Community Corner

Tips to Prevent a Fire in Your Home

October is National Fire Safety and Prevention Month. Talk to your family about how to prevent a devastating fire in your own home.

Oct. 7-13 is Fire Prevention Week, which was established to commemorate the Great Chicago Fire in 1871 that killed 250 people and left more than 10,000 people homeless. In fact, the entire month of October is dedicated to National Fire Safety and Prevention, which is a perfect opportunity to talk to your family about fire safety.

Everyone knows the stop, drop, and roll, but there are many other ways to prevent a fire in your home. 

Sarasota County Emergency Services Director and Fire Chief Mike Tobias offers the following safety tips:

Find out what's happening in Sarasotawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

  • Check your smoke alarms every month to make sure they are working.
  • Replace your smoke alarm batteries when you change your clocks -- twice a year.
  • If your smoke alarm is "chirping," it is time for a new battery.
  • Smoke alarms should be on every level of your home. Make sure there is an alarm in or near every sleeping area.
  • Plan regular fire drills setting off the smoke alarm so everyone knows exactly what to do when they hear the smoke alarm sounding.
  • Have a home escape plan. Draw a floor plan or map of your home and make sure that everyone knows how to get out of the home in case of fire, and a safe place to meet outside of the home.
  • Make sure your home escape plans shows two ways out of your home in case your primary way out is blocked.
  • If there is someone in the home with special needs, make sure you have considered their needs when creating your home escape plan.

For more fire safety tips and facts, visit the National Fire Protection Association page.

 

Find out what's happening in Sarasotawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

TELL US: What are your fire safety tips? What is the most useful thing you have taught your family about preparing for a fire?


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