ReutherjimJamestown  (CSi)  This week is Fire Prevention Week.

Jamestown City Fire Chief Jim Reuther has provided  information to “Protect Your Family from a Fire in Your Home.”

The message says,  “You have only minutes to escape during a fire. Working smoke alarms save lives. More than 2,200 people die each year because of unintentional home fires. Almost two-thirds of these fire deaths occur in homes with no smoke alarms or with smoke alarms that don’t work. A smoke alarm’s warning can cut the risk of dying from a fire in your home by almost half.

Fire Safety Tips:

Install a working smoke alarm on every level of your home, outside. sleeping areas and inside bedrooms

Replace smoke alarm batteries once every year.

 

Always stay in the kitchen when cooking. Stand by your pan!

 

Know how to escape if there is a fire in your home. Have a plan and practice it with your family.

 

Replace smoke alarms that are more than 10 years old. They don’t last forever.

 

Why Are Smoke Alarms Important?

Every year in the United States, about 3,000 people lose their lives in residential fires. In a fire, smoke and deadly gases tend to spread farther and faster than heat. That’s one reason why most fire victims die from inhalation of smoke and toxic gases, not as a result of burns. A majority of fatal fires happen when families are asleep because occupants are unaware of the fire until there is not adequate time to escape.

A smoke alarm stands guard around the clock and, when it first senses smoke, it sounds a shrill alarm. This often allows a family the precious but limited time it takes to escape.

About two-thirds of home fire deaths occur in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms. Properly installed and maintained smoke alarms are considered to be one of the best and least expensive means of providing an early warning of a potentially deadly fire and could reduce the risk of dying from a fire in your home by almost half.

 

Where Should Smoke Alarms be Installed?

Smoke alarms should be installed on every level of the home, outside sleeping areas, and inside bedrooms.

A smoke alarm should be installed and maintained according to the manufacturer’s instructions. When installing a smoke alarm, many factors influence where you will place it, including how many are to be installed. Consider placing alarms along your escape path to assist in egress in limited visibility conditions. In general you should place alarms in the center of a ceiling or, if you place them on a wall, they should be 6 to 12 inches below the ceiling.

Install a working smoke alarm on every level of the home, outside sleeping areas, and inside bedrooms.

Replace smoke alarm batteries at least annually, such as when resetting clocks in the fall or spring.

 

Test all smoke alarms in your house once a month.

 

Do not place a smoke alarm too close to a Kitchen appliance or fireplace, as this may result in nuisance alarms.

Avoid locating alarms near bathrooms, heating appliances, windows, or ceiling fans.

Replace smoke alarms that are more than 10 years old. Smoke alarms don’t last forever.

 

Develop and practice a fire escape plan, because working smoke alarms and a fire escape plan will increase your protection in case of a fire.

Information obtained from Consumer Product Safety Commission and U.S. Fire Administration

Bismarck (CSi) Gov. Jack Dalrymple, has directed all state government agencies and offices to fly the American and North Dakota flags at half-staff from sunrise to sunset on Tuesday in observance of National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Day. The observance is held as part of National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend to honor America’s fire and emergency services personnel and to remember those who have died in the line of duty.

“Every day, North Dakota’s fire and emergency services personnel put their lives on the line to protect our citizens and our communities, and some make the ultimate sacrifice so that others might be saved.”