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Firefighters install smoke alarms as St. Louisans spring forward

Published

2 years ago

March 13, 2023

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ST. LOUIS – As people turned their clocks forward this weekend, the St. Louis Fire Department was helping people in the city check their smoke alarms and install new ones.

“I went by the department this morning and inquired about the smoke detectors because I saw it on the news this morning,” said James Dotson Jr, who lives in the Jeff-Vander-Lou neighborhood.

The STLFD has installed hundreds of smoke alarms over the weekend. It’s all part of the Sound the Alarm campaign. Firefighters also went door-to-door, making sure people have an escape plan in case they ever have a fire at their home. They also looked out for any hazards in the home.

“{Saturday} we installed 460 smoke alarms throughout the city and we’re looking to do that number today or better,” Capt. Leon Whitener said. “Traditionally, we average about 900 to 1,000 smoke alarms on time-change weekends. That’s both in the spring and in the fall, so a combination of about 2,000 smoke alarms throughout the year on these time change weekends.”

Dotson felt grateful knowing his older smoke alarms have been replaced.

“It means a lot,” he said. “I grew up in this home, so it means a lot. It’s a family home, so it means a great deal to me.”

Firefighters made stops in neighborhoods throughout the city.

“There’s not an area that we want to miss, and unfortunately we are still responding to fires where there are either no smoke alarms in the home or they have faulty smoke alarms,” Whitener said.

Gladys Meyer came out to volunteer.

“I had a house fire myself back in 2018, and so I know how important smoke detectors are,” she said. “I did pretty much lose pretty much everything.”

The smoke alarms were provided by the American Red Cross.

“The ultimate goal is to save a life, to make homes safer, to make sure that if and when a home fire does occur, that people are able to get out safely,” said Beth Elders, executive director of American Red Cross of Greater St. Louis.

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Capt. Whitener said the smoke alarms they provided should last people 10 years, but he urges everyone to check their smoke alarms once a month.

“We don’t hand out smoke alarms,” he said. “We put them in because well-placed, working smoke alarms to save lives. That’s a proven fact.”

If you live in St. Louis City and didn’t get a smoke alarm, you can still get one installed for free by calling 314-433-3406.

“You can also get a smoke alarm anytime throughout the course of the year through the American Red Cross,” Elders said.

For more information, click here.

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Man attacks Jeff Co. deputy with screwdriver during attempted arrest

Published

2 years ago

July 11, 2023

Natural Bridge

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JEFFERSON COUNTY, Mo. – Two people are behind bars after a man reportedly attacked a Jefferson County deputy with a screwdriver during an attempted arrest over the weekend.

Prosecutors have charged Nicholas Davis, 47, and Amanda Davis, 45, of Dittmer, Missouri, with felonies in the investigation.

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The alleged attack followed a traffic stop of a driver in the 9500 block of Jones Creek Road on July 7, though the driver was not Nicholas or Amanda.

According to court documents obtained by FOX 2, Nicholas reportedly came out of his nearby home, yelled at a deputy and started approaching him while holding a screwdriver. The deputy initially ordered Nicholas to back away, then used pepper spray.

Per court documents, the deputy attempted to arrest Nicholas, who then struck him in the chest with the screwdriver. Amanda reportedly approached the deputy and pulled him away from Nicholas before both ran inside their home.

The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office says the situation prompted an hours-long standoff involving negotiators, a SWAT team and a K-9 deputy. The situation led to Nicholas refusing warnings and being bitten by a K-9.

Nicholas and Amanda are both jailed in the Jefferson County Jail without bond. Nicholas is charged with first-degree assault on a special victim and armed criminal action. Amanda is charged with resisting/interfering with arrest.

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St. Louis Public Schools superintendent to be sworn in

Published

2 years ago

July 11, 2023

Natural Bridge

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ST. LOUIS — The new St. Louis schools superintendent will be officially sworn into office today. Dr. Keisha Scarlett took over the job in July after the retirement of Dr. Kelvin Adams. She was assistant superintendent in the Seattle Public School District. The installation ceremony is at 6:15 p.m. before the regular school board meeting.

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Gas tanker crashes into St. Louis Metro transit center

Published

2 years ago

July 11, 2023

Natural Bridge

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ST. LOUIS — A gasoline tanker truck crashed into a Metro transit center near Riverview and Hall Streets early Tuesday morning and knocked over a power pole. The pole is leaning on other power lines. Police have the area blocked off here because there is a downed power line. Ameren and Metro crews are also on the scene.

The incident happened around 12:30 a.m. It’s still unclear exactly what caused the crash, but we do that there was a second vehicle somehow involved. The airbags on that second vehicle did deploy.

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Police at the scene have not been able to give us a lot of details. Metro officials tell FOX 2 that the transit center here is operating this morning for passengers and buses. Access to certain areas will be limited here as clean up unfolds.

A Metro spokesperson says half of the station isn’t being used right now because of safety issues. It isn’t impacting overall bus operations, everything is just happening on the other side of transit center.

The extent of the damage to the actual transit center is still unclear, but I’m told it does not appear to be extreme. A Metro spokesperson tells me there were no injuries to any metro workers or passengers. The tanker driver also was not injured.

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