Fire Prevention Week 2022

October 9 to 15, 2022, is Fire Prevention Week. This year marks the 100th anniversary of Fire Prevention Week, and the theme is “Fire won’t wait. Plan your escape.” 

In the event of a home safety emergency, every second counts. Fire can spread rapidly through your home, leaving you as little as one or two minutes to escape safely once the smoke alarm sounds. It’s essential to be prepared by planning and practicing an escape route with the entire family for safe evacuation. Planning, practicing, and repeating your emergency escape plan can help ensure a safe escape.

Here are some safety tips to help you make a home fire escape plan:

• Make sure your plan meets the needs of all your family members, including those with sensory or physical disabilities. If there are infants, older adults, or family members with mobility limitations, make sure someone is assigned to assist them in the fire drill and an emergency. Assign a backup person if the designee is not home during the emergency.
• 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 that when one sounds, they all sound.
• Have every member of your home memorize the emergency phone number of the fire department.
• Know at least two ways out of every room, if possible. When you walk through your plan, ensure the escape routes are clear and doors and windows can be opened easily.
• Have an outside meeting place safe 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 once at night.

If the Smoke Alarms Sound:

Smoke alarms are just as crucial as your emergency escape route because they alert your family of potential danger. If you hear a smoke alarm, please remember the following.

• Follow your family’s escape plan.
• Get low and crawl under the smoke.
• Close doors behind you as you leave to slow the fire from spreading.
• Once everyone is out, stay out! You should never return to a burning building. Please leave this to the firefighters and inform them if someone is missing.
• Call 9-1-1 from outside the home.