Learning how to prevent fires is extremely important for one’s safety and the safety of those around oneself. October 6th – 12th, 2019 is Fire Prevention Week. During this week, take some time to learn how to stay safe from fires.
Since 1922, Fire Prevention Week has been observed during the week of October 9th in commemoration of the Great Chicago Fire. The Chicago Fire of 1871 killed more than 250 people, left 100,000 people homeless, destroyed more than 17,400 structures, and burned more than 2,000 acres. In 1925, President Calvin Coolidge made Fire Prevention Week a national observance.
Plan and practice your escape
This year, the theme for Fire Prevention Week is, “Not every hero wears a cape. Plan and practice your escape!” This theme highlights the importance of making a fire escape plan for one’s home and practicing what one can do during a fire to stay safe.
In a typical home fire, one may have as little as one to two minutes to escape safely after the smoke alarm sounds. When every second count, it’s very important that one is prepared and know what to do during a fire. Planning and practicing a home fire escape plan can help one make the most of the time one has to escape.
Fire escape plan
Here are some steps you should take when making a fire escape plan for one's home:
- Draw a map of the home with all doors and windows
- Visit each room in the house and find two ways out
- Make sure that all doors and windows can open easily so one can use them to get outside.
- Make sure the home has working smoke alarms. Test them to see if they work
- Pick a meeting place in front of the home
- Talk about the escape plan with everyone in the home
- Make sure everyone knows how to call 911 or the local emergency number
- Practice the home fire drill
Be A Hero In The Home & Community
According to an NFPA survey, only 1 out of 3 American households have developed and practiced a home fire escape plan. This Fire Prevention Week, one can be a hero by taking small, but important actions to keep oneself, the family, and those around oneself safe from a fire. One of the easiest ways one can protect loved ones is to plan and practice a home escape plan. When the smoke alarm sounds in an actual fire, it will be too late to start making a plan.
Interested in learning more about how one can participate in Fire Prevention Week? Visit the NFPA’s website for great resources and materials. Learn how to make an escape plan and raise public awareness about the importance of fire prevention.
