News & Events

October 9th - 15th, 2011

The week October 9th thru 15th 2011, is dedicated to learning how to prevent and escape fire.  Fire in the home has a deadly potential, but if prepared with a plan to get out, many will be safe.

Did you know......

• Almost three-quarters of Americans do have an escape plan; however, less than half actually practiced it.
• One home structure fire was reported every 87 seconds in 2010.
• Working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in reported home fires in half.
• On average, there are 35 home candle fires reported per day.

What can you do...

• Download our home fire escape plan (PDF, 844 KB), and mark a door and a window that can be used out of every room.

  Make a map of your home (PDF, 632 KB). Mark a door and a window that can be used to get out of every room.
• Choose a meeting place outside in front of your home. This is where everyone can meet once they’ve escaped. Draw a picture of your outside meeting place on your escape plan.
• Write the emergency telephone number for the fire department on your escape plan.
• Have a grown-up sound the smoke alarm and practice your escape plan with everyone living in your home.
• Keep your escape plan on the refrigerator and remind grown-ups to have your family practice the plan twice a year or whenever anyone in your home celebrates a birthday.

Smoke alarms and home fire escape planning

• If there is a fire in your home, there will be smoke.
• A smoke alarm will let you know there is a fire.
• A smoke alarm makes a loud noise – beep, beep, beep.
• When the smoke alarm sounds, get outside and stay outside.
• Go to your family outside meeting place.
• Change smoke alarm batteries at least once a year

More on smoke alarms

• Install smoke alarms inside every bedroom, outside each
  sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the
  basement.
• Larger homes may need additional smoke alarms to
  provide enough protection.
• For the best protection, interconnect all smoke alarms
  so when one sounds they all sound.
• Install smoke alarms following manufacturer’s
  instructions high on a wall or on a ceiling.
• Replace batteries in all smoke alarms at least once a year.
  If an alarm “chirps,” warning the battery is low, replace the
  battery right away.
• Replace all smoke alarms when they are 10 years old or
  sooner if they do not respond properly when tested.
  

Additional information: