October 9-15th is fire prevention week which turns 100 this year! The theme is “Don’t wait, plan your escape.” Seems like a minor detail but according to the NFPA:
“Today’s homes burn faster than ever. You may have as little as two minutes (or even less time) to safely escape a home fire from the time the smoke alarm sounds. Your ability to get out of a home during a fire depends on early warning from smoke alarms and advance planning.”
Much of this is due to different construction methods used today as well as different materials in the products within our homes. The very simple fact is older homes and products don’t burn nearly as fast as they do today. Construction methods have become faster and more efficient but lack the quality of the past while most furniture is now filled with a product called flexible polyurethane foam which burns hot, fast and produces large amounts of toxic smoke. Even if a fire is called in quickly it may be too late to save your house or you.
Be sure you and your family have an escape plan. It doesn’t have to be complicated and only takes a few minutes to complete. It is important for everyone to plan & practice a home fire escape. Everybody should be prepared in advance so they know what to do when the smoke alarm sounds. Every home is different and every plan will be different! It is also important to make sure you have working smoke detectors on every level of your home, especially outside of each bedroom. For more information on planning your escape check out fpw.org
