It's a huge fear that we never seem to really think about.

Then it happens to someone on your street, a friend or family member, or you simply hear about it on the news.

A house fire is something that we think will never happen to us, so we don't always take the proper precautions to make sure our homes are safeguarded from one.

One of the easiest things to have in a home is a smoke detector. However, you'd be surprised at how many people either don't have one in their home or don't have enough to cover each area of the house.

One of the first things I do when I move into a new home is to see how many and where the smoke detectors are. A fire can break out in any part of the home and you need to be alerted immediately.

If I don't feel there are enough in the house, I either ask for more to be installed or do it myself.

So how do you know if they're working? Well, there's little buttons you can push to check them. If you hear a constant beeping at any point, it means the battery in it is dying or dead and you need to replace it.

So where can you find smoke detectors? Pretty much any place like Walmart, Target or a hardware store will have them for purchase. However, you can get them for free this Friday here in Amarillo.

The Amarillo Fire Department has teamed up with the Red Cross to put some in your hands for no charge if you're in need of them. They'll be in the Bethesda Parking lot on Evergreen Street, but in order to get your hands on free smoke detectors, you'll need to make an appointment.

If you call 806-376-6300, you'll need to leave your name, address and phone number and they'll get you all set up.

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As Americans watch events unfold in Ukraine, many wonder how they can help. Below is a list of organizations responding to the crisis in Ukraine along with information on how you can support their various missions. 

LOOK: Here are the pets banned in each state

Because the regulation of exotic animals is left to states, some organizations, including The Humane Society of the United States, advocate for federal, standardized legislation that would ban owning large cats, bears, primates, and large poisonous snakes as pets.

Read on to see which pets are banned in your home state, as well as across the nation.

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