As we begin to seal up our homes and windows and turn on the heat for the winter months ahead, it’s important to have a plan in place when it comes to fire safety and preparedness.
National Fire Prevention Week is October 8-14. The National Fire Protection Association has created this campaign to spread awareness about fire prevention, education, and safety with peers and family members alike. This year’s Fire Prevention Week theme is ‘Every Second Counts, Plan 2 Ways Out!’.
Often, a fire can prohibit a main escape route. The smoke may be too thick in a hallway to escape safely or a fire may break out on a stairwell. While difficult to imagine, these scenarios are important to think about, and it is even more important to plan at least two escape routes. Make sure your family knows at least two ways out of every room in your home. Practice fire drills with everyone in the household—this is the key to being prepared and familiar with your surroundings in the case of a fire. If you have children, make sure to have a conversation with them about safe escape options from your home, rather than focusing on just one way out.
Another important practice to keep in mind is to map out your escape plan. By drawing a map, it brings attention to the purpose of escape planning. Physically drawing a map acts as reinforcement to the agreed upon escape plans, and also acts as a reference to guests who come over in case of an emergency.
Andersen employee Mike Galowitz has been the Assistant Fire Chief at the Bayport, Minnesota Fire Department since 1999. Throughout his many years of service, Mike has many helpful tips. “We as a fire department cannot stress enough the importance of having working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in the home. Early notification of any emergency situation in the home is key to ensuring families can follow their planned route and escape safely”.
Learn more about Fire Prevention Week.
Posted: October 12, 2017
