Fire Prevention Week 2008
October 5-11, 2008 is Fire Prevention Week, and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) and Fire Corps teamed up to promote fire prevention and safety. The theme of Fire Prevention Week 2008 is “Prevent Home Fires,” with a focus on the leading causes of home fires - cooking, heating, electrical, and smoking materials.
With nearly 75 percent of building fires and two-thirds of fire deaths occurring in the home, the NVFC and Fire Corps provide the following fire safety tips to help to keep everyone educated. Share these tips with your families, neighbors, and communities and keep the messages of fire prevention active all year long.
For additional information and resources, visit the NFPA's Fire Prevention Week web site at www.firepreventionweek.org and FireRescue1.com's Fire Prevention Week section at http://www.firerescue1.com/prevention-week/. Together, we can all make a difference.
Fire Prevention 2008 Tips of the Day:
The majority of home fires start in the kitchen. The NVFC and Fire Corps offer these tips to make your kitchen a safe one.
- Do not wear loose fitting clothing when cooking, as they are easy targets to catch on fire.
- Always turn pan handles in to prevent food spills.
- Make sure that you keep pot holders and towels away from the stove.
- Replace any old or frayed electrical cords on your appliances.
- Never leave your cooking unattended.
- If a fire should occur on the stove, slide a pan lid over the flames and then turn off the heat.
- If a fire should occur in the oven, keep the oven door closed and turn off the heat to smother the fire.
- Always keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen. Make sure it is kept in an accessible place away from the stove and oven.
- If the fire does not go out quickly, use your escape plan and call the fire department immediately.
Nearly half of all home heating fires occur in December, January, and February. The NVFC and Fire Corps recommend these tips to help you stay warm and safe during the winter months.
- Make sure your chimney is inspected and cleaned once a year.
- Dispose of ashes only when they have fully cooled.
- Don’t use an oven to heat your home.
- Install carbon monoxide detectors outside each sleeping area.
- When using space heaters, make sure that there is nothing within 3 feet of it that could burn.
- Always make sure that portable heaters are turned off before going to bed or leaving the house.
Electrical distribution and lighting equipment were involved in an estimated 20,900 reported home fires in 2005. These fires resulted in 500 civilian deaths and 1,100 injuries, with an estimated $862 million in direct property damage per year.
- Keep lamps, light fixtures, and light bulbs away from anything that can burn, such as bedding, curtains, and clothing.
- Replace cracked and damaged electrical cords.
- Use extension cords for temporary wiring only.
- Homes with young children should have tamper-resistant electrical receptacles.
- Call a qualified electrician or landlord if you have recurring problems with blowing fuses or tripping of circuit breakers, discolored or warm wall outlets, flickering lights, or a burning or rubbery smell coming from an appliance.
Reproduced from NFPA's Fire Prevention Week web site, www.firepreventionweek.org. ©2008 NFPA
In the United States, smoking materials are the leading cause of home fire deaths. A majority of these fires resulted from the careless disposal of smoking materials. The NVFC and Fire Corps provide you with the following tips to avoid such tragedies.
- Never leave a lit cigarette or cigar unattended. They can easily fall off whatever you placed them on and start a fire.
- Don’t smoke in bed. You might fall asleep with the lit product in hand.
- Always use an ashtray. Never put your ashes into a waste basket.
- Always make sure that all smoking products are completely extinguished when disposing of them or before going to bed. Pour a cup of water on them to be sure.
- Never leave matches or lighters within reach of children.
- Always use child-resistant lighters.
The US Fire Administration’s Smoking and Home Fires campaign provides information, tips, and resources for preventing smoking-related home fires. Learn more at www.usfa.dhs.gov/campaigns/smoking/.
- View tips from the campaign.
- Download the Smoking and Home Fires poster.
- Learn how you can spread the campaign in your community.
Starting a Fire Corps program in your community is a great way to ease the burden on your local fire/EMS department as well expand the services your department can offer. Through Fire Corps, community members assist their local fire department with non-emergency tasks, allowing the firefighters to focus on emergency response duties. Fire Corps members can perform any number of duties, such as promoting fire prevention and safety in schools, businesses, and homes.
Tips for starting a Fire Corps program:
- Download the Fire Department Starter Kit from the Fire Corps Resource Center at www.firecorps.org/resources. This guide has a variety of information to help you establish, expand, manage, and market your Fire Corps program.
- If your department already has a team of community volunteers, register your program with Fire Corps to gain access to resources and funding opportunities.
- Market your Fire Corps program within your department and in your community by using the Fire Corps promotional videos and public service announcements available for free in the Resource Center at www.firecorps.org/resources.
- Implement the 1-800-FIRE-LINE national recruitment campaign in your state and market it in your community. 1-800-FIRE-LINE helps connect community members who are interested in volunteering with their local fire/EMS department.
Learn more about Fire Corps and the resources available.
