October 6-12 2019 is Fire Prevention Week. This years theme is " Not Every Hero Wears a Cape. Plan and Practice Your Escape!" The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has been the official sponsor of this event for the past 90 years. This years campaign is to teach about things we can do to prepare in case of a fire at home or in the work place. The focus is on making an escape plan and practicing to make sure everyone knows what to do in case of a fire.
NFPA statistics show that in 2017 U.S. fire departments responded to 357,000 home structure fires. These fires caused 2,630 fire deaths and 10,600 fire injuries. On average, seven people died in a fire in a home per day during 2012-2016. Lorraine Carli, NFPA's vice president of Outreach and Advocacy states, " in a typical home fire, you may have as little as one to two minutes to escape safely from the time the smoke alarm sounds." This is why escape planning is so important not just for home safety but for life safety.
Situational awareness is a skill people need to use wherever they go. No matter where you are, look for available exits. If the alarm system sounds, take it seriously and exit the building immediately. For more information about Fire Prevention Week and home escape planning, visit www.fpw.org.