Fire Prevention Week

October 7th - 13th is Fire Prevention Week. Don't put your most valuable asset (your home) and your family at risk. Be sure to test your smoke detectors and fire extinguishers. Discuss your emergency fire exit plan with your family and have a fire drill.

Who's got the kids? Who's got the dog? How do we get out? etc. are not questions you want to be asking in the event of this emergency. Plan ahead and should the unfortunate event occur, just take action. For more tips and information on fire safety visit http://www.firesafety.gov

Here's a sampling of some statistical information from the U.S. Fire Administration taken from the Babies and Toddlers Fire Death Data Report:

• Children under age 5 in the United States are more than twice as likely to die in a residential fire than the rest of the country’s population.
• On average a child under age 5 dies in a residential fire every day.
• Fire is the third leading cause of unintentional death for children under age 5.
• More than 94% of U.S. households have at least one smoke alarm. A resident’s risk of death from fire is cut in half with the presence of a working smoke alarm.
• Only a small number of families (25%) have actually developed and practiced a home fire escape plan to ensure they could escape quickly and safely.