FULTON COUNTY, Ga. -- Fulton County is in the process of planning and preparing its 5-year Consolidated Planning Document to determine the needs of the community in developing viable urban communities.  The plan provides decent housing, a suitable living environment and expanded economic opportunities principally for low and moderate- income persons.

The Consolidated Planning Process uses Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnership Program (HOME), and Emergency Solution Grant (ESG) funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).  The final Consolidated Plan document will describe the County’s plan to pursue the goals for all community planning and development programs serving Fulton County communities outside of the City of Atlanta, Roswell and Sandy Springs utilizing these federal grant dollars from HUD.

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), almost two-thirds of home fire deaths resulted from fires in properties without working smoke alarms. A properly installed and maintained smoke alarm is the first thing in a home that can alert families to a fire 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“Whether you're awake or asleep, a working smoke alarm is constantly on alert, scanning the air for fire and smoke,” says Fire Chief Larry Few of the Fulton County Fire Rescue Department. “As firefighters, we continually remind residents to check their smoke alarms to ensure they are working properly.”

The NFPA offers the following tips to help residents safeguard their homes from home fires:

Where do I put smoke alarms in my home?

ATLANTA -- Early voting for the General Primary Runoff Election continues. Early voting began June 30 and continues until July 18 on Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

As of now, there are three early voting locations:

* North Fulton Service Center, Room 232, 7741 Roswell Road, Sandy Springs, GA 30328

* South Fulton Service Center, 5600 Stonewall Tell Road, Rm. 108, College Park, GA 30349

* Fulton County Government Center, 130 Peachtree Street, Suite 2186, Atlanta, GA 30303

Beginning July 14, six more early voting locations will open in Fulton County:

* Adamsville Recreation Center, 3201 Martin Luther King Jr. Dr., SW, Atlanta, GA 30311

* Roswell Library, 115 Norcross St., Roswell, GA 30075

* East Point Library, 2757 Main Street, East Point, GA 30344

* Ocee Library, 5090 Abbotts Bridge Rd., Johns Creek, GA 30005-4601

* Northside Library, 3295 Northside Parkway NW, Atlanta, GA 30327