Dangers of Not Having a Working Smoke Alarm

• If you are asleep when a fire occurs, the odds of you waking up is unlikely if you do not have a working smoke alarm.
• When we sleep, our sense of smell does not work. The only thing that will wake us up is light and noise.
• Smoke alarms are designed to wake us up if we are sleeping when a fire occurs.

Prevention and Service

To maintain a high level of customer service, the City of New Berlin Fire Department has implemented a smoke alarm program in the homes of qualifying New Berlin owner occupied homes. We do not provide smoke alarms for home sale purposes. The smoke alarms are battery-powered and must be installed by New Berlin Firefighters.

Eligibility and Requesting Service

To qualify for free smoke alarm, you must:

• Live in the city of New Berlin
• Own and live in your home (1 or 2 family residence and cannot afford one, rental properties do not qualify, and this program is not meant to satisfy sale/purchase requirements).
• Identify as one of the following:
  1. Senior (age 65 and up)
  2. Low income (eligible for government assistance programs)
  3. Disabled 

Landlord Responsibilities

If you live in a multi-family dwelling (3-family or more), state law requires the landlord to replace or repair defective alarms within five (5) days of tenant notification. 

If you are a tenant in a 3-family or more dwelling, follow these steps if you think you have an issue with your smoke alarm:

1. If you have a problem with a smoke alarm, notify your landlord.
2. If no action is taken to correct the deficiency within five (5) days, contact Fire Administration office.  
3. The fire department will work with the landlord to remedy the problem.

How to Apply

Step 1: Residents should contact the Fire Administration office at 262-785-6120. Residents must be low income, over the age of 65 or disabled. Landlords are required to provide smoke/CO alarms for all rental units.

Step 2: If you qualify, the fire department will schedule an appointment with you. 

Step 3: New Berlin firefighters will come to your home and install qualifying alarms. The New Berlin Fire Department recommends one smoke alarm on every level of your home and inside every bedroom. Limit of (3) alarms will be installed. 

Step 4: After installation is complete residents will sign a release and waiver of liability and installation form confirming proper installation.

 “Occupant understands that the smoke alarm(s) installed are tamperproof with a lithium power cell battery that has a 10-year life span and understands that for the alarm(s)s to be effective, the alarm(s) will need to be checked monthly. A ten-year lithium battery smoke alarm does not need to have its battery changed. Replace smoke alarms that use extended-life, lithium batteries when the alarm "chirps" or fails to respond when testing. The batteries in these units cannot be replaced.”