Out to Alarm Texas
Celebrating 20 Years of Saving Lives
The Insurance Council of Texas (ICT) is proud to celebrate 20 years of Out to Alarm Texas, a smoke alarm distribution initiative that has helped save lives and protect communities since 2005.
Thanks to generous grants from State Farm, Travelers, and other ICT member companies, the program has distributed over 30,000 smoke alarms to residents across Texas — all at no cost to recipients.
In May 2025, ICT and State Farm partnered to deliver a record-setting 2,000 smoke alarms, officially surpassing 30,000 total alarms distributed.
A Life-Saving Mission
Out to Alarm Texas was launched in collaboration with the Texas State Fire Marshal’s Office to help reduce fire-related deaths and property loss by providing smoke alarms to communities with the highest need. The alarms are distributed through local fire departments across the state.
Since its founding, the program has reached more than 90 fire departments and continues to grow thanks to overwhelming demand and proven impact.
“We’re Out to Alarm Texas” — and we mean it.
Why It Matters
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA):
- 59% of home fire deaths occurred in homes with no smoke alarms (41%) or non-working alarms (16%).
- The risk of dying in a reported home structure fire is 55% lower in homes with working smoke alarms.
These statistics underscore the need for programs like Out to Alarm Texas that make fire safety accessible and equitable.
Fire Casualty Data (2023)
Based on National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) data:
All Fire Casualties – Texas
- 1.5 deaths
- 5.1 injuries
per 1,000 fires
(National average: 2.1 deaths and 6.4 injuries)
Residential Structure Fire Casualties – Texas
- Each year in Texas, there are 20,000 structure fires
- 4.7 deaths
- 19.3 injuries per 1,000 fires
(National average: 5.8 deaths and 19.7 injuries) - Structure fires cause over $800 million in damage per year.
Our Partners Make It Possible
The success of Out to Alarm Texas is made possible through the continued support of State Farm and our dedicated member companies. Their generosity fuels our mission to improve fire safety — one alarm at a time.
Fire departments must be willing to install donated smoke alarms into homes on a first-come/first-served basis. Firefighters will install the new alarms and inspect each home to make sure other smoke alarms are working properly and point out potential fire hazards. Each fire department keeps track of where they have installed the smoke alarms so that firefighters can determine if the alarms were instrumental in saving lives or property.
Click here for additional information on the value of a working smoke alarm in your home from the NFPA.