Fire Prevention Week: Fire won’t wait, plan your escape
Fire won’t wait. Plan your escape.
They are words to live by, because if a fire breaks out in your home or business, you may not have time to figure out how to react.
This week, October 9-15, is National Fire Prevention Week, and this year’s theme phrase, ‘Fire won’t wait, plan your escape” focuses on planning how to react if confronted with a fire, stressing that having a well-rehearsed plan in place can mean the difference between life or death.
According to National Fire Protection Association data, our homes — the place where we usually feel safest from fire — are actually where we are at greatest risk, with 74 percent of all U.S. fire deaths occurring in homes. And when a home fire does occur, it’s more likely to be serious; people are more likely to die in a home fire today than they were in 1980.
Warren County Fire Coordinator Ralph Bartlett said the makeup of homes and their contents causes fires to spread more quickly, so planning is more important than ever. Fires in a home can double in size and intensity every minute producing large amounts of heat and smoke.
Bartlett said: “Unlike many years ago our homes and businesses are filled with furnishings that contain a large amount of plastics. Because of this, and because of construction changes in our homes for energy efficiency, fires burn much hotter and rapidly spread. Early detection by smoke detectors will give you the best chance of escape. Making sure your smoke detectors are in proper working order and knowing what to do when they sound could save you and your family's lives. Please use Fire Prevention Week as a reminder to change the batteries in your smoke detectors and practice your home escape plan. If you do not have one, please develop one and practice it with your family.”
Here are some key points for planning to react to fire:
- Make sure your home escape plan meets the needs of all your family members, including those with sensory or physical disabilities.
- Smoke alarms should be installed inside every sleeping room, outside each separate sleeping area, and on every level of your home. Smoke alarms should be interconnected so when one sounds, they all sound.
- Know at least two ways out of every room, if possible. Make sure all doors and windows open easily.
- Have an outside meeting place a safe distance from your home where everyone should meet.
- Practice your home fire drill at least twice a year with everyone in the household, including guests. Practice at least once during the day and at night.
To help spread these safety messages, a number of fire departments in Warren County will be holding informational and firefighting recruitment events this week.
In addition, Fire Prevention Week is also a good time to schedule an annual heating system inspection and cleaning, Bartlett said. That includes a chimney cleaning for woodstoves and fireplaces, the leading cause of heating-related fires.