Fire Prevention Week
WARSAW — This week is National Fire Prevention Week Warsaw Fire Chief, Michael Wilson, and the staff at the Warsaw-Wayne Township Fire Department want to make sure everyone is aware of the dangers of nighttime home fires.
This year’s Fire Prevention Week theme is, “Hear the Beep Where You Sleep,” placing particular emphasis on smoke detectors in bedrooms and sleeping areas.
“A working smoke detector is of utmost importance,” Wilson, said. “Please check your detector, replace batteries and complete an emergency fire drill in your home.”
According to statistics released by FEMA, approximately half of home fire deaths occur during the evening, between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., when the majority of people are asleep. FEMA gives the following suggestions to increase safety in case of a late-night home fire:
- Install interconnected smoke detectors. When one sounds, they all sound.
- Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside of each separate sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement.
- Test smoke alarms at least once a month.
- Replace smoke alarms that are at least 10 years old.
- If smoke detectors go off at night, make sure everyone in the house wakes up.
- When the smoke detectors sound, get outside as quickly as possible and stay there.
- Designate an outside meeting place.
- Call the fire department from a cell phone or a neighbor’s phone. Do not go back inside until the fire department says it is OK to do so.
“Moms and Dads, please don’t forget to talk about cooking safety, safety around the barbecue grill and fire safety with your in-home fireplaces,” Wilson said. “Also, we recommend that everyone has a furnace inspection to make sure all is safe prior to the heating season. Fire safety is very important not only during Fire Prevention Week, but at all times of the year.”
For more information on fire safety, click here. Information is also available via FEMA’s website.