Fire Prevention Week (Oct. 7-13)

Photo: American.redcross.org

The biggest disaster threat to an American family isn’t floods, hurricanes, or tornadoes; it’s fire. On average the American Red Cross responds to over 63,000 house fires per year, that’s one fire every nine seconds.

House fires can happen quickly and unexpectedly so it is important for families to take the appropriate safety measures to prevent these disasters.

The Red Cross recommends two easy steps to preventing house fires: get a fire alarm and create a fire escape plan.

Place smoke alarms on every level of the house and be sure to test/replace batteries at least once a year.

Home fire plans should have at least two escape routes from every room in your house. Your family members should also select a safe meeting spot away from your home where your family can reunite after the fire. Be sure to discuss this plan with your family and practice it at least twice a year.

Also be sure to download the Red Cross First Aid app on iTunes or on Google Play Store for life-saving information that can help you in common emergencies.

Post By: Samantha Slappey, Public Relations Intern

Fire Danger on the Rise

The National Weather Service issued a fire danger statement in Georgia this past week informing residents that high fire danger conditions can be expected due to strong winds and dry air. Recently, our neighboring state of Florida experienced a brush fire which burned acres of land and resulted in an evacuation. The American Red Cross of Greater Palm Beach Chapter deployed Disaster Action Team members and dispatched an Emergency Response Vehicle in response to the fires. With these dangers right next door, are you Red Cross Ready for the risks of fire danger?

Wildfires can go unnoticed at first, but they spread rapidly and can easily overtake your home. Every second counts when facing the danger of a wildfire. Here are some basic ways to stay a step ahead and be Red Cross Ready with the current high fire danger conditions.

To prepare beforehand:

1. Learn about wildfire risks in your area.
2. Plan ahead in order to stay as safe as possible during a wildfire.

If there are reports of wildfires in your area:

1. Be ready to leave at a moment’s notice.
2. Park your car facing the direction of escape.
3. Listen to the local radio and television stations for updates.
4. Be sure to limit exposure to smoke and dust.
5. Listen and watch for air quality reports and health warnings about smoke.
6. Close windows and doors to prevent outside smoke from getting in.
7. Use the recycle or re-circulate mode on your air conditioning unit.
8. When smoke levels are high, do not use anything that burns and adds to indoor air pollution, such as candles, fireplaces and gas stoves.

Lastly, when returning home after an evacuation, do not enter your house until fire officials say it is safe. For more tips on how to prepare for wildfires, take a look at this Wild Fire Safety Checklist by the American Red Cross!

- Jessica Wu, Public Affairs Intern

Be Red Cross Ready for Fire in the Kitchen

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The most effective way to protect yourself and your home from fire is to identify and remove fire hazards.  Sixty-five percent of home fire deaths occur in homes with no working smoke alarms.  During a home fire, working smoke alarms and a fire escape plan that has been practiced regularly can save lives.

It has been found that most fires originate in the kitchen.  Follow these steps to avoid a fire while cooking.  Start by not wearing loose clothing or dangling sleeves while cooking.  Never leave cooking food unattended – stay in the kitchen when frying, grilling or broiling food.  If you must leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove.

A stove after a house fire.

Fire Safety Tips for the Kitchen:

• Check your food regularly while cooking and remain in the home while cooking.  Use a timer to remind yourself that the stove or oven is on.

• Keep the kids away from the cooking area. Enforce a “kid-free zone” and make them stay at least three feet away from the stove.

• Keep anything that can catch fire – pot holders, oven mitts, wooden utensils, paper or plastic bags, food packaging, and towels or curtains—away from your stove, oven or any other appliance in the kitchen that generates heat.

• Clean cooking surfaces on a regular basis to prevent grease buildup.

• Consider purchasing a fire extinguisher to keep in your kitchen.  Contact your local fire department to take training on the proper use of extinguishers.

• Always check the kitchen before going to bed or leaving the home to make sure all the stoves, ovens and small appliances are turned off.

• Install a smoke alarm near your kitchen, on each level of your home, near sleeping areas inside and outside bedrooms if you sleep with doors closed.  Use the test button to check it each month.  Replace all batteries at least once per year.

The Red Cross responded to more than 62,960 home fires during the 2011 fiscal year. House fires are the worst disaster threat to families in the United States. To learn how to prevent a fire in your home and how to keep members of your household safe, you can download The Red Cross Fire Prevention and Safety Checklist.  Downloadable fact sheets are also available at http://www.redcross.org/ on how to be fire safe over the holidays, how to avoid home heating fires, candle safety, proper use of smoke alarms and teaching your children what to do in the event of a fire.