By Steffen Klenk
National Fire Prevention Week is just around the corner, and thanks to the help of local firefighters, children throughout the area will learn life-saving information and get first-hand safety demonstrations. The campaign began in October 1925, the same month as the Great Chicago Fire. More than 17,000 buildings were destroyed in the blaze.
According to the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA), more than 27% of all fires reported between 2014 and 2018 occurred inside of homes. The leading cause of most of these incidents stemmed from cooking, with Thanksgiving being the peak day for cooking fires.
Each year, the NFPA hosts Fire Prevention Week, an event dedicated to educating and informing the public with fire safety tips and instructions to keep you, and others around you, safe. The NFPA website provides the most up-to-date information, with lesson plans, activities for the kids, interactive games, tip sheets,s, and demonstrational videos.
This year’s campaign encourages everyone to learn the sounds of fire safety. When you hear a beep, or a chirping sound, coming from your smoke detector or carbon monoxide alarm, it is a clear indicator that the batteries need to be changed. The NFPA recommends changing the batteries to your smoke alarm every six months. Be sure to have a smoke alarm on each level of your home, inside your bedroom(s) or in your hallway, and be sure to test the alarms every month to ensure they are working.
Having a home fire escape plan is also essential. Make sure you have at least two means of escaping for all rooms. If you see or smell smoke, stay as low to the ground as you can and crawl safely to your exit. While encountering doors, experts recommend placing the back of your hand against the doorknob, or the sides of the door. If it feels hot to the touch, this means there is a fire on the other side of the door, and it is not a means of escape. The most important tip is to be prepared. Practicing a fire escape plan twice a year will help you prepare in the event of an actual emergency.
The most important thing to remember is to stay out of the home once you have left and not to return for missing items, pets, or other people. Get out safely, and dial 911. As we begin to migrate inside with the cooler weather, now is an important time to have your fire prevention and safety plan in place. For more resources, check out the NFPA website at nfpa.org, scroll to the events tab and look for ‘Fire Prevention Week. Several local fire companies will host open houses to meet with families and provide resources:
Bargaintown Volunteer Fire Company
6550 Mill Rd. Egg Harbor Township
Monday, October 11th from 6-8 pm
Ocean City Fire & Rescue
550 Asbury Ave. Ocean City
Thursday, October 7th from 5-8 pm
Somers Point Volunteer Fire Company 1
447 Bethel Rd. Somers Point
Wednesday, October 13th at 6 pm
Steffen Klenk is a multimedia journalist. He resides in Ocean City and enjoys capturing the eclectic moments of shore life.
