It’s 3 a.m. You and your family are sound asleep and awake to the beeping smoke alarm. You are tired and confused from the effects of the smoke. You know you need to get to safety, but when you head for the front door, you find that escape route is blocked by fire that is spreading by the second. What do you do?
While this scenario is one I hope you never have to encounter, the statistics tell us that many people do every day. According to the non-profit National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), one home structure fire was reported every 85 seconds in 2010. That added up to 369,500 home structure fires, which caused 13,350 injuries and 2,640 deaths. We also know that most fatal fires kill one or two people. However, in 2010, 19 home fires killed five or more people, resulting in 101 deaths.
The numbers are scary, but there is something you can do to help ensure your family’s safety should a fire break out in your home: Have two ways out.
Mission Fire/Rescue is teaming up with NFPA during Fire Prevention Week (Oct. 7-13) to urge residents to have two ways out. This year’s theme focuses on the importance of fire escape planning and practice.
Only one-third of people have both developed and practiced a home fire escape plan. And of the three-quarters who do have an escape plan, less than half actually practiced it. As we saw in the scenario above, fire is unpredictable. Seconds and minutes can mean the difference between life and death.
We want to ensure that Mission residents know what to do if a fire breaks out in their home. Preparation is an important part of being able to deal with an emergency and it is crucial you take steps to prepare your family for the potential of a home fire by having an escape plan and practising it.
Mission Fire/Rescue recommends the following tips for planning your family’s escape:
If you have children and want to make this a family activity
• Make a map of your home. Mark a door and a window that can be used to get out of every room.
• Choose a meeting place outside in front of your home. Draw a picture of your outside meeting place on your escape plan.
• Write the emergency telephone number for the fire department on your escape plan.
• Sound the smoke alarm and practice your escape drill with everyone living in your home.
• Keep your escape plan on the refrigerator and practice the drill twice a year or whenever anyone in your home celebrates a birthday.
If your family is all adults:
• Walk through you home and identify two ways out of each room.
• Choose a meeting place outside in front of your home.
• Make sure everyone knows the emergency number for the fire department (911).
• Practise your escape drill twice a year.
Mission Fire/Rescue Service will be hosting the following activities
• Oct. 12-13, 3 to 6 p.m., delivering Dominos pizzas on a fire truck, (free pizza if you have working smoke alarms)
• Oct. 10-12, fire truck displays at SilverCity, Save On Foods, and Wal-Mart.
• Oct. 14 is the Fire and Life Safety Fair at station one between 1 and 4 p.m. Through educational, family-oriented activities, residents can learn more about the importance of fire escape planning and practice, as well as the power of prevention.
For more information call 604-820-3794 or visit www.mission.ca.
Submitted by Mission Fire/Rescue Asst. Chief Larry Watkinson