Would you know what to do if there was a fire in your home? It’s something no one really wants to think about, but the reality is having a well thought out plan can save your life and the lives of your loved ones. October 8-14, 2017 is Fire Prevention Week and the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) on October 10, 2017 released a reminder to everyone that Every Second Counts: Plan 2 ways out!
Did you know there are about 360,000 home fires every year leading to roughly 2,200 deaths? In addition, nearly 11,500 ER treated fire injuries are reported each year.
Practice these simple steps so you and your family can have a fighting chance, if the unthinkable happens.
- Create an escape plan. Make sure there are two ways out from each room and a clear path to outside from each exit.
- Make sure everyone in the home knows the plan.
- Pick a family meeting place outside.
- Once outside, stay outside.
- Practice the escape plan two times a year.
- Have working smoke alarms inside and outside each sleeping area and on every level of your home.
- Replace smoke alarms every 10 years.
- Make sure fire sprinklers work.
Little ones in the home as well as the elderly will need additional assistance during a fire emergency. Make plans to help them get out of the house. For more information, check out this multigenerational tool kit.
You can also find more fire safety tips and information in the CPSC fire safety information center.
Many deaths and injuries could be prevented simply by having working smoke alarms. CPSC is conducting a nationwide survey to gather information about the functionality of smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms in homes in the United States.
So don’t wait a minute longer, have a plan.
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reminds us that every second counts in a fire and that can mean the difference between having a life end in tragedy and escaping safely.
The US Consumer Product Safety Commission is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1973 and charged with protecting the American public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from consumer products through education, safety standards activities, regulation, and enforcement. The agency is online at www.cpsc.gov. Note that product recall notices may be accessed via that site.
Source: US Consumer Product Safety Commission
