Help Prevent a Fire in Your Home

Beyond Housing/Neighborhood Housing Services of St. Louis, Inc. has served the St. Louis region for over 25 years with technical and monetary assistance to homeowners in need of home repair. Along with their many other programs that focus on the preservation and revitalization of urban neighborhoods, the chartered member of the congressionally funded Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation, has entered in to a new realm that will address the biggest cause of insurance dollar and property loss for the City of St. Louis. In 1998, there were over 2,400 residential fires in the City of St. Louis alone. During the first six months, 12 had already lost their lives due to fire. Each year, St. Louis loses millions of dollars from fire and fire damage- resulting in higher premiums, vacant buildings and deteriorating neighborhoods.

In partnership with the St. Louis Fire Department, the City of St. Louis and several major insurance companies, Beyond Housing/Neighborhood Housing Services of St. Louis, Inc. is participating the Improving Home Safety Across America pilot program funded by the Ford Foundation and Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation to help six cities develop comprehensive programs to help mitigate a major cause of insurance loss. Beyond Housing/Neighborhood Housing Services of St. Louis, Inc. and its partners put together the St. Louis Home Safety Partnership: Fire Loss Prevention Program for urban residents, renters and homeowners, to heighten awareness about fire hazardous situations and provide loan products to address fire hazards in the home.

The St. Louis Fire Department conducts the fire prevention classes for the Partnership twice per month. Classes are two hours and can be held at the fire department headquarters or in neighborhood association facilities. All residents, renters and homeowners, are invited and will receive a free smoke detector with batteries and a full-home fire extinguisher. Classes held at the fire department include hands-on fire extinguisher training by putting out a live fire.

After attending the fire prevention class, any homeowner residing in a targeted neighborhood: Mark Twain, Walnut Park East, Walnut Park West, Penrose, Forest Park Southeast, Tower Grove East, Benton Park West, Fox Park, McKinley Fox or Gravois Park, can receive a $300 credit for the purchase and installation of a hard-wired smoke detector and carbon monoxide system. Homeowners in these neighborhoods are also eligible to apply for a low-interest home safety loans, with no income guidelines, provided by UMB Bank and the City of St. Louis. Loan funds can be used to repair or replace items such as water heaters, furnaces, roof and electrical wiring.

To find out when the upcoming classes are scheduled and for more information about The St. Louis Home Safety Partnership: Fire Loss Prevention Program, contact Eric Madkins, Insurance Services Manager, (314)533-0600 ext. 102 or Mike Eggleston, Insurance Services Coordinator, (314)533-0600 ext.129.