A smoke alarm really is a simple device - just a battery and some circuits in a plastic case. Just don't tell John Gabany of East Pennsboro it's simple. Last year a smoke alarm saved his life.

"It definitely made a big difference," Gabany said. "It saved our lives and our house and our belongings."

That's why firefighters from all over the region are stopping by the abc27 warehouse and loading up their share of smoke alarms from Kidde.

"We have a program in Lancaster City where we put them up at no cost to the residents if they're homeowners," said Lt. Alex Grumbrecht of the Lancaster City Bureau of Fire.

Grumbrecht said there are always people who need smoke alarms but can't afford them. That's where "Operation Save a Life" steps in.

Other firefighters who are distributing the alarms said it's amazing some homes still don't have them.

"It's been proven countless times that smoke detectors save lives," said Calvin Seigle of the Edgemont Fire Department. "That's not an understatement. That's reality."

You can call your local fire department to see if they are participating in Operation Save a Life. Even if they are not, many times fire departments have free smoke alarms available.

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