National Nonprofit Urges Families to Take Action During Fire Safety Month in October WASHINGTON, Oct. 1
WASHINGTON, Oct. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- The national nonprofit Home Safety
Council (HSC) has released new national survey results revealing that only 37
percent of respondents have taken any actions at home to prevent fires and
burns -- the third leading cause of injury-related death in the home.
When asked about fire safety practices, a mere 13 percent of respondents
said they have planned and practiced a family fire drill -- an essential step
that increases the ability to respond quickly and appropriately in the event
of a fire. While the majority of fatal fires happen at night, HSC also found
that only half of those surveyed (51 percent) have installed smoke alarms in
their bedrooms. Additionally, only eight percent of respondents live in a
home protected by fire sprinklers.
"Unfortunately, our research indicates that too many families don't
understand or appreciate the danger of home fires and as a result, have not
taken even the most basic steps to prepare for a fire emergency," said Meri-K
Appy, president of the Home Safety Council. "With less than three minutes to
escape if a fire occurs, every home needs a well-rehearsed escape plan and
working smoke alarms. They are critical to saving lives."
The Home Safety Council is also a strong advocate for increased
installation of home fire sprinkler systems, which will put out or keep the
fire small until the fire department arrives.
During Fire Safety Month and year-round, HSC is advising families to take
action and follow the steps below to help curb the more than 3,400 fatalities
caused by fires and burns in the home every year.
Fire Safety Basics
Having working, interconnected smoke alarms installed on every level of
the home is the most effective way to alert the entire family when a fire
strikes. But, survival depends on each person being prepared and knowing
exactly what to do in a fire emergency -- and then doing it. HSC offers the
following guidelines for household smoke alarms and fire escape plans:
Installing and Testing Smoke Alarms:
-- Only purchase smoke alarms that are listed by a national testing
laboratory, such as UL or ETL; look for the listing mark on packaging.
-- Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, including the
basement. At the least, make sure there is an alarm near every sleeping
area.
-- HSC recommends installing additional smoke alarms inside all bedrooms.
-- For the best detection and notification protection, install both
ionization- and photoelectric-type smoke alarms throughout. Some models
provide dual coverage.
-- Smoke rises, so smoke alarms should be mounted high on walls or
ceilings.
-- Choose an installation location that is well away from the path of
steam from bathrooms and cooking vapors from the kitchen, which can
result in nuisance alarms. Don't install smoke alarms near windows,
doors, or ducts where drafts might interfere with their operation.
-- Test each smoke alarm every month. Push the test button until you hear
the alarm.
-- Put new batteries in your smoke alarms at least one time each year, and
any time the alarm signals low battery power (typically a chirping
noise).
-- HSC recommends using interconnected smoke alarms. These alarms are
available with wireless connection and hard-wired with battery back-up.
Interconnected alarms are linked together so that if one alarm detects
a fire, they all signal together.
-- If your smoke alarms are 8-10 years old, get new smoke alarms.
Plan and Practice a Family Fire Drill:
-- Make a fire escape plan with every member of your family. Sketch out a
map of your home, including all rooms, windows, interior and exterior
doors, stairways, fire escapes and smoke alarms.
-- Make sure windows and doorways open easily and unlock easily from the
inside, without a key. Make sure stairs and doorways are never blocked.
Look for these and other things that could slow down your escape.
-- If you have security bars on doors and windows, have a "quick-release"
latch on the inside. Make sure everyone in your family knows how to use
the latch.
-- Find two ways out of every room -- the door and maybe the window. You
might need an escape ladder to get out of upstairs windows. If so, they
should be part of your fire drill. Select two escape routes from each
room and mark them clearly on the plan.
-- Children and many older adults will need help escaping a fire. Plan for
this. Know who needs help and pick an able family member to help them.
If anyone in the household has a hearing impairment, purchase special
smoke alarms that use strobes and/or vibrations to signal a fire.
-- As a family, agree on a place to meet in front of your home. Use a
portable phone or a neighbor's phone to call 911 in a fire emergency.
Once you get out, don't go back inside for anything.
-- Make copies of the escape plan sketch and post them in each room until
everyone becomes familiar with them.
-- Practice makes perfect. Hold family fire drills frequently and at
various times until the escape plans become second nature. Once you've
mastered the escape process, hold a drill when family members are
sleeping so you can test each family member's ability to waken and
respond to the smoke alarm.
Home Fire Sprinkler Systems: An Added Layer of Protection
With recent research revealing that 41 percent of adults do not know that
fire sprinklers are a safety option for their home, HSC is working to raise
awareness for this life-saving technology by educating consumers that a
residential sprinkler system is the best protection from fires.
Home fire sprinklers detect the high heat from a fire and put water on the
flames within seconds of a fire starting, limiting the smoke, heat and poison
gases that a fire produces. Sprinklers will put the fire out or keep it small
until firefighters arrive; giving residents more time to escape. Fire
sprinklers also protect property and belongings.
If you are buying a home or moving to a new apartment, choose one with a
fire sprinkler system. If you are building a home or remodeling your existing
home, consider having a home fire sprinkler system installed. Talk to your
local fire department for help finding a qualified home fire sprinkler
installer.
Visit MySafeHome.org to Create a Home Fire Safety Plan
Through its new, interactive online safety destination -- MySafeHome.org
-- HSC provides simple room-by-room tips to help families make each area of
the home safe from fire dangers, indoors and out. The site offers the
opportunity to explore a virtual home and learn about the safety actions and
technology that can protect against fires and the other leading causes of home
injury -- in every area of the home. MySafeHome.org offers one-click access to
simple, straightforward tips and checklists to help families take a room-by-
room approach to make the entire home safe.
For additional tips to protect against fire in each area of the home and
to see a demonstration of a home fire with and without fire sprinklers, please
visit: www.mysafehome.org.
For free resources to stay fire safe in and around the home, please visit:
www.homesafetycouncil.org/firesafetymonth .
About MySafeHome.org
HSC's new, interactive home injury prevention teaching tool,
MySafeHome.org, brings comprehensive home safety to life for visitors. The Web
site invites visitors into a virtual home where state-of-the-art digital
animation identifies major risk areas, room-by-room, indoors and out, and
presents the key safety devices and preparedness plans that are important for
every safe home.
About the Home Safety Council
The Home Safety Council (HSC) is the only national nonprofit organization
solely dedicated to preventing home related injuries that result in nearly
20,000 deaths and 21 million medical visits on average each year. Through
national programs, partnerships and the support of volunteers, HSC educates
people of all ages to be safer in and around their homes. The Home Safety
Council is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization headquartered in Washington,
DC.
*State of Home Safety in America(TM) report (2004)
CONTACT: Valerie Pope
Brand Resources Group, Inc.
703-739-8344
SOURCE Home Safety Council
