SMOKE DETECTOR SOUNDS! REACT!

There was a fatal fire in East Baltimore where four people died last week. One of the four victims was a 2-year-old girl. Very tragic.

It was first thought that there were no smoke detectors located in the row house where the fire and fatalities took place. For this fatal fire though there were active smoke detectors. The fire itself was under control by the Baltimore Fire Department in less than an hour.

So what happen? Why did it happen? How could it happen? These are the questions I ask myself when I read a news story such as the one that happen in East Baltimore when there were working smoke detectors present. We may never know.

I do know that it’s not a secret that with working smoke detectors installed in the home they can save lives when properly maintained. Smoke detectors have saved lives and you only need to look at the number of lives they have saved on past fire emergencies.

There was a fire almost the same day as the East Baltimore fatal fire in Albany, GA, in Worth County where everyone got out of the home safely because of having working smoke detectors.

Here are two fires that happen this past week, that were 16 hours apart, both had working/active smoke detectors, the fires in two different parts of the country, but had two different outcomes.

We may never know what prevented the four individuals at the East Baltimore fire from getting out of their home.

What must continue though are fire prevention practice of knowing what to do when you hear a smoke detector sounds off, because there may only be a minute or two to react in getting yourself and love ones out of the home to safety.

Have smoke detectors installed strategically placed, one detector on each level of the home so they can be effective.

Go over with your family members what should be done if a fire starts and how to react when the smoke detector sounds. Make sure you neighbors and co-workers have smoke alarms, test them monthly, and a plan to get out of a fire situation alive.

If a fire occurred in your home or workplace, would you know how to respond? The prevention of fires should be your number one goal with regard to fire safety practices.

However, when your efforts fail, knowing how to react in a fire situation could save lives, including your own.

A quick way to remember the correct steps to take is to remember the acronym ACTS.

Activate the alarm by shouting “Fire, Fire!” If there’s a fire alarm system, activate it!

Call the fire department as quickly as you can. Call 911 and give the dispatcher all the information. Don’t hang up the phone until the dispatcher does or unless your in immediate danger from the fire.

Take people to safety. Ensure everyone evacuates the home or building.

Show the fire department personnel. Meet the fire department when they arrive so you can explain the situation to them.

Finally, if possible, before fire fighting personnel arrive, attempt to extinguish the fire if you can and only if you can do so without endangering yourself. The sooner you act, the easier the fire will be extinguished. You don’t have much time during a fire situation to prevent even a small fire from escalating to a major one.

Remember that the most important thing to do when there is a fire is to react immediately when that smoke detector sounds. Get love ones as well as yourself out and away to safety from the building that’s on fire. In most fire situations you may only have a matter of minutes to react.

In a fire, everything can be lost. Property and other things if lost can be replaced. Family and friends are to precious to each and everyone to be lost in a fire. If we are able to react quickly when it’s required, then you’ll be grateful to walk away from a fire situation knowing you still have the people you care about and love with you.

(The usual disclaimers: I am not a journalist; This is a blog that expresses an outlook and is not conclusive in any shape or manner.)