Children got to hang out with first responders, Greenbrier Restaurant mascots, Santa Claus and more at the Lowe’s Kids Safety Event held today in Athens.

The free event started last year as a way for moms Lonna Nicolle and Diane Adams to raise awareness of the importance of smoke detectors and fire safety. Each woman experienced a major house fire when their children were young, but smoke detectors made the difference between life and death for their families.

For Adams, a working smoke detector allowed her family to escape. In Nicolle’s case, however, a lack of working smoke detectors and lack of knowledge of what to do when the house is on fire led to the deaths of two of her children.

Now the women work together to prevent fire deaths and teach other families the lessons that could have saved Nicolle’s sons. 

“Too many kids are losing their lives because of something so simple that can save a life,” Adams told The News Courier prior to this year’s event. “If we can prevent just one more life from being lost due to not having a smoke detector or forgetting about a battery, then Matthew’s and Andrew’s deaths weren’t in vain.”

Those who attended this year were treated to live music, free food, fingerprinting, facepainting, games and door prizes. Children could explore virtual reality trailers from the Madison Fire Department, check out a helicopter and boat from the Limestone County Sheriff’s Office and learn about weather safety from WAFF-48 meteorologist Brad Travis.

“We know there’s not a Lowe’s in the country that could touch on our event,” Nicolle told The News Courier Sept. 18.