National Fire Prevention Week is October 6 to 12, and the American Red Cross urges everyone to practice their home fire escape plan and test their smoke alarms.
“As cold weather increases the risk of home fires, please prepare your family now during Fire Prevention Week,” said Trevor Riggen, senior vice president, Red Cross Disaster Cycle Services. “Install and test smoke alarms on every level of your home and practice your escape plan until everyone can get out in two minutes or less.”
“Taking the time to check your smoke alarms and practice your fire escape plan is especially important here in WV which has the highest number of fire fatalities per capita. Smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in a home fire by half. Fire Prevention Week is the perfect time to check existing alarms and make a escape plan to get out of your home in less than 2 minutes,” says Erica Mani, Chief Executive Officer for the West Virginia Region of the American Red Cross.
PRACTICE YOUR PLAN, TEST YOUR SMOKE ALARMS For free home fire safety resources, visit redcross.org/homefires or download the free Red Cross Emergency App (search “American Red Cross” in app stores).
- Include at least two ways to get out of each room in your home fire escape plan.
- Select a meeting spot at a safe distance away from your home, such as your neighbor’s home or landmark like a specific tree in your front yard, where everyone can meet.
- Practice your escape plan until everyone can get out in two minutes or less.
- Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, placing them inside and outside bedrooms, and sleeping areas.
- Test smoke alarms monthly, and change the batteries at least once a year, if your model requires it.
LIFESAVING HOME FIRE CAMPAIGN MARKS FIVE YEARS Home fires take seven lives each day in the U.S., most often in homes without working smoke alarms. That’s why the Red Cross is working with partners to install free smoke alarms in high-risk communities and help families create escape plans through its Home Fire Campaign, which launched five years ago in October 2014.
Over the past five years, the campaign has saved at least 642 lives across the country including 25 in West Virginia by:
Installing nearly 2 million free smoke alarms including more than 27,000 in West Virginia.
- Reaching more than 1.4 million children through youth preparedness programs including more than 17,000 children in West Virginia.
- Making more than 793,000 households safer from the threat of home fires including more than 10,000 in West Virginia.
To learn how to request a free smoke alarm installation, volunteer to help or provide a financial donation for these lifesaving efforts, please call 1-800-RED-CROSS or visit www.redcrosswv.org.
