If you live in the 500 blocks of 1st St. NW and 4th St. NW, expect a knock on the door from the Portage Fire Department on Thursday.

The Fire Department is running its annual Safe Family Program, a door-to-door campaign to educate people about fire safety, offer smoke alarm inspections, and free replacements if needed.

Deputy Fire Chief Dave Holmes says the program was run province-wide for the first time last year, and canvassing firefighters wound up installing about 100 smoke alarms in homes within the city of Portage la Prairie and the RM.

"We've all seen year-after-year that smoke alarms do save lives," Holmes says. "I think it's important that if we can come out there as firefighters and speak to residents in-person, the message comes across a whole lot better."

Holmes adds the program is also being run on a request basis. Residents in Portage and the RM can call the fire hall to set up an appointment for a firefighter to come out to their residence for an inspection, and install new smoke alarms if needed.

For additional information, contact the Portage Fire Hall.