Has Fire Prevention Week peaked your interest about fire safety? If so, here are a few helpful pieces of safety information.

In today’s residential fires, fire and deadly smoke spread quickly. You may have only a few minutes to escape from a burning home.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has a helpful infographic that details the seven simple steps of fire escape planning. Use this FPW17Infographic as a guide to make your own home escape plan.

The National Fire Prevention Administration (NFPA) plans fire prevention week themes each year. 2014-16 marked three years of emphasis on working smoke alarm in the homes. Below is an infographic for 2015’s campaign entitled, Hear the Beep Where You Sleep. This infographic is a helpful reminder to install working smoke alarms on all levels of the home, in all sleeping areas, and all common areas.

Notice the change of lingo! Fire prevention officials used to teach the importance of smoke alarms inside all bedrooms. While that sounds great, the reality is that not everyone sleeps in a bedroom. I’ve had students tell me they sleep on the couch or on a pallet in another room. Personally, I’ve spent many a night in my spot on the reclining sofa (so comfy!). Today, bedrooms aren’t the only place where people sleep. Make sure you have smoke alarms in all the areas that someone may spend the night or simply take a brief nap.

The 2017 Fire Prevention theme is: Every Second Counts: Plan Two Ways Out. Have you had a chance to plan or practice your emergency escape drill this week? If not, mark your calendar and do it on Saturday, October 14th. On the 14th, Nationwide Insurance encourages everyone to participate in Nationwide Home Fire Drill Day. 

Practice your escape plan on Saturday the 14th and email me (mjbostian@gmail.com) your Every Second Counts “Selfie!” I’ll be sure to post it so that others will be encouraged to do the same thing!

For more information about fire safety, working smoke alarms, or escape planning feel free to comment below or email me at the address above.

And remember — EVERY SECOND COUNTS!