Gear Up for Fire Prevention Week with Useful Tools from the NFPA

"Protect Your Family From Fire"

News releases By: National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

The National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) annual public awareness campaign, Fire Prevention Week (FPW), begins October 9. This year’s theme is focused on educating families about what causes home fires, how to prevent them, and what to do in an emergency situation.

The Fire Prevention Week website offers helpful tools and resources for anyone wanting to run a community campaign or people simply trying to educate themselves or family members. Some features on the site include the Fire Prevention Week quiz, public service announcement videos, fire safety resources for families, and safety tip sheets covering a broad range of topics.

Fire Prevention Week website visitors can test their fire safety IQ with the Fire Week Prevention Quiz, which asks questions about pertinent fire safety information such as, “Where do most home fires start?” and “What time in the day do home fires peak?” At the end of the quiz, visitors can see how they did, review correct answers, and even showcase their results on Facebook or Twitter.

Kids of all ages are sure to enjoy audio and video public service announcements that touch upon the topics of escape planning and smoke alarms. The videos feature NFPA’s mascot Sparky, who is voiced by firefighter Barry Brickey, winner of the popular “Voice of Sparky” contest.

Parents and children can learn about home fire safety together with a printer-friendly version of the Family Fire Safety Checklist. The checklist is contoured for grown-ups and kids to familiarize the whole family with smoke alarms and fire escape planning. Hanging the checklist on the fridge is a great way to keep the family aware of fire safety.

Safety Tip Sheets are also available on the FPW website and cover cooking, escape planning, heating, smoke alarms, home fire sprinklers, candles, electric wiring, and smoking materials. The detailed sheets offer life-saving safety tips as well as relevant information and statistics related to home fire safety.

Visit the Fire Prevention Week website for safety tips, statistical information, and more. The materials are available for use by fire departments, teachers, families and anyone interested in learning or teaching about fire safety.

About Fire Prevention Week NFPA has been the official sponsor of Fire Prevention Week since 1922. According to the National Archives and Records Administration's Library Information Center, Fire Prevention Week is the longest running public health and safety observance on record. The President of the United States has signed a proclamation proclaiming a national observance during that week every year since 1925.

About the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) NFPA is a worldwide leader in fire, electrical, building, and life safety. The mission of the international nonprofit organization founded in 1896 is to reduce the worldwide burden of fire and other hazards on the quality of life by providing and advocating consensus codes and standards, research, training, and education.

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

NFPA announces theme for Fire Prevention Week 2011

"Protect Your Family From Fire"

News releases By: National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

May 31, 2011 – The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) announces the theme for Fire Prevention Week - "Protect Your Family From Fire." Fire Prevention Week will be held October 9-15, 2011. NFPA has sponsored the fire prevention campaign since 1922, spreading awareness of the dangers of fires and inspiring individuals to prevent the deaths, injuries, and destruction they cause. This year’s theme focuses on how to protect your family from fire by planning ahead and integrating simple things into your everyday life.

Fires in the home take a great toll on life and property each year. During the five-year-period from 2005-2009, NFPA estimates that U.S. fire departments responded to an average of 373,900 reported home structure fires per year. These fires caused an estimated average of 2,650 civilian deaths, 12,890 civilian injuries, and $7.1 billion in direct property damage per year. Smoking materials remain the leading cause of home fire deaths, while cooking equipment is the leading cause of home structure fires and home fire injuries.

Installing systems such as smoke alarms and residential fire sprinklers, as well as identifying potential hazards, can reduce the risk of home fires and property loss, injury, or death due to fire. Nearly two-thirds of home structure fire deaths occur in homes where there was no smoke alarm, or where smoke alarms were present but failed to operate.

NFPA has taken the lead in public fire safety outreach by serving as the official sponsor of Fire Prevention Week for 89 years. The annual public awareness and safety commemoration, which is proclaimed by the President of the United States each year, is observed by fire departments in the U.S. and Canada to mark the anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. According to the National Archives and Records Administration’s Library Information Center, Fire Prevention Week is the longest running public health and safety observance on record.

Visit the Fire Prevention Week website for safety tips, statistical information, and more. The materials are available for use by fire departments, teachers, families and anyone interested in learning or teaching about fire safety.

About the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
NFPA is a worldwide leader in fire, electrical, building, and life safety. The mission of the international nonprofit organization founded in 1896 is to reduce the worldwide burden of fire and other hazards on the quality of life by providing and advocating consensus codes and standards, research, training, and education.

(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.)

Good Housekeeping Helps Prevents Fire

Spring cleaning time is here again. Remember, a clean house is a safe house. Tioga Fire Protection and Fire Prevention reminds you that trash, boxes, piles of clothes and other combustibles in the home are fuel for fire. Getting rid of them will help reduce the chance of fire in your home.

Clean out storage areas such as garages, attics, closets, sheds and basements on a regular basis. Even warehouses are limited to the amount of storage they can safely keep. Don't allow areas in your home to become tempting fuel for a fire. Throw away or giveaway items you are no longer using. Clutter gives fire a place to start and creates obstacles that might prevent a safe escape.

Oily rags can ignite without a heat source because they produce their own heat. Throw them out or store them in the closed metal container. This includes dusting rags used with a furniture polish or spray.

Spring and summer time present the return of several seasonal fire hazards with activities shifting outdoors.

Among the most common involve cooking grills, wooden decks, and use of gasoline and other flammable liquids.

Tioga Fire Protection and Fire Prevention encourages everyone to consider and use the following list as a "Spring Cleaning Checklist" for around the home:

* Locate grills and any propane tanks/cylinders a safe distance from buildings, wooden decks and other combustibles. Never store propone indoors!

* Check propane gas hose connection is tight and check hoses carefully for leaks. Applying soapy water to the hoses will easily and safely reveal any leaks.

* Inspect and clean of venturi tubes and burner (check owner’s manual) of gas grills where spiders and small insects may make nests or spider webs. This could lead to a fire. Frequent inspection and cleaning is typically necessary before use.

* Only use charcoal starter fluids designed for grills and do not add fluid after coals have been lit.

* Eliminate dry leaves, combustible storage or other debris from beneath wood decks. Avoid staging trash and other combustible materials on the deck.

* Avoid smoking on a wood deck. If you permit smoking, use suitable disposal containers/ashtrays. Never use paper or plastic cups, napkins etc.

* Store gasoline and other flammable liquids in a building separate from the house or place of residence, such as a secured shed. Never store such liquids or propane cylinders within and attached garage or basement! Always keep out of reach from children.

* Use gasoline only for its intended purpose, as a motor fuel. Handle gasoline outdoors only.

* Replace batteries in smoke alarms.

* Always have working smoke alarms installed on every level of your home, test them monthly and keep them clean and equipped with fresh batteries at all times. Know when and how to call for help. And remember to practice your home escape plan.

Remember:

Keep Your Place Firesafe: Hunt for Home Hazards and ...

Fire Won't Wait...Plan Your Escape!

(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.)