E = Exercise Extreme Caution

I apologize for my lack of updating. It has been quite a ride in my life these past months. I will work on doing better and hope to finish my BACK TO THE BASIC’S Theme -

It is the Holiday time of year and we all get in a rush to complete everything we have to do before family members arrive & the grand celebrations begin. It is during this time of year we sometimes let safety slip our minds. And it NOW that we must exercise extreme caution and keep safety first and foremost in our minds.

Holiday decorating is at its peak these days and there are so many safety precautions one should take to ensure their Holiday Celebrations are a success.

Are you decorating a LIVE tree this year?

Taken From NFPA:

Christmas tree safety tips

Each year, fire departments respond to an average of 210 structure fires caused by Christmas trees. Carefully decorating Christmas trees can help make your holidays safer.

Picking the tree

• If you have an artificial tree, be sure it is labeled, certified, or identified by the manufacturer as fire retardant.
• Choose a tree with fresh, green needles that do not fall off when touched.

Placing the tree

• Before placing the tree in the stand, cut 1–2” from the base of the trunk.
• Make sure the tree is at least three feet away from any heat source, like fireplaces, radiators, candles, heat vents or lights.
• Make sure the tree is not blocking an exit.
• Add water to the tree stand. Be sure to add water daily.

Lighting the tree

• Use lights that have the label of an independent testing laboratory. Some lights are only for indoor or outdoor use, but not both.
• Replace any string of lights with worn or broken cords or loose bulb connections. Connect no more than three strands of mini string sets and a maximum of 50 bulbs for screw-in bulbs.
• Never use lit candles to decorate the tree.
• Always turn off Christmas tree lights before leaving home or going to bed.

After Christmas

• Get rid of the tree when it begins dropping needles. Dried-out trees are a fire danger and should not be left in the home or garage, or placed outside against the home. Check with your local community to find a recycling program. Bring outdoor electrical lights inside after the holidays to prevent hazards and make them last longer.

Here are some other Holiday Safety Tips taken from

American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

Lights

• Check all tree lights-even if you’ve just purchased them-before hanging them on your tree.  Make sure all the bulbs work and that there are no frayed wires, broken sockets or loose connections.

• Never use electric lights on a metallic tree. The tree can become charged with electricity from faulty lights, and a person touching a branch could be electrocuted.

• Before using lights outdoors, check labels to be sure they have been certified for outdoor use.  To hold lights in place, string them through hooks or insulated staples, not nails or tacks.  Never pull or tug lights to remove them.

• Plug all outdoor electric decorations into circuits with ground fault circuit interrupters to avoid potential shocks.

• Turn off all lights when you go to bed or leave the house. The lights could short out and start a fire.

Decorations

• Use only non-combustible or flame-resistant materials to trim a tree. Choose tinsel or artificial icicles of plastic or nonleaded metals.

• Never use lighted candles on a tree or near other evergreens. Always use non-flammable holders, and place candles where they will not be knocked over.

• In homes with small children, take special care to avoid decorations that are sharp or breakable.  Keep trimmings with small removable parts out of the reach of children to prevent them from swallowing or inhaling small pieces.  Avoid trimmings that resemble candy or food that may tempt a young child to eat them.

• Wear gloves to avoid eye and skin irritation while decorating with spun glass “angel hair.” Follow container directions carefully to avoid lung irritation while decorating with artificial snow sprays.

• Remove all wrapping papers, bags, paper, ribbons and bows from tree and fireplace areas after gifts are opened.  These items can pose suffocation and choking hazards to a small child or can cause a fire if near flame.

Toy Safety

• Select toys to suit the age, abilities, skills and interest level of the intended child.  Toys too advanced may pose safety hazards for younger children.

• Before buying a toy or allowing your child to play with a toy that he has received as a gift, read the instructions carefully.

• To prevent both burns and electrical shocks, don’t give young children (under age ten) a toy that must be plugged into an electrical outlet.  Instead, buy toys that are battery-operated.

• Children under age three can choke on small parts contained in toys or games. Government regulations specify that toys for children under age three cannot have parts less than 1 1/4 inches in diameter and 2 1/4 inches long.

• Children can have serious stomach and intestinal problems – including death — after swallowing button batteries and magnets.  Keep them away from young children and call your health care provider immediately if your child swallows one.

• Children under age 8 can choke or suffocate on uninflated or broken balloons. Remove strings and ribbons from toys before giving them to young children.

• Watch for pull toys with strings that are more than 12 inches in length. They could be a strangulation hazard for babies.

• Parents should store toys in a designated location, such as on a shelf or in a toy chest, and keep older kids’ toys away from young children.

Food Safety

• Bacteria are often present in raw foods.  Fully cook meats and poultry, and thoroughly wash raw vegetables and fruits.

• Be sure to keep hot liquids and foods away from the edges of counters and tables, where they can be easily knocked over by a young child’s exploring hands. Be sure that young children cannot access microwave ovens..

• Wash your hands frequently, and make sure your children do the same.

• Never put a spoon used to taste food back into food without washing it.

• Always keep raw foods and cooked foods separately, and use separate utensils when preparing them.

• Always thaw meat in the refrigerator, never on the countertop.

• Foods that require refrigeration should never be left at room temperature for more than two hours.

Happy Visiting

• Clean up immediately after a holiday party.  A toddler could rise early and choke on leftover food or come in contact with alcohol or tobacco.

• Remember that the homes you visit may not be childproofed.  Keep an eye out for danger spots.

• Keep a list with all of the important phone numbers you or a baby-sitter are likely to need in case of an emergency. Include the police and fire department, your pediatrician and the national Poison Help Line, 1-800-222-1222. Laminating the list will prevent it from being torn or damaged by accidental spills.

• Traveling, visiting family members, getting presents, shopping, etc., can all increase your child’s stress levels. Trying to stick to your child’s usual routines, including sleep schedules and timing of naps, can help you and your child enjoy the holidays and reduce stress.

Fireplaces

• Before lighting any fire, remove all greens, boughs, papers, and other decorations from fireplace area.  Check to see that the flue is open.

• Use care with “fire salts,” which produce colored flames when thrown on wood fires. They contain heavy metals that can cause intense gastrointestinal irritation and vomiting if eaten. Keep them away from children.

• Do not burn gift wrap paper in the fireplace. A flash fire may result as wrappings ignite suddenly and burn intensely.

2010 – American Academy of Pediatrics

Please stay safe this holiday season by making sure to remember your safety tips!

D = Do Not Assume!

We live in a society full of people who have a devastating thought process.

“It will not happen to me!”

The worst way to live is to assume, “It will not happen to me!”   By having this thought process, you may be injured or worse, lose your life.

Leela Rani Choudary died in a fire which began by an unattended candle.

Twenty-one-year-old Morrell Bush died in a fire which began by her roommate falling asleep on the couch after putting something to cook on the stove.

60-year-old Miriam Notaro died in a fire due to careless smoking.

I could honestly go on and go… there is no shortage of similar tragedies across the world wide web where someone did not heed fire prevention safety tips. We can find such reports on a DAILY basis.

Despite the efforts of Fire & Life Safety Educators across the world, people are still dying in preventable fires. YES! Preventable fires…..

DO NOT ASSUME it will not happen to you… Live for today & tomorrow by staying alert, installing & maintaining smoke alarms, practicing fire drills, following basic fire prevention steps – Stay Safe!

Please take time to review some Fire Prevention Tips:

Home Safety Council Fire Prevention Tips

FireSafety.gov

C = Cooking Safety

I am having to cheat due to lack of time to write this post……

The following is from the U. S. Fire Administration.

http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/citizens/all_citizens/home_fire_prev/cooking.shtm

Cooking Fire Safety

Many families gather in the kitchen to spend time together, but it can be one of the most hazardous rooms in the house if you don’t practice safe cooking behaviors. Cooking equipment, most often a range or stovetop, is the leading cause of reported home fires and home fire injuries in the United States. Cooking equipment is also the leading cause of unreported fires and associated injuries.

Safe Cooking Behaviors

It’s a recipe for serious injury or even death to wear loose clothing (especially hanging sleeves), walk away from a cooking pot on the stove, or leave flammable materials, such as potholders or paper towels, around the stove. Whether you are cooking the family holiday dinner or a snack for the children, practicing safe cooking behaviors will help keep you and your family safe.

Choose the Right Equipment and Use It Properly

• Always use cooking equipment tested and approved by a recognized testing facility.
• Follow manufacturers’ instructions and code requirements when installing and operating cooking equipment.
• Plug microwave ovens and other cooking appliances directly into an outlet. Never use an extension cord for a cooking appliance, as it can overload the circuit and cause a fire.

Use Barbecue Grills Safely

• Position the grill well away from siding, deck railings, and out from under eaves and overhanging branches.
• Place the grill a safe distance from lawn games, play areas, and foot traffic.
• Keep children and pets away from the grill area by declaring a 3-foot “kid-free zone” around the grill.
• Put out several long-handled grilling tools to give the chef plenty of clearance from heat and flames when cooking food.
• Periodically remove grease or fat buildup in trays below grill so it cannot be ignited by a hot grill.
• Use only outdoors! If used indoors, or in any enclosed spaces, such as tents, barbecue grills pose both a fire hazard and the risk of exposing occupants to carbon monoxide.

Charcoal Grills

• Purchase the proper starter fluid and store out of reach of children and away from heat sources.
• Never add charcoal starter fluid when coals or kindling have already been ignited, and never use any flammable or combustible liquid other than charcoal starter fluid to get the fire going.

Propane Grills

• Check the propane cylinder hose for leaks before using it for the first time each year. A light soap and water solution applied to the hose will reveal escaping propane quickly by releasing bubbles.
• If you determined your grill has a gas leak by smell or the soapy bubble test and there is no flame:
  • Turn off the propane tank and grill.
  • If the leak stops, get the grill serviced by a professional before using it again.
  • If the leak does not stop, call the fire department.
• If you smell gas while cooking, immediately get away from the grill and call the fire department. Do not attempt to move the grill.
• All propane cylinders manufactured after April 2002 must have overfill protection devices (OPD). OPDs shut off the flow of propane before capacity is reached, limiting the potential for release of propane gas if the cylinder heats up. OPDs are easily identified by their triangular-shaped hand wheel.
• Use only equipment bearing the mark of an independent testing laboratory. Follow the manufacturers’ instructions on how to set up the grill and maintain it.
• Never store propane cylinders in buildings or garages. If you store a gas grill inside during the winter, disconnect the cylinder and leave it outside.

Watch What You Heat

• The leading cause of fires in the kitchen is unattended cooking.
• Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, or broiling food. If you leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove.
• If you are simmering, baking, roasting, or boiling food, check it regularly, remain in the home while food is cooking, and use a timer to remind you that you’re cooking.
• Stay alert! To prevent cooking fires, you have to be alert. You won’t be if you are sleepy, have been drinking alcohol, or have taken medicine that makes you drowsy.

Keep Things That Can Catch Fire and Heat Sources Apart

• Keep anything that can catch fire – potholders, oven mitts, wooden utensils, paper or plastic bags, food packaging, towels, or curtains – away from your stovetop.
• Keep the stovetop, burners, and oven clean.
• Keep pets off cooking surfaces and nearby countertops to prevent them from knocking things onto the burner.
• Wear short, close-fitting or tightly rolled sleeves when cooking. Loose clothing can dangle onto stove burners and catch fire if it comes into contact with a gas flame or electric burner.

If Your Clothes Catch Fire

If your clothes catch fire, stop, drop, and roll. Stop immediately, drop to the ground, and cover face with hands. Roll over and over or back and forth to put out the fire. Immediately cool the burn with cool water for 3 to 5 minutes and then seek emergency medical care.

Use Equipment for Intended Purposes Only

Cook only with equipment designed and intended for cooking, and heat your home only with equipment designed and intended for heating. There is additional danger of fire, injury, or death if equipment is used for a purpose for which it was not intended.

Protect Children from Scalds and Burns

• Young children are at high risk of being burned by hot food and liquids. Keep children away from cooking areas by enforcing a “kid-free zone” of 3 feet (1 meter) around the stove.
• Keep young children at least 3 feet (1 meter) away from any place where hot food or drink is being prepared or carried. Keep hot foods and liquids away from table and counter edges.
• When young children are present, use the stove’s back burners whenever possible.
• Never hold a child while cooking, drinking, or carrying hot foods or liquids.
• Teach children that hot things burn.
• When children are old enough, teach them to cook safely. Supervise them closely.

Prevent Scalds and Burns

• To prevent spills due to overturn of appliances containing hot food or liquids, use the back burner when possible and/or turn pot handles away from the stove’s edge. All appliance cords need to be kept coiled and away from counter edges.
• Use oven mitts or potholders when moving hot food from ovens, microwave ovens, or stovetops. Never use wet oven mitts or potholders as they can cause scald burns.
• Replace old or worn oven mitts.
• Treat a burn right away, putting it in cool water. Cool the burn for 3 to 5 minutes. If the burn is bigger than your fist or if you have any questions about how to treat it, seek medical attention right away.

Install and Use Microwave Ovens Safely

• Place or install the microwave oven at a safe height, within easy reach of all users. The face of the person using the microwave oven should always be higher than the front of the microwave oven door. This is to prevent hot food or liquid from spilling onto a user’s face or body from above and to prevent the microwave oven itself from falling onto a user.
• Never use aluminum foil or metal objects in a microwave oven. They can cause a fire and damage the oven.
• Heat food only in containers or dishes that are safe for microwave use.
• Open heated food containers slowly away from the face to avoid steam burns. Hot steam escaping from the container or food can cause burns.
• Foods heat unevenly in microwave ovens. Stir and test before eating.

How and When to Fight Cooking Fires

• When in doubt, just get out. When you leave, close the door behind you to help contain the fire. Call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number after you leave.
• If you do try to fight the fire, be sure others are already getting out and you have a clear path to the exit.
• Always keep an oven mitt and a lid nearby when you are cooking. If a small grease fire starts in a pan, smother the flames by carefully sliding the lid over the pan (make sure you are wearing the oven mitt). Turn off the burner. Do not move the pan. To keep the fire from restarting, leave the lid on until the pan is completely cool.
• In case of an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed to prevent flames from burning you or your clothing.
• If you have a fire in your microwave oven, turn it off immediately and keep the door closed. Never open the door until the fire is completely out. Unplug the appliance if you can safely reach the outlet.
• After a fire, both ovens and microwaves should be checked and/or serviced before being used again.

Nuisance Smoke Alarms

• Move smoke alarms farther away from kitchens according to manufacturers’ instructions and/or install a smoke alarm with a pause button.
• If a smoke alarm sounds during normal cooking, press the pause button if the smoke alarm has one. Open the door or window or fan the area with a towel to get the air moving. Do not disable the smoke alarm or take out the batteries.
• Treat every smoke alarm activation as a likely fire and react quickly and safely to the alarm.

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B = BE PREPARED!

Just like the BOY SCOUTS MOTTO -

You should be prepared….. for anything..

but let’s talk about being prepared for fire emergencies…

Some important information on how to be prepared.

Know how to Get Out & Stay OUT! Prepare & Practice a Fire Escape Plan.
If fire breaks out in your home, you must get out fast. Draw up a Fire Escape Plan with your family. Know 2 ways out of your home. Also, choose a meeting place outside where everyone should escape too. Practice makes perfect.

Install and Maintain Smoke Alarms.
Smoke alarms SAVE LIVES!  Install them on each level of your home, inside each sleeping area and outside of each sleeping area. It is imperative you test your smoke alarms on a regular basis. A minimum of once a month is best. When you change your clock twice a year it is best to also change the battery in your smoke alarm. NEVER take the battery out for other uses!

Cooking is a leading cause of Fire Emergencies.
Keep cooking areas clear of combustibles, and don’t leave cooking unattended. Keep your pot’s handles turned inward so children won’t knock or pull them over the edge of the stove. If grease catches fire, carefully slide a lid over the pan to smother the flames, then turn off the burner.

STOP, DROP, AND ROLL
Everyone should know this rule: if your clothes catch fire, don’t run! Stop where you are, drop to the ground, and roll over and over to smother the flames. Cover your face with your hands to protect your face and lungs.

SMOKING:
If you smoke or live with someone who smokes, learn the facts. A lit cigarette accidentally dropped onto a chair or bed, or hot cigarette ashes or matches tossed away before they are completely out, can cause a large fire in seconds.

GET BACK TO THE BASICS!

Been a while since I have posted……  But I am back! and it is time to:

GET BACK TO THE BASICS!

Lets re-learn basic fire prevention by using our ABC’s!!!

A = ABC Fire Extinguisher….

A fire­ extinguisher is an absolute necessity in any home or office. While there’s a good chance that the extinguisher will sit on the wall for years, collecting dust, it could end up saving your property and even your life.

Sparing you the technical mumbo jumbo of how a fire extinguisher is made, or how it technically takes a component out of a fire to suppress the fire, let’s focus on the 4 classes of a Fire Extinguisher… A, B, C, & D Classes of Extinguishers.

If you review the above graphic, you will see the A, B, & C class ratings of a Fire Extinguisher are the classes best suited to have on your home. It is best to have a Fire Extinguisher on each level of your home including basements and garages…

Read more about Fire Extinguishers by checking out this link.  It will give you a better understanding about how extinguishers work, how to check them to ensure they are charged, and the history of fire extinguishers….

GET BACK TO THE BASICS:

It is best to have an ABC Extinguisher in your home.

Preventable Fire Deaths? I think so!

According to the United States Fire Administration, 91 residential fire fatalities (non-arson) have been recorded through January 12, 2010.  (USFA Residential Fire Fatalities)

I believe many of these fire deaths could have been prevented.  Below are a few of the summaries!

3 dead – Opelousas, LA (Lafayette, LA) – A 23-year-old woman, her three-year-old son and two-year-old daughter were killed in a home fire. The home had no smoke alarms. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

1 dead - Edmonds, WA (Tacoma, WA) – A woman in her 70s was killed in a home fire. The home had no smoke alarms. The cause of the fire was careless smoking.

1 dead - Shreveport, LA – A man was killed in a home fire. The fire was caused by a propane cooking burner being used for heat.

1 dead - Midway, GA (Savannah, GA) – A two-month-old boy was killed in a home fire. The fire was caused by a wood-burning stove.

1 dead - Kansas City, KS (Kansas City, MO) – An 81-year-old man was killed in a home fire. Fire officials believe space heaters caused the fire.

1 dead - Little Rock, AR – A 51-year-old man was killed in a home fire. Fire officials believe the fire was caused by careless smoking.

1 dead - Edmonds, WA (Tacoma, WA) – A woman in her 70s was killed in a home fire. The home had no smoke alarms. The cause of the fire was careless smoking.

2 dead - Jasper, IN (Evansville, IN) – Two elderly people were killed in a home fire. The cause of the fire was careless smoking.

1 dead - Montrose, CO – An 86-year-old man died from injuries sustained in a home fire that occurred on Sunday, 1/10. The fire was caused by careless smoking.

1 dead – Mobile, AL – An 80-year-old man was killed in a home. The fire was caused by a space heater

2 dead – Thayer County, NE (Lincoln, NE) – Two boys, ages four and two-years-old, were killed in a home fire. Fire officials said the boys were playing with a lighter, which started the fire.

Let’s take the time to learn from someone’s tragedy

by taking precautions to protect ourselves, our family, & our friends!!!

Install Smoke Alarms Today if you do not have them.

Test your Smoke Alarms Today!

Put lighters/matches out of reach of children.

Don’t smoke in bed.

Be mindful when heating with wood burning stoves, space heaters & kerosene heaters.

THINK FIRE SAFETY!

Don’t become a fire statistic!

My trip to see propped open fire doors. :)

I took my daughter to a local school to for her to try out for Regional Band today. She is a percussionist and tried out for the Xylophone.

I was a bit apprehensive taking her because: A – I have a terrible cold   &    B – I was going to a school in MY jurisdiction that was holding a LARGE Band function and we all know how violations just love to show their ugly heads when I am around.

There was not as many people there as I expected so I was very relived when I walked in the door. I honestly was not in the mood to see any overcrowding in a school which lies in my jurisdiction.

As my daughter and I were waiting in the Student Annex area for her appointment time, I noticed several small things. An exit sign was out. I noticed artificial vegetation. A couple of trash cans on wheels in the corridors (thinking they may have been there for the days activities – at least I hope – LOL)  Then I saw that the concession stand was open.  No biggie. This school was built with the concession stand. So no issues, right?  Wrong!

The concession was selling typical candy, chips, popcorn and such…  They also had coffee & hot chocolate. Yum! But the ALSO had propped open Fire Doors. {If you are not familiar with what a fire door is. Check out this link —> Fire Door Safety }

Fire doors are put in place to prevent the spread of fire or smoke between areas & this particular concession stand had 3 fire doors.

1 was closed which means it was technically “doing its job.”

1 was propped open by using a chair which places it as a “fail.”

1 was the concession window/door which was open. The magnetic hold open (this is a device that holds the door open and upon activation of a fire alarm will release the door and allow it to close and “work” as it is intended too) was not attached and all the “snacks” were stacked in front of the door preventing the door from shutting.

So – if there was to be a fire in the concession the doors would not close upon any fire alarm activation & any smoke/fire produced will drift into the Student Annex where there were easily 100 people sitting around waiting for their tryout turn.

But lets think like society: It will not happen to me!

These people I am sure thought the same thing:

Electric cord blamed in Tampa high-rise fire

Electrical cord blamed for Iowa apartment fire

Electrical Cord Fire damages Columbus North High School

(I used the electrical cord stories because the coffee pot was plugged into an electrical cord.)

So it CAN HAPPEN! And had it happen when I was there with my daughter, smoke and/or fire would have filtered into the “waiting area” and possibly caused injury to those trying to evacuate.

It is very important regardless of the location of a fire door that they operate as intended. They are put there for a reason. If they are not used in the manner as they are suppose too people can and will be injured if not killed.

Please do not prop fire doors! Do not alter them in any manner! Your life MAY depend on it and if not yours, someones will…..

I will be visiting this school on Monday!

Why Can We Not Condition Ourselves For Fire Safety?

It is slightly sleeting outside and the weather reports are that we may have a dusting a snow. County trucks are out hitting the highways with the de-icing muck that dirties our cars. Milk & Bread across the South is flying off the shelves quicker than Anton Ono can skate.  I wonder how many people will crank up their space heaters or kerosene heaters? Which ones tested their generators this afternoon to ensure they will work if the power goes out? Who pulled out the lighter & candles to prepare for an impending power outage?

When our weather forecasters mention an inkling of winter precipitation, the entire south will be dragging themselves to the store to buy the last of the milk & bread. Even if they do not eat/drink the milk/bread it is bought… It is the thing to do!!!!

Football season brings forth the chip & dip nights. So much so in my family that my 3 year old thinks when football is on the TV he has to eat chips & dip. Some folks do the huge ole football parties every year.. It is the thing to do!!!!

The Social Media Sites are addictive to many. Most will check their facebook multiple times a day. Many will tweet as much as possible. It is the new phenom…. (I know I love it)

Sooo…. We buy milk & bread, we have football parties, & we are tweeting/facebooking with the world.

But why can we not remember to test our smoke alarms once a month?

Better yet, why are there still some homes without smoke alarms in them at all?

Why can we not condition ourselves for Fire Safety?

In South Carolina for 2009, 79 Fire Deaths were reported. 2009 SC Preliminary Fire Death Data

The report in the link above breaks down each of the 79 deaths. If you read the report you see cooking, smoking, heating, & electrical listed many times.

So let’s break it down hypothetically:

Cooking – Unattended? Careless?

Smoking – Careless? In bed? With oxygen (1 of the fire deaths was listed as smoking with oxygen tank)

Heating – Kerosene? Space heaters? Close to combustibles? Filling while hot? Careless?

Without reading each report specifically, I am unable to tell the exact reasons but I am sure some of them were due to the points I have made.

Out of the 79 reported Fire Deaths in SC, 13 of the homes were without a smoke alarm. 17 fires it was undetermined if there was a smoke alarm present.

We are remembering the milk & bread, booking the football parties, & tweeting all day. However, there is very little if any thought given to making sure we can do these tasks over & over again because we are not thinking Fire Safety.

The assumption is “it will not happen to me”.

It can if you do not think Fire Safety!

Fire & Life Safety Educators of Colorado 2010 Conference

I will be speaking at the Fire & Life Safety Educators of Colorado 2010 Conference.  Below is the link to the brochure. I am extremely honored as well as excited to be included.

FLSE Conference Registration Brochure

Please check out the brochure….

Take the time to help others Live Fire Safe!

Through January 5, 2010, 38 residential fire fatalities (non-arson) have been recorded!

(via US Fire Administration – http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/fireservice/subjects/fireprev/qr/fatalities/index.shtm )

38 in 5 days.  This is a sad start to the New Year…  In 2008, 3,320 civilians lost their lives in the USA as the result of fire & there were 16,705 civilian injuries in the USA that occurred as the result of fire.

Why have we had so many deaths so far for 2010?

Here are just a few Summaries:

3 in Upstate, SC – No working smoke alarms in home. Residents were using space heaters and the stove for heat. (This one not far from where I live)

3 in Detroit, MI – No working smoke alarms in home. Either a space heater or careless smoking is cause of fire.

1 in Indianapolis, IN -  Careless Smoking (Resident was smoking while in bed & was disabled. When the fire broke out he could not evacuate & due to heavy smoke he could not be rescued by others in home)

2 in Lansing, MI – 2 boys ages 2 & 5 died after a fire started in their bedroom. Fire Department was called @ 3:30 in the afternoon to respond. Fire was contained in the boys bedroom. Mother is serving in Iraq.

I have listed 9 of the stated 38. I could go on & list each of the 38 deaths but it will not change my message. Looking at what has been listed above it is clear to me that most if not ALL of the deaths above could have been prevented.

As I have mentioned in the past, Fire Prevention/Safety is not the 1st thought in many peoples minds. But common sense tells one not to smoke in bed. Fire departments are consistently telling how important smoke alarms are.  And although the cause has not been stated in regards to the 2 young boys, I fear they were playing with matches/lighter for the fire to start in the bedroom and be contained in only that room. So we all know  to keep such items out of the hands of children. (I am NOT blaming the dad in the deaths of his kids, I am only merely stating my opinion/thoughts about the fire & what we have ALL been taught from a young age about keeping lighters & matches out of reach of children)

I was once in a defensive driving class (much to my chagrin) and the instructor made a profound statement. “ALL Vehicle Accidents ARE Preventable.” I thought this was absurd and I challenged him. With every scenario I mentioned he had a comeback for it.  Many of his comebacks, I did not 100% agree with but giving him the benefit of the doubt, he made valid points. Drive slower, don’t pound the gas as soon as the light turns green, anticipate intersections with stop signs, look ahead, look behind, yadda yadda yadda….  I had to resign myself to the fact that he MAY be a bit right although there was no way in hell at that time I was going to admit it to him.

So here is my profound statement: ALL Fire Deaths Are Preventable! no wait, Fire Deaths Are Preventable! no wait, Most ALL Fire Deaths Are Preventable! There…

By using common sense and putting in action fire prevention techniques, I seriously feel we can conquer fires &  more importantly fire deaths.

The issue with the last sentence above is getting the word out there as to what common sense is and what can a person do to effectively activate fire prevention techniques.

Fire Marshal’s & Prevention personnel are out and about enforcing the Building & Fire Codes for the public’s protection AND teaching Fire Prevention to anyone/everyone who will listen. But there is responsibility for each of us to keep ourselves as well as our families fire safe.

Even if YOU know how to stay Fire Safe do not assume that your neighbor, friend, family member(s) do. Please take the time to spread your knowledge with others. Ask your neighbors, friends, family members if they have working smoke alarms in their homes. Remind them to test them monthly. Help them develop, implement, & practice emergency escape drills. Discuss safe practices when heating with space and/or kerosene heaters. The list goes on & on… share your wealth of knowledge.

Take the time to help others live Fire Safe!