American Red Cross and Sinclair: home fire preparedness campaign

This theme, as with many in the past decade focuses on the importance of smoke/heat detection in each bedroom.

October. 4 – 10 is Fire Prevention Week. It is a North American event that was established in remembrance of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 and has now taken on a life of its own.

National Fire Prevention Week is held annually during the week of October. 9. The President of the United States has signed a proclamation proclaiming a national observance during that week every year since 1925. “And as I said earlier, we encourage people to have the dual capable photoelectric and ionization detectors in their home”. According to the nonprofit National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), smoke alarms can cut the chance of dying in a home fire in half.

The Red Cross is providing them with personal items like toothbrushes, deodorant, shaving supplies and more.

Location matters when it comes to smoke alarms. “That’s awesome.'” So far all the homes they have visited this week have been up to code, and therefore had a free dinner of behalf of the Woodstock Fire Department. The Camden Fire Department supports these campaign activities. Because most fire deaths happen between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., the panic caused by a fire can be compounded by people having to wake from a deep slumber and react immediately.

The week has been a busy one but one thing remains the same with all departments involved and that is that fire safety is important.

Fire prevention is more than ensuring you have smoke alarms however, there are other steps that you and your family can take to not only prevent house fires but be safe in the advent of a fire. Make sure alarms are working and tested each month.

“We want to start getting everybody to have a working smoke alarm in every bedroom – not just in the hallways outside of the bedroom”, he said.

If someone doesn’t have smoke alarms, install them. There are plans to have a residential fire sprinkler exhibition and a live vehicle extrication demonstration featuring tools and equipment from the city’s newest fire engine.

If a smoke alarm sounds, get outside, go to the designated meeting place and stay there.

In 2013, US fire departments responded to an estimated 369,500 home structure fires.

My honest hope is that all residents make sure there are working smoke alarms installed throughout their homes.

Mike Spencer was among the fire chiefs who was disappointed over the lack of smoke detectors, specifically citing a fatal fire in Orrington a few years back.