Fire Safety Week Begins This Week... Please Do These 4 Things To Protect YOUR Family!
Today, October 9, 2011 marks the beginning of Fire Safety Prevention week... a week long commemoration of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.
Today, October 9, 2011 marks the beginning of Fire Safety Prevention week... a week long commemoration of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.
It takes on a more significant meaning for me because this year I’ve had my best friends’ house burn after a closet fire; just last week a friend’s employee lost her duplex in a fire and worse than that, her young daughter’s friend who was sleeping over perished in the fire; and on my recent travels, we called the fire department after smelling smoke just as we were turning in. Thankfully there was no fire but had there been... it would probably have occurred after everyone had gone to sleep.
FACTS:
Bedrooms (55%) are the leading location of fire fatalities.
91% of fatalities in home fires involve thermal burns or smoke inhalation.
51% of Fire Fatalities occur between 10PM and 6AM.
Please Do These 4 Things NOW....
1. I cannot stress this enough... make sure you have working Smoke Alarms in recommended places (inside and outside of bedrooms, for example and on every level of the home). Be diligent in checking the batteries and changing the batteries at least yearly.
2. Have a Plan and rehearse it with you whole family. Know where the exits are for each room..... have a spot where every member outside the house where you will meet up.
3. If you have children in your home, please teach them about fire. Take the curiosity out of lighters and matches so they will not want to experiment in their own rooms. Lock up matches and lighters.
4. Get a Fire Safety Checklist to see if your home passes. When’s the last time your heating system was inspected?
Fire Prevention Week begins but Fire Safety never ends.
