Protect Your Family From Fire - Fire Prevention Week 2011

October 9-15 , 2011

Each year, the week surrounding the date of October 8th is celebrated as National Fire Prevention Week. Why October 8th? The date commemorates the infamous “Great Chicago Fire” of 1871 that killed 250 people and destroyed over 17,000 homes.

Every year in California firefighters respond to residential structure fires that take lives and inflict millions of dollars in damage. From Oct. 9-15, 2011 CAL FIRE is teaming with the National Fire Protection Association for Fire Prevention Week to educate Californians on the simple steps that can be taken to “Protect Your Family From Fire”.

On average, seven people die in residential structure fires every day nationwide. So far in 2011, CAL FIRE and fire departments across the state have responded to over 3,500 residential structure fires, which have resulted in 191 injuries, 32 deaths and $184 million in property loss.

CAL FIRE is taking this opportunity during Fire Prevention Week to remind all Californians of the importance of having working smoke alarms, the advantages of practicing family fire escape drills twice a year, and the benefits of installing home fire sprinklers.

CAL FIRE Offers the following tips for protecting your home and family from fire:

• SMOKE ALARMS:

  • Test smoke alarms once a month
  • Replace batteries in all smoke alarms twice a year
  • Replace smoke alarms every 10 years
  • Smoke Alarm Fact Sheet

  EXIT DRILLS:

  • Develop a fire escape plan
  • Practice family fire drills at least twice a year
  • More on “Exit Drills In The Home”

  HOME FIRE SPRINKLERS:

  • Provides your family extra time to safely escape
  • Helps to contain a fire to the room it started in
  • Will often extinguish the fire before the fire department arrives
  • NFPA Home Fire Sprinklers Fact Sheet

Your home should be a safe haven. Take the time now during Fire Prevention Week to make it fire safe.