ICT and State Farm: Raising the Alarm on Fire Safety in 2024

As the end of 2024 draws near, we want to highlight the fire departments who participated in
Out to Alarm Texas, a partnership between the Insurance Council of Texas (ICT) and State
Farm Insurance. The program distributes smoke alarms to residents mostly free of
charge—especially to the elderly or those in low-income households who are experiencing
physical or financial hardship.

Thanks to these fire safety professionals, their communities, and dedicated State Farm agents,
nearly 1,500 more smoke alarms are protecting homes throughout Texas this year.

● City of Abilene Fire Department and Agent Cory James
● Austin Fire Department and Agent David Simmons
● Bastrop Fire Department and Agent Lori Tuggle
● Bedford Fire Department and Agent David Peterson
● Montgomery County ESD 9 (Conroe) and Agent Nick Nazar
● Corpus Christi Fire Department and Agent Jessica Kelly
● Del Rio Fire Department and Agent Andy Mitchell
● Haltom City Fire / Rescue and Agent Ricardo Rivera
● Atascocita Fire Department, Harris County ESD No. 46 (Humble) and Agent Stephan Perry
● Aransas Pass Fire Department (Ingleside) and Agent Matt Sablatura
● Kyle Fire Department and Agent Jesse Thomas
● La Marque Fire Department and Agent Ken Ross
● Lake Jackson Fire Department and Agent George Franklin
● New Waverly Fire Department (Livingston) and Agent Bradley Welborn
● Longview Fire Department and Agent Kasha Williams
● Lufkin Fire Department and Agent Jeremy Branske
● City of Pearland Fire and Agent Chris Tulloch
● Balcones Heights Fire Department (San Antonio) and Agent Dominique Miles
● Terrell Hills Fire Department (San Antonio) and Agent Katie Slaydon
● San Antonio Fire Department and Agent Dean Eastman
● Spring Fire Department and Agent Rick Fields
● Lacy Lakeview Fire Department (Waco) and Agent Kalynn Tindall
● Wichita Falls Fire Department and Agent Brycen Whitaker
● Onalaska Fire Department (Willis) and Agent Jimmy Thompson

’Tis the Season for Fire Safety

Many activities involving common home fire hazards take place this time of year, including
cooking, overloading electrical outlets, using heating equipment, and lighting candles.
In the event of a home fire, having working smoke alarms reduces the risk of fire-related death
by almost 60 percent—as well as reducing injuries and property damage due to fire. Check to
make sure the smoke alarms in your home are functioning properly, and replace batteries and
outdated alarms as part of your holiday fire safety plan.

As part of an evergreen fire safety plan, check your smoke alarms monthly and keep this list of
fire prevention resources handy:

National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA)
● Fire Prevention Week Homepage
● 2024 Fire Prevention Week Webinar
● Educator Toolkit
● Printable Activities
● Smoke Alarm Information and Resources

Sparky School House (NFPA Public Education Division)
● Fire Safety For Educators & Families
● Fire Safety For Kids

U.S. Fire Administration
● Fire Prevention and Community Risk Reduction
● Prevent Home Fires

Texas Department of Insurance
● Fire Prevention and Outreach
● “Learn Not to Burn” Fire Safety Program for Children
● Have an Exit Strategy

Texas A&M Forest Service
● Protect Texas From Wildfires

American Red Cross
● Home Fire Preparedness

National Safety Council
● Fire Safety

New Year’s Resolution: Help Protect Yourself and Your Neighbors

Help to equip your friends, family, and community with potentially life-saving fire safety advice by
sharing this blog, spreading awareness about fire safety, and discussing the importance of
having smoke alarms at home.

To help spread awareness of this essential community safety program, follow and share the Out
to Alarm Texas campaign on ICT social channels:

● Facebook
● X
● LinkedIn
● YouTube

More About Out to Alarm Texas

Between 2005 and 2024, the Out To Alarm Texas program distributed nearly 31,000 total alarms
to more than 50 Texas fire departments. Find out if your local fire department offers a smoke
alarm program through the State Fire Marshal. If your fire department is not listed, contact them
directly to ask if they participate in a smoke alarm program.