WELLS — Wells may be the first town in Maine to offer a citizen-funded assistance program for free, in-home smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

Last week, the Select Board unanimously approved $500 for an outreach program led by the town’s Code Enforcement Office to educate the public about the need for these devices. They also approved the use of the town’s fuel assistance fund to provide devices to residents who cannot afford to upgrade or install these life-saving detectors on their own.

“In 2014, the loss of life from fires in the state of Maine was the highest it has been in 20 years and all of those deaths were in residential dwelling units,” said Jodine Adams, Wells code enforcement officer.

While none of those deaths have been in the town of Wells, Adams recommended the program to the Select Board because she fears many Wells residents are at risk of becoming that next headline.

In her work as a code inspector, Adams and her staff are in buildings all of the time to follow up on complaints or to inspect a building after a change in occupancy.

The state of Maine updated the law pertaining to smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in 2010. The law requires a smoke detector in every bedroom, in the hallways outside of bedrooms and on every level of a home. Carbon monoxide detectors are also required within 15 feet of every bedroom door and near every non-electric heating appliance in the home. When a building changes ownership, type of occupancy or undergoes a renovation, the devices must be inspected.

Code enforcement officers recommend testing existing devices every month. They also recommend replacing devices every 10 years.

“The components in these devices wear out. We did an inspection of a large condominium unit in Wells built eight years ago and found many failures. In addition, we’re seeing a number of young families moving into a home and the updates on detectors haven’t been done,” said Adams.

Even more concerning, said Adams, is the number of buildings owned by elderly citizens or young families that do not have any working devices.

“It is increasingly common that when the Code Office goes out on a complaint, they find no protection in the unit. In many of the cases it is not only educating the person about the importance of detection but it is also a cost factor. The majority of these violations are in the homes of people who are on fixed incomes and this just isn’t their first priority,” said Town Manager Jonathan Carter during a presentation to the Select Board last week.

Although the Red Cross is also piloting a fire and carbon monoxide detector program with local fire departments in Maine, the recipients of those funds are in cities and towns with a larger percentage of low-income residents.

“Wells is not one of those pilot towns but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do anything about it, especially when there are still many here who cannot afford these devices,” Adams said, citing a recent inspection to a home in Wells where a young family did not have any smoke detectors in the home.

“They didn’t even think about it,” said Adams.

What Wells does have in place already is a fuel-assistance program for citizens who qualify for financial help to heat their homes.

Adams proposed that the Select Board allow citizens who donate to the fuel assistance fund to also elect to designate money to the detector program.

“Code Enforcement is leading this initiative because we’re the city entity that does the compliance check on this. Many people just aren’t educated about fire prevention,” Adams told the Select Board before they unanimously approved funds for a public outreach campaign.

The public outreach campaign will include information distributed through the schools, public access television and local businesses.

Adams is also seeking donations from device manufacturers and working with the local fire department, device manufacturers and other organizations to acquire materials.

“Our goal is to keep this issue top of mind so we can protect and educate our citizens before Wells becomes one of the tragic headlines. This is money well-spent. These devices can save lives,” Adams said.

Those wishing to find out if they qualify for financial assistance for smoke and carbon monoxide detectors can contact the Wells Code Enforcement Office at 646-5187.