Any day is a terrible day to experience a tragedy, but it is especially devastating when something awful happens on a holiday that celebrates the importance of family.  On Father’s Day this year, six members of an extended family were killed in Newark, New Jersey, as a result of an early morning house fire.  The family tragically lost Salome Stewart, Reginald Stewart, Natasha Kinsale, Zion Forbes, Noreen Johnson, and Stephan Sydney. According to an article in The Star-Ledger, the fire spread quickly and without warning, as there was not a single smoke detector present in the house. 

 

As a family-oriented organization, we at Next Level Training felt compelled to do something in memory of this family to hopefully prevent future similar tragedies.  Upon hearing of this heartbreaking catastrophe, we teamed up with New York Giants punter Steve Weatherford and purchased two hundred and fifty brand new smoke detectors from Home Depot to donate to the Town of Morristown.  Today, along with Weatherford, we presented the smoke detectors to Fire Chief Robert Flanagan of the Morristown Fire Bureau. 

 

"You're the hero--not me,"  Weatherford stated, presenting them to Chief Flanagan.  "We appreciate what you do.  We're glad they'll be put to good use."

 

Chief Flanagan, in conjunction with the Fire Prevention Bureau, will distribute them to Morristown families in need of them. According to Heather Bendel of the Morristown Fire Bureau, the Bureau occasionally receives calls from residents seeking smoke alarms because they cannot afford them. Additionally, the Fire Protection Bureau also has Fire Inspectors who, when out in the field, take note of any residences or buildings that lack proper protection.  The Bureau will use the present donation to install the smoke detectors in fitting locations.

 

In the context of our fitness center, we constantly prioritize putting safety first.  Extending that same mentality to our relationship with the community, we hope that these smoke detectors will provide security and protection to many individuals and families who may not have been able to have afforded them otherwise.  With unseen and unforeseen dangers unfortunately always present, we hope that, in the event a fire were to occur, these smoke detectors will make the difference in ultimately saving someone’s life.