Smoke Alarms: A sound you can live with

  • Published
  • 5th Civil Engineer Squadron Fire Department
MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --  Fire Prevention Week was established to commemorate the 1871 Great Chicago Fire. This tragedy killed more than 250 people, left 100,000 homeless, destroyed more than 17,400 structures and burned more than 2,000 acres. The fire began on Oct. 8 but continued and did most of its damage on Oct. 9.

In 1920, President Woodrow Wilson issued the first National Fire Prevention Day proclamation. Since 1922, Fire Prevention Week has been observed during the week in which Oct. 9 falls. This year's campaign is, "Smoke Alarms: A Sound You Can Live With".

Fire Prevention Week 2010 will help Air Force Global Strike Command Airmen focus on ways to keep homes fire safe with a special emphasis on smoke alarms.

As part of the prevention week here, there will be an information booth set up at the base exchange and in Dakota Square Mall downtown. Children can participate in fire safety training at the base schools. And there will be an open house at the fire station Oct. 7, where the award for facility managers of the year will be presented. The week will conclude with a parade starting in the BX parking lot, continuing through base housing and ending at the corner of Shawnee Road and Missile Avenue.

Smoke Alarm Basics
· Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home. For the best protection, interconnect all smoke alarms throughout the home. When one sounds, they all sound.
· For best protection use both photoelectric and ionization technology. Individual ionization and photoelectric smoke alarms or combination units that contain both technologies in the same unit can be used.
· Test smoke alarms at least once a month using the test button.
· Replace smoke alarms every 10 years.
· Make sure everyone can hear the sound of the smoke alarms.
· Have a home fire escape plan. Know at least two ways out of every room, if possible, and have a meeting place outside. Practice an escape plan twice a year.
· When the smoke alarm sounds, get out and stay out.
· If building or remodeling, consider a home fire sprinkler system.

Cooking with Caution
· The leading cause of kitchen fires is unattended cooking.
· Pay attention when cooking. Stay in the kitchen when frying, grilling, or broiling food.
· When simmering, boiling, baking, or roasting food, check it regularly, stay in the home, and use a timer.
· If leaving the room, even for a short time, turn off the stove.
· If young children are present, use the stove's back burners when possible.
· Keep children and pets at least three feet away from the stove.
· When cooking, wear clothing with tight-fitting or short sleeves.
· Open microwave food slowly. Hot steam from the container can cause burns.

The Heat is On
· Have a three foot kid-free zone around open fires and heaters.
· Use a fireplace screen to keep sparks inside the fireplace.
· Turn portable space heaters off when going to bed or leaving the room.
· Keep things that can burn, such as paper, bedding, or furniture at least three feet from heaters.
· Have heating equipment and chimneys cleaned and inspected each year by a professional.
· Make sure portable space heaters have an auto shut-off so if it is tipped over, it will shut off.
· Have chimneys cleaned and inspected before each heating season.

Take it Outside
· Ask smokers to smoke outside.
· Give smokers deep, sturdy ashtrays.
· Never smoke if tired. Do not take medicine, drugs, or alcohol that causes drowsiness.
· Keep smoking materials away from things that can burn like bedding, furniture and clothing.

Stay Grounded
· Keep lamps, light fixtures and light bulbs away from anything that can burn such as lamp shades, bedding, curtains and clothing.
· Replace cracked and damaged electrical cords.
· Use extension cords for temporary wiring only. Consider having additional circuits or receptacles added by a qualified electrician.
· If young children are in the home, have tamper-resistant electrical receptacles.
· Call a qualified electrician or landlord if problems with tripping circuit breakers arise or discolored or warm wall outlets occur. If flickering lights are observed or a burning or rubbery smell is coming from an appliance, notify a qualified electrician.