10/18/2008

Smoke detectors to be given away

Sixty-six smoke detectors donated to the Salina Fire Department by Hawker Beechcraft will be distributed on a first-come basis to Salina residents who need them.

The Kiddie 10-year smoke alarms were presented to the fire department Tuesday.

Hawker Beechcraft, 2656 Scanlan, designs, markets and supports aviation products and services for businesses, governments and individuals worldwide.

Anyone for whom purchasing a smoke alarm would present a hardship can call the Salina Fire Department Fire Prevention Division at 826-7340 to request a free alarm. Firefighters also will schedule a time to install the detector free of charge, said Fire Marshal Roger Williams.

According to the National Fire Prevention Association, in one out of five homes that have smoke alarms, none of the units work, mainly because of dead, missing or disconnected batteries. Nearly half of the nation's fire fatalities occur in the 4 percent of homes that do not have smoke alarms.

On average, families have less than three minutes from the time the first smoke alarm sounds to escape a fire, according to NFPA statistics.

Police arrest teens in spray-paint incident

A Salina police patrol car got a new look Thursday when it ran over a can of spray paint thrown out by a vandalism suspect the officer was pursuing.

Police received a report that someone was spray-painting the Interstate Bakeries Corp. building at 1333 Beverly at 9:20 p.m. Thursday. An officer followed the suspect's car onto Broadway, when she saw what appeared to be a can of spray paint thrown out the passenger window of the vehicle, said Salina Deputy Police Chief Carson Mansfield.

The officer heard a popping sound as her patrol car ran over the spray can, which discharged blue paint onto the car and the street in the southbound lane between Beverly and Crawford streets, he said. Police were able to remove the paint from the vehicle before it dried, he said.

Bobby A. Martinez, 15, 1206 Apache, was arrested, accused of criminal damage to property and littering. Driver Andy Dominguez, 17, was cited for not having proof of insurance.

Damage to the Interstate Bakeries building was estimated at $200.

Wichita warrant sweep nets 41

Two Salina police officers took part in a warrant sweep in Sedgwick County on Thursday that resulted in 41 arrests, three of which were for Salina warrants.

Master patrol officer Brent Rupert and officer Tim Brown participated in the sixth annual National Family Violence Apprehension Detail, a warrant sweep utilizing local, state and federal agencies and focusing on arresting people accused of domestic violence crimes.

Rupert said officers attempted to serve 166 warrants, nine from Salina.

Six additional cases were generated, including the confiscation of 200 marijuana plants found growing in an attic at a house where officers served a child-support warrant. The plants had a street value of more than $1 million, Rupert said.

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