Local volunteers responded to a record number of fires in fiscal year 2009; Oct. 4-10 is National Fire Prevention Week
This October, the local American Red Cross is urging central Illinois families to prevent devastating home fires. Families should:
· Check for home fire hazards
· Ensure smoke alarms are in working order
· Practice an escape plan
Fires pose a real danger to life and property. Of all the types of disasters that Red Cross volunteers respond to, fires are by far the most common. Last fiscal year, the Red Cross Central Illinois Chapter helped at a record 200 fires throughout its 10-county service area.
“When people think of disaster preparedness, they tend to think of tornadoes and floods. But home fires are disasters, too,” said Harley Jones, Red Cross director of Emergency Services. “If you’re standing in your yard in the middle of the night, watching flames consume your property, a fire is a disaster on a very personal scale. Our volunteers witness this firsthand.
“We want our friends in central Illinois to prevent fires,” Jones continued. “Doing so doesn’t require a lot of expensive equipment or training – just some planning with your loved ones.”
Follow these tips in observing National Fire Prevention Week, Oct. 4-10.
Check for home fire hazards
Never smoke in bed.
Don’t overload outlets.
Install guards around fireplaces, radiators, pipes and wood-burning stoves.
Plug space heaters directly into a wall socket and unplug when not in use.
Keep blankets, curtains, furniture and other flammable items away from space heaters.
Keep candles at least 3 feet from anything that can burn. That includes books, curtains, bedding, paper, mattresses, decorations, clothing and furniture.
Use candle holders that are sturdy, made from a material that cannot burn, and are large enough to collect wax.
Keep flammable items — pot holders, mitts, towels, wooden utensils, bags, etc. — away from your stovetop, and away from any appliance that generates heat.
Ensure smoke alarms are in working order
Install a smoke alarm outside each sleeping area and on each level of your home.
Once a month, use the test button to check smoke alarms.
Once a month, vacuum cobwebs and dust away from smoke alarms.
Once a year, replace alarm batteries.
Every 10 years, replace smoke alarms. They become less sensitive over time.
Additionally, consider keeping one or more fire extinguishers in your home, especially in the kitchen. Cooking is the No. 1 cause of home fires.
Practice an escape plan
Determine at least two ways to escape from every room of your home.
If you see smoke or fire blocking your first escape route, use your second way out. If you must exit through smoke, crawl low under the smoke to your exit.
If you plan to escape by opening a closed door, feel the door with the back of your hand before opening it. If it is warm, do not open it. Seek a second way out.
If smoke, heat or flames block all of your exit routes, stay in the room with the door closed. Place a wet towel under the door. Open the window and signal for help by waving a brightly colored cloth or flashlight. If there is a telephone in the room, call the fire department and tell them exactly where you are.
Consider keeping escape ladders for sleeping areas on the second and third floors. Store them near the window.
Select a location outside your home where all family members can meet after escaping.
Once you are out, stay out! Call the fire department from a neighbor’s home or cell phone.
Practice your escape plan at least twice a year with all family members, especially children.
For more fire safety tips, visit www.redcrossillinois.org.
