U.S. Fire Administration/Technical Report Series

Special Report:

“Get Alarmed South

Carolina” - Lessons 

Learned from Its Success

USFA-TR-044/November 1991

Homeland

Security

U.S. Fire Administration Fire Investigations Program

T

he U.S. Fire Administration develops reports on selected major fires throughout the country. 

The fires usually involve multiple deaths or a large loss of property. But the primary criterion 

for deciding to do a report is whether it will result in significant “lessons learned.” In some 

cases these lessons bring to light new knowledge about fire--the effect of building construction or 

contents, human behavior in fire, etc. In other cases, the lessons are not new but are serious enough 

to highlight once again, with yet another fire tragedy report. In some cases, special reports are developed to discuss events, drills, or new technologies which are of interest to the fire service.

The reports are sent to fire magazines and are distributed at National and Regional fire meetings. The 

International Association of Fire Chiefs assists the USFA in disseminating the findings throughout the 

fire service. On a continuing basis the reports are available on request from the USFA; announcements of their availability are published widely in fire journals and newsletters.

This body of work provides detailed information on the nature of the fire problem for policymakers 

who must decide on allocations of resources between fire and other pressing problems, and within 

the fire service to improve codes and code enforcement, training, public fire education, building 

technology, and other related areas.

The Fire Administration, which has no regulatory authority, sends an experienced fire investigator 

into a community after a major incident only after having conferred with the local fire authorities 

to insure that the assistance and presence of the USFA would be supportive and would in no way 

interfere with any review of the incident they are themselves conducting. The intent is not to arrive 

during the event or even immediately after, but rather after the dust settles, so that a complete and 

objective review of all the important aspects of the incident can be made. Local authorities review 

the USFA’s report while it is in draft. The USFA investigator or team is available to local authorities 

should they wish to request technical assistance for their own investigation.

For additional copies of this report write to the U.S. Fire Administration, 16825 South Seton Avenue, 

Emmitsburg, Maryland 21727. The report is available on the Administration’s Web site at http://

www.usfa.dhs.gov/

“Get Alarmed, South Carolina”

Lessons Learned from Its Success

Reported by: Carolyn Perroni

This is a Special Report 044 of the Major Fires Investigation Project 

conducted by TriData Corporation under contract EMW-90-C-3338 to 

the United States Fire Administration, Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Homeland

Security

Department of Homeland Security

United States Fire Administration

National Fire Data Center

U.S. Fire Administration

Mission Statement

As an entity of the Department of Homeland 

Security, the mission of the USFA is to reduce life and economic losses due to fire 

and related emergencies, through leadership, advocacy, coordination, and support. 

We serve the Nation independently, in coordination with other Federal agencies, 

and in partnership with fire protection and 

emergency service communities. With a 

commitment to excellence, we provide public education, training, technology, and data 

initiatives.

Homeland

Security

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Interviews with the following individuals contributed important information and perspective for 

this report:

Richard S. Campbell South Carolina State Fire Marshal

Sondra Vann Senn Programs Manager, Division of State Fire Marshal, South Carolina 

Budget and Control Board

Charles Vaughan Fire Prevention Field Coordinator, “Get Alarmed, South Carolina” 

Program, South Carolina Division of State Fire Marshal

Mary Lee Maiden Public Information Manager, South Carolina Division of State Fire 

Marshal.

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

BACKGROUND. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

“GET ALARMED!”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

SMOKE DETECTORS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

FIRE PREVENTION MATERIALS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

COUNTY COORDINATORS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

MEDIA SUPPORT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

PARALLEL EFFORTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

PROGRAM RESULTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

LESSONS LEARNED. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Appendix A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

1

INTRODUCTION

I

n 1988, the State of South Carolina kicked off a public fire safety program entitled “Get Alarmed, 

South Carolina!” The program has been credited in 1990 with helping the State record the lowest 

number of fire deaths in five years and to begin the reverse a trend in recent years toward higher 

and higher fire death rates. The story of the “Get Alarmed, South Carolina!” program and other South 

Carolina public fire safety efforts since 1988 offer lessons which may be helpful to other States.

BACKGROUND

In 1988, fire claimed the lives of 164 people in South Carolina. With just over 47 fire deaths per million population, South Carolina had the highest fire death rate in the country. Prior to 1988, South 

Carolina had consistently ranked among the top three States with the highest fire death rates in the 

Nation. In addition, the rate had been escalating at an average of 20 percent per year.

Data on fire deaths collected by the South Carolina Budget and Control Board’s Division of State Fire 

Marshal indicated that a disproportionate share of these fire deaths occurred in the State’s rural and 

economically depressed areas. As in many parts of the country, the high-fire-risk groups in South 

Carolina were the poor, the elderly, and the handicapped.

State Fire Marshal Richard S. Campbell and his staff began in 1987 to plan for a major fire prevention program aimed at reversing the fire death trend. A smoke detector giveaway was chosen as the 

centerpiece for the program. There was statistical and anecdotal evidence nationwide to show that 

properly installed and maintained smoke detectors saved lives by providing the early warning necessary to allow people to escape deadly fires. In addition, South Carolina’s data showed that many 

of the fatal fires in the State occurred in homes without detectors and that many of the fire deaths 

occurred at night as people slept – the time when smoke detectors are most helpful.

The Division of State Fire Marshal carried out a small-scale program in 1986-87 that indicated a 

smoke detector giveaway program had the potential for success. The Division had re-programmed 

about 9,500 dollars to supply 20 fire departments across the State with 45 smoke detectors each. 

The detectors were offered to fire departments in rural or economically depressed areas. The departments were asked to join forces with some community organizations and seek local funds for the 

purchase of additional smoke detectors; to distribute detectors to the poor, elderly, and handicapped 

in the community on a priority basis; and to issue annual reminders to smoke detector recipients 

about the importance of detector maintenance.

This program lasted two years. During that time, many local fire departments joined with community volunteer organizations to obtain funds through a Community Volunteer Fire Prevention 

Program, funded by the United States Fire Administration (USFA) and administered by the National 

Criminal Justice Association.

Nearly 13,000 additional smoke detectors were purchased over the two years, building a program 

that delivered about 115,000 dollars worth of smoke detectors into people’s homes out of an original investment at the State level of 9,500 dollars.
2

“GET ALARMED!”

The success of the small scale program convinced the State to proceed with a larger effort. The “Get 

Alarmed, South Carolina!” program began in 1988.

The core of the program was a smoke detector giveaway, primarily in high-risk areas. To support the 

giveaway, a massive effort was undertaken Statewide to build public awareness about the fire problem 

and educate the public about potential fire hazards.

To give further emphasis to the program, South Carolina Governor Carroll Campbell proclaimed 

1988 as “Fire Safety Awareness Year” in the State. First Lady Iris Campbell was named as Grand 

Marshal for the “Get Alarmed” campaign.

South Carolina’s position among the top three States with the highest fire death rates and the success 

of the earlier smoke detector giveaway effort helped convince the State legislature to appropriate 

50,000 dollars to fund the project.

SMOKE DETECTORS

About half the appropriated funds went to purchase smoke detectors. The Division of State Fire 

Marshal bought the detectors at a State contract price of about 4.50 dollars each.

The smoke detectors served as an incentive for the fire service in the State to get involved. One hundred detectors were offered free to each county in the State (200 were offered to each of the four 

most populous counties) under the same conditions as had been used in the 1986-87 pilot program. 

They had to agree to:

• join forces with some community organization to promote the program and leverage funds 

for the purchase of additional smoke detectors;

• give priority to distributing to the poor, elderly, and handicapped in the community; and,

• issue annual reminders to smoke detector recipients to reinforce the importance of detector 

maintenance.

As added support, any local government participating in the “Get Alarmed” program was allowed to 

buy additional detectors at the low State contract price.

FIRE PREVENTION MATERIALS

The other half of the funds appropriated for the “Get Alarmed” program, plus additional funds from 

the Division of State Fire Marshal budget, were used to produce a variety of fire prevention materials. 

This included posters, a calendar with a separate fire safety message for each month of the year, and 

flyers for each month. In some cases, the fire safety messages and artwork to illustrate them were 

created specifically for the “Get Alarmed” program; in other cases, they were adapted from existing 

materials, such as the fire prevention awareness campaign kits available from the USFA. The materials were supplied free of charge for distribution by local governments, fire departments, and other 

organizations participating in the program. (See Appendix A.)

In addition, “Get Alarmed” fire safety messages were carried on about 200 billboards throughout 

the State. The billboards were donated by their owners or paid for by other organizations; the State 

only had to pay for the printing.
USFA-TR-044/November 1991 3

Six video public service announcements (PSAs) were produced and distributed to all major television stations serving the South Carolina market. The PSAs featured an introduction by the First Lady 

and a short orientation to the “Get Alarmed” program, as well as specific fire safety messages. Topics 

for these safety messages included installing smoke detectors, testing and maintaining detectors, 

developing and planning exit drills, and preventing heating and cooking fires.

A package of 22 radio PSAs also was produced and sent to every radio station in the State. As in the 

case of the printed materials, some of the PSAs were created specifically for the “Get Alarmed” program, and some were adapted from existing material supplied by the USFA and others.

COUNTY COORDINATORS

Grand Marshal Campbell appointed local community leaders, many of whom had fire service backgrounds, as county coordinators for the “Get Alarmed” program. Their appointments often served 

as media events, with the First Lady formalizing the appointment in ceremonies in the county or at 

the Capitol. This not only provided a tailor-made “photo opportunity” through which to publicize 

the campaign, but also offered a way to involve and reinforce community and fire service leaders in 

the program.

County coordinators were given three main responsibilities:

• contacting each fire department in the county and encouraging them to participate in the 

“Get Alarmed” campaign;

• distributing smoke detectors and fire prevention literature to participating departments; 

and,

• seeking funds for purchase of additional smoke detectors.

The success of their efforts was a major boost to the program. Local citizens, organization leaders, 

and community officials seemed to be more receptive to the program because of the endorsement 

by and involvement of someone from their own area.

MEDIA SUPPORT

Media support became a very important element in the “Get Alarmed” program. News releases 

and articles about the program were sent out routinely by the Division of State Fire Marshal to 

media contacts throughout the State. For this program, an additional copy of the material was sent 

to participating fire departments, so they could make local contact with media representatives and 

reinforce the importance of the program and provide additional information about local program 

activities.

The First Lady’s involvement as Grand Marshal provided additional opportunities to draw the media’s 

attention to the program. Her attendance at “Get Alarmed” meetings and visits to individual communities to “kick off” the program locally helped build media interest throughout the State.

Joe Pinner, a well-known radio and television personality in the State, gave the program an additional 

boost. Pinner not only talked about smoke detectors frequently on his radio and television shows, 

but also wrote a letter about the “Get Alarmed” program and encouraged his colleagues throughout 

the State to use the PSAs produced for the program. The Division of State Fire Marshal sent his letter 

along with the PSAs when they were mailed to radio and television stations, and his endorsement 

helped get the PSAs used in many cases.
4

An annual “birthday party” for the “Get Alarmed, South Carolina” program is a media event in the 

State. It not only serves to focus public attention on the need to clean detectors and change batteries, 

but also helps renew interest and involvement in the program. Fire departments use the event to kick 

off local publicity campaigns on smoke detector maintenance.

PARALLEL EFFORTS

While the “Get Alarmed, South Carolina” program was being planned and initiated, other fire prevention efforts were in process. The synergy of these efforts has helped the State succeed in reducing 

fire deaths.

In 1988, a major strategy development conference was sponsored by the South Carolina State Fire 

Commission and the Division of State Fire Marshal assisted by funding from the USFA. The conference drew some 80 participants who represented 24 State agencies, the medical profession, insurance companies, public utilities, private industry, the fire service, civic and service organizations, the 

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and National fire service organizations. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss South Carolina’s fire problem in the context of three main topic 

areas: public fire safety education; use and misuse of portable and solid-fuel heating appliances; and 

responsibilities toward children, the elderly, and the handicapped.

The conference attendees developed consensus recommendations in all three topic areas and 

endorsed the formulation of a Fire and Life Safety Task Force to design a strategy for implementing the recommendations and achieving a lower fire death rate in the State. The conference among 

other things spawned efforts by several State agencies, including the Commission on Aging and the 

State Department of Agriculture, to regularly coordinate with the Division of State Fire Marshal and 

incorporate fire safety messages into programs for their respective constituents.

This coordination extended and reinforced efforts to reach the public through the “Get Alarmed” 

program. Specifically, coordination between health and social services agencies and the Division 

of State Fire Marshal made it possible to reach people in high-risk groups through agencies and 

programs that have routine contact with individuals in these groups. Personnel from agencies that 

provide in-home care – the Department of Social Services, Department of Health and Environmental 

Care, and Commission on Aging, for example – were schooled in the “Get Alarmed” program concept and provided with fire prevention materials to distribute as they made their usual rounds.

The “Get Alarmed” program and its fire safety messages also were integrated into the State’s “Teach 

the Teacher” program. This is a yearly seminar targeted at fire safety educators at the local level. The 

“Teach the Teacher” seminar program had begun in 1986-87 as a way to showcase local programs 

developed under the Community Volunteer Fire Prevention Program and give fire safety educators 

from other communities the information and motivation they needed to replicate these efforts. It 

served a similar purpose for the “Get Alarmed” program and helped reinforce the necessity for 

building local cooperation to prevent fire deaths.

PROGRAM RESULTS

The results achieved in the first two full years of the “Get Alarmed, South Carolina” program are eye 

opening. More than 25,000 smoke detectors – five times the number originally funded by the State 

– were placed in homes throughout the State, and more than two-thirds of the State’s 700 fire departments got involved in smoke detector installation and maintenance programs in their communities. 

In addition, there is a broader awareness among the citizens of South Carolina about fire safety and 

the value of smoke detectors.
USFA-TR-044/November 1991 5

The increased awareness generated by the “Get Alarmed” program undoubtedly was a major factor in the marked drop in actual fire deaths that South Carolina experienced in 1990. Moreover, as 

shown in the figure below, the “Get Alarmed” program can be credited with saving many lives that 

might have been lost if the program had not been undertaken, since it successfully interrupted a 

record of 20-percent-per-year increases in the State’s fire death rate.

ESTIMATED LIVES SAVED SINCE 

INITIATION OF “GET ALARMED, SOUTH CAROLINA”

Furthermore, the program continues to be viable. Fire departments and community leaders appear 

to have built relationships that will work for years to come. The cooperation among local organizations continues to make it possible for fire departments in the State to make more use of fire prevention programs and materials offered by the State.
6

In fact, the State has launched a new follow-up to the “Get Alarmed” program – this time without 

any additional appropriation. The new program is called “Save Our Children..Get Alarmed, South 

Carolina.” It’s objective is to get hospitals to include information about smoke detectors in pre-natal 

education classes and to give smoke detectors as gifts to parents of new babies. The program is 

being totally funded by local communities, in most cases using the fundraising alliances they built 

as part of the original “Get Alarmed” program. For example, participants in this program include 

the Beaufort County Memorial Hospital and the Beaufort Fire Department, the Wallace Thompson 

Hospital and the Union County Firemen’s Association, and the Newberry Memorial Hospital and the 

Newberry County Firemen’s Association.

Another effort to prevent fire deaths among children involves a mascot called “Freddie the Fire-less 

Feline.” The Division of State Fire Marshal introduced “Freddie” to the children of South Carolina 

during Fire Prevention Week in 1989.

“Freddie” is a big, gray cat that wears yellow boots, a red firefighter’s hat, and a black and white cloth 

coat. The “Freddie” costume is worn by Division of State Fire Marshal staff members, firefighters, 

and others who visit day care centers and schools throughout the State.

A story about how “Freddie” was saved by a firefighter in a house fire when he was a kitten is the 

core of the presentation. The story contains a number of fire safety messages that are reinforced 

by a question and answer period that follows. More than 5,000 South Carolina children have met 

“Freddie” and heard the story.

Funding for the “Freddie the Fire-less Feline” project has been provided by the Independent Insurance 

Agents Foundation of South Carolina, and a coloring book featuring “Freddie” has been produced 

with a grant from the South Carolina Firemen’s Association.

LESSONS LEARNED

1. Limited funding does not have to be a barrier to development and implementation of good 

fire prevention and safety programs.

If there is one thing the people of South Carolina demonstrated in the “Get Alarmed” program, 

it is that there is money out there. Seeking out and building relationships with civic and service 

organizations, other local agencies, and even individual benefactors is the key.

In addition, the Division of State Fire Marshal made good use of fire prevention resources available free of charge from the USFA and others. For example, the expense involved in designing 

new public fire education materials was reduced significantly by using camera-ready artwork and 

adapting some of the fire safety materials provided in USFA’s fire safety awareness campaign kits.

2. Paid television ads may be as cost-effective as television PSAs.

Even with the endorsement of a well-known media figure in the State, it proved very difficult 

to get good air time for the PSAs developed for “Get Alarmed, South Carolina.” This is not a 

problem unique to this program; PSAs, particularly those offered by local and State governments 

often are relegated to late-night or early-morning, non-prime viewing hours. The impact of 

the ads is diluted because of the lack of audience. Since quality television ads are expensive to 

produce and distribute, it may be more reasonable to produce one good ad and pay for a few 

good time slots on local or Statewide television that would offer the potential for reaching your 

intended audience.
USFA-TR-044/November 1991 7

3. Having a well-known spokesperson helps the profile of the program.

Having South Carolina’s First Lady as the Grand Marshal for the “Get Alarmed” program proved 

to be helpful in garnering media attention for program activities and lent credibility to the program overall. In addition, her participation appeared to be pivotal in leveraging donations and 

in-kind contributions from businesses Statewide.

4. The strong, multi-year commitment of the State Fire Marshal helps the program succeed.

The sustained commitment of State Fire Marshal Richard S. Campbell and his staff was a major 

factor in the success of the “Get Alarmed, South Carolina” program. Beginning in 1987, the 

Division of State Fire Marshal made reducing the State’s fire death rate by increasing smoke 

detector usage a consistent priority. This commitment was demonstrated not only through 

appearances by the State Fire Marshal himself at local “Get Alarmed” program events throughout 

the State, but also through the Division of State Fire Marshal’s continuous day-to-day support for 

the county coordinators for the “Get Alarmed” program.

The division also carried out an aggressive campaign to get the media to focus more attention 

and devote more coverage to the fire death problem in the State. They encouraged fire departments to reinforce State-level efforts by making contact with their local media representatives. 

In addition to benefiting the “Get Alarmed” program, this has helped local fire departments 

build a cooperative relationship with the media that can assist in future fire prevention efforts.

The Division of State Fire Marshal made ready-to-use “Get Alarmed” program materials available 

at no cost to local fire departments. This enabled many fire departments to participate in the 

program – departments which would not have had the resources to produce materials on their 

own.

9

Appendix A

Following is a selection of public education materials and PSAs produced for the “Get Alarmed, 

South Carolina” program. Some were written specifically for the “Get Alarmed” program; others 

were adapted from existing public fire safety education resources. You are encouraged to use these 

items, or adapt them as necessary, to expand your own State or local smoke detector promotion or 

other fire safety awareness programs.

PSAs

1. “Summer Fun”

2. “Smoke Detectors”

3. “Smoke Detectors Message For Parents”

4. “Smoke Detector Installation”

5. “Smoke Detector Maintenance”

6. “Get Alarmed Campaign”

7. “Staying Alive”

8. “Survival”

9. “After School Kids”

10. “Fire and Drinking”

11. “Cigarette Smoking Fires”

12. “Holiday Safety”

13. “Fire Drills”

14. “Stop, Drop, and Roll”

15. “Handle With Care”

16. “Smoke Kills”

17. “Cooking Fires”

18. “Steaks Are For Cooking”

Materials

1. “What You Need To Know About – Smoke 

Detectors, Heating Safety, Cooking Fires, 

Cigarette Smoking, Escaping a Fire”

2. “Give the Gift of Life...Give a Smoke 

Detector”

3. “Smoke Detectors are Life Protectors”

4. “Get Alarmed, South Carolina! A Fire 

Safety Awareness Campaign”

5. “Smoke Detectors Save Lives...They Could 

Save Yours!”

6. “Holiday Safety”

7. “Plan Your Escape”

8. “Stay Warm Safely”

9. “Their Life Is Your Responsibility”

10. “School’s Out!”

11. “Check Your Hot Spots”

12. “Put A Lid On Cooking Fires”

13. “Don’t Let A Fire Take The Bang Out Of 

Summer”

14. “Freddie the Fire-less Feline”
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