Hear the Beep Where You Sleep: Fire Prevention Week Oct. 4-10

The National Fire Protection Association, the official sponsor of Fire Prevention Week for more than 90 years, kicks off this year’s campaign with the theme, “Hear the Beep Where You Sleep: Every Bedroom Needs a Working Smoke Alarm!”

“Working smoke alarms can make the difference between life and death in a fire,” said Lorraine Carli, NFPA’s vice president of Outreach and Advocacy. “This year’s Fire Prevention Week message reinforces the importance of having smoke alarms in key locations where they can make that difference.”

During Fire Prevention Week, Rockland County residents can come to an information table for the public located on the first floor of the Allison-Parris County Office Building, right outside the Legislative Chambers, at 11 New Hempstead Road, in New City. Information about smoke alarms, CO (carbon monoxide) alarms, fire prevention, and fire escape planning will be available.

The Rockland County Health Department’s Healthy Neighborhood Program can provide and install FREE smoke alarms to eligible residents, including low-income residents, seniors, and at risk families. All that is required is a brief home survey at the time of the visit.

“We encourage residents to take advantage of the free smoke alarms, as we find many residents have outdated smoke alarms or no smoke alarms at all in their homes,” said Christine Wagner and Shari Stopler of the Healthy Neighborhood Program. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 845-364-3292 or 845-364-3290.

One highlight of Fire Prevention Week comes when the Nanuet Fire Department hosts its annual Fire Prevention & Safety Open House. This year it’s scheduled for noon to 3 p.m. Oct. 11.

Open to all residents young and old, fire trucks and firefighting equipment are on display for you to explore hands-on. Firefighters will also show off their skills in firefighting and rescue techniques. “Sparky the Fire Dog” will also be there. Come visit us and spend a few moments viewing Fire Safety videos and selecting Fire Safety information to bring home to discuss with your family. And please, ask those questions that you may have concerning any Fire Safety issues at home, school, or work.

According to NFPA, the risk of dying in a home fire is cut in half when there are working smoke alarms. While research shows that most U.S. homes have at least one smoke alarm, almost two-thirds of home fire deaths result from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.

Smoke alarms should be installed in every bedroom, outside every sleeping area, and on every level of the home, including the basement. Large homes may require more alarms. Test your smoke alarms every month, and replace all smoke alarms in your home every 10 years.

The newly-released NFPA report “Smoke Alarms in U.S. Home Fires” reveals data from 2009-2013 that underscores the importance of working smoke alarms. Information includes:

• An average of 940 deaths per year occurred in homes with no smoke alarms, while an additional 510 occurred in homes with smoke alarms that failed to operate. This accounts for 59 percent of all home fire deaths.
• The death rate in homes without alarms or without working ones was 1.18 deaths per 100 reported fires, compared to only 0.53 in homes with working devices.
• Alarms operated correctly 87 percent of the time in reported fires large enough to activate them. Power source problems are the leading cause of smoke alarm failures. Hardwired devices were more likely to operate than those that were battery-powered.
• The lowest death rate was seen in homes that contained both hardwired smoke alarms and sprinklers.
• When homes did have working smoke alarms, victims were more likely to have been located in the place of origin, to be 65 or older, to have a physical disability or to have tried to fight the fire themselves.

NFPA’s Fire Prevention Week website offers a wealth of smoke alarm information and resources for parents and teachers, and for fire departments working to implement a Fire Prevention Week campaign in their communities. In addition, NFPA’s Sparky the Fire Dog® website features award-winning apps, videos and games for kids that reinforce the campaign’s fire safety messages.

PHOTO: Nanuet Fire Department’s open house features hands-on experiences/Nanuet FD website