When the cold weather blows in, furnaces and heaters fire up to chase the chill from bones and homes. But sometimes there can be more entering your house than just the heat. There can be a threat you can't see, hear, smell or feel a silent killer.

As a service to Michigan City residents, the Michigan City Fire Department installs smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors (and batteries) when requested, and advises residents in maintaining the devices to help ensure that all of Michigan City’s citizens are protected from the dangers of house fires and carbon monoxide poisoning.  

The Michigan City Fire Department has partnered with the American Red Cross and the Lindsey Obrien Kessling Foundation commonly known as the LOK Wishing Tree Foundation, to make sure you are protected by offering free smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors.  LOK has donated a limited amount of carbon monoxide detectors to the Michigan City Fire Department. Public Information Officer Tony Drzewiecki stated that the Michigan City Fire Department is presently accepting donations so we can keep the Carbon Monoxide Detectors in stock so we can help those in need. 

In November of 2010, Dorothy Kessling lost her daughter Lindsey, whom the foundation LOK is named in honor of, to carbon monoxide poisoning at the age of 22 in her Scottsdale, Arizona apartment.  Hearing stories from others who have been saved from potentially fatal carbon monoxide poisoning thanks to receiving alarms from the foundation makes it all worth it for Kesling.  "It’s lifesaving testimonials that really make this campaign worthwhile," Kesling said. "We can save a life."

Recently the Michigan City Fire Department along with Simpson O'Brien from the LOK Foundation installed smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors which were donated by the American Red Cross and LOK at a local resident’s home who was in need of assistance.

If you would like someone from the Fire Department to check your smoke detector, install a smoke detector, or install a carbon monoxide detector, contact the Fire Department PIO Officer, Tony Drzewiecki by email: tdrzewiecki@emichigancity.com or phone at (219) 873-1443.