Nathaniel Lind found an unusual hobby after putting a fear to rest.

Lind, 33, collects smoke detectors. In fact, he possesses 307 different varieties. The pastime began after he overcame his fear of fire.

“When I was younger, I used to be totally afraid of them,” Lind said. “Then I went through desensitization therapy.”

Only two of his detectors are in operation in his home. Lind has “old ones, new ones, battery, electric” in his collection, he said.

“The old ones I find at rummage sales, or eBay,” he said.

Lind was one of several safety-minded people at Ruskell Hardware in Austin Saturday. For the second year, the store gave out 250 detectors for free. The Austin Fire Department helped promote the event outside the store with firefighters and a ladder truck.

Manager Amie Hoesing said the purpose of the promotion is “just to help save lives.”

The AFD also kicked off its recognition of Fire Prevention Week. Fire Chief Dan Wilson said the detector promotion is an important service to the public. His department installs detectors at no charge in any home in Austin.

“All it takes is a phone call,” Wilson said.

Last year in the U.S., 9,000 people died in residential fires, he said. Sixty-three percent of fires resulting in death occurred in a home with no working smoke detector; 40 percent had no detector at all; and 23 percent had detectors, but their batteries were dead or missing.

Call the fire department at 433-3405 to arrange for free smoke detector installation in your home.

The Austin Fire Department will also host its annual open house Wednesday from 4 to 7:30 p.m. at the fire station. There will be firefighter demonstrations; trucks and turn-out gear to check out; Sparky the dog’s safety trailer; and refreshments.

“The grown-ups will get to put out a fire with an extinguisher,” Wilson said.