National Fire Prevention Week

Heather Ainsley
ECB Publishing, Inc.

This year marks the 100-year anniversary for National Fire Prevention Week, which began in 1922. This observance takes place in the United States and Canada each year during the Sunday to Saturday week of Oct. 9. The first Presidential proclamation of Fire Prevention Week was made in 1925 by President Calvin Coolidge, and the day is internationally sponsored by the National Fire Protection Association.
When President Coolidge gave his proclamation, he noted that in the year prior, around 15,000 lives were lost to fire in the United States alone. He went further to say that such a staggering loss was startling, and in his proclamation stated, “This waste results from the conditions which justify a sense of shame and horror; for the greater part of it could and ought to be prevented... It is highly desirable that every effort be made to reform the conditions which have made possible so vast a destruction of the national wealth.”
Today, it is estimated that over 350,000 home fires occur every year, and although the number of fires and fire deaths have significantly decreased over the last 100 years, every 23 seconds, a fire department in the United States responds to a fire that has taken flame somewhere in the nation.
Of these, about 36 percent of house fires will be caused by electrical problems within the home, 32 percent will be caused by some form of cooking mishap, and a little less than 10 percent will be caused by heating equipment like space heaters and fireplaces.
Fire Prevention Week teaches children and adults how to stay safe in the event of a fire. This year's theme is “Fire won't wait. Plan your escape,” and encourages individuals and families to come up with an action plan should the unthinkable happen. Once an escape drill has been determined, it is crucial that all members of the household be familiar with and ready to execute that drill. Each member of a household should practice a house fire escape drill at least twice a year, and should be able to perform the drill in the daylight and at night. An escape plan should include the following:
1. Two escape routes out of every room possible.
2. Windows should be able to be opened, and everyone in the home should be familiar with how to remove a screen if needed.
3. Ensure that all exits to the home are accessible, and are not faulty or blocked with furniture.
4. Give everyone a job. One person to handle pets, another to handle emergency documents, etc. This way no one is needlessly scrambling around looking for birth certificates or the deed to the house, while someone else has them already safely removed.
5. When moving through a house that is engulfed in flames, open doors slowly and be ready to shut them swiftly if you see flames or smoke. Go a different route.
6. Know where your fire extinguisher is, and carry it through the house with you while you escape. Don't hesitate to use it to clear a safe path.
7. Stay low; smoke and poisonous gases collect first along the ceiling.
8. If you are trapped inside a multiple-story house and cannot get out, signal to rescue personnel with a flashlight or brightly colored cloth from the window.
9. If your clothing catches fire: stop, drop and roll back and forth until the flames have been smothered.
Most house fires are preventable. For a comprehensive list of helpful ways you can fire-proof your house and habits, visit www.ready.gov/home-fires.
In Jefferson County, there are four volunteer fire departments, located in Monticello, Ashville, Wacissa and Lloyd. Each department assists Jefferson County Fire Rescue (JCFR), depending on the needs of the call and the portion of the county they are responding to when the emergency arises. JCFR has three different shifts (A, B, and C shifts) that alternate on a 48-hour basis. The department has dual certified Firefighters who are either Paramedic or EMT certified, which allows them to operate as the ambulance service to the county as well as providing fire services.
The volunteer fire departments in Jefferson County are in desperate need of volunteers who are looking to be a helping hand. They are accepting certified and non-certified help that can cover medical, fire, equipment upkeep, fundraisers and much more. To get involved with your local fire department to volunteer, contact them through the information provided.
This year's Fire Prevention Week, we celebrate and give thanks to all the men and women who put their lives on the line daily to defend the public from the horrors of house fires. To lose a home to a fire is a devastating tragedy, and we are truly indebted to our firefighters and rescue personnel who show exceptional courage and selflessness with each and every call of duty.