be 65+, not currently
have properly working smoking alarms, or
have alarms that are more than ten years old.
Churches or other community groups wishing
to participate in canvassing or installation
may contact NCBAM at 877.506.2226. Training is
provided.
NCBAM has been connecting volunteers with
aging adults in need since 2009. Its mission is to
help aging adults maintain their independence
and quality of life. NCBAM is a ministry of Baptist
Children’s Home of North Carolina.
Your Car Key Security Alarm
If your car has a key fob - put your car keys
beside your bed at night. Tell your spouse, your
children, your neighbors, your parents, your doc-
-
one you run across. Put your car keys beside your
bed at night.
If you hear a noise outside your home or someone
trying to get in your house, just press the panic
button for your car. The alarm will be set off and
the horn will continue to sound until either you
turn it off or the car battery dies.
This tip came from a neighborhood watch
coordinator. Next time you come home for the
night and you start to put your keys away, think of
this: it’s a security alarm system that you probably
already have and requires no installation. Test it.
It will go off from most everywhere inside your
house and will keep honking until your battery
runs down or until you reset it with the button
on the key fob chain. It works if you park in your
driveway or garage.
To Chase Off a Burglar: If your car alarm
goes off when someone is trying to break into your
house, odds are the burglar/rapist won’t stick
around. After a few seconds, all the neighbors will
be looking out their windows to see who is out
there and sure enough the criminal won’t want
that.
Parking Lot Safety: Be sure to remember
to carry your keys while walking to your car in
a parking lot. The alarm can work the same way
there. This is something that should really be
shared with everyone. Maybe it could save a life or
a sexual abuse crime.
Get Help After a Fall: Carry your key fob with
you when you go outside. If you fall while outside
you can activate the car alarm and someone will
know there’s a problem. This may save a life!
10 Living Power