This is National Fire Prevention Week and State Fire Marshal’s office spokesman Jim Saunders says they have a particular focus this year. He says this year’s theme is “test your smoke alarms.” He says they’ve determined that smoking alarms are the most successful early warning device, and since they were introduced in the 1970s, smoke alarms have saved many lives. Saunders says having smoke alarms is important — but you also have to change their batteries or they end up being useless. He says it is easy to forget, so that’s why they encourage people to pick a particular time of year to change the batteries, so it becomes a routine. Saunders says there are some other things to think of this week. He says as it gets colder, you should be sure space heaters are properly used, and that they have a shut off switch so they don’t cause a fire if they tip over. Saunders says you should also have your fireplace checked to be sure it’s in good working order, and be careful with candles and other devices used this time of year. Saunders says you should discuss fire safety with your family, and ways to get out of your home if it does catch fire. He says they recommend that families have a planned route in the case of a fire. He says you should have a fire drill to ensure everyone knows what to do in the case of a fire. For more fire safety information, check with your local fire department.
