Fire Prevention Week is one of our favorite times of year, because it allows us the opportunity to share with the community fire safety. Situated each year in the fall around the time of the Great Chicago Fire, this week helps us to educate communities nationwide about residential fire prevention and emergency evacuation. Our customers and neighbors in and around Shreveport may experience house fires caused from clothes dryers, furnaces, and fireplaces this winter, and it’s our goal to stop it.
Look. Listen. Learn. Be Aware.
Fire Can Happen Anywhere.
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has chosen a campaign this year that focuses on the fact that fires are unpredictable. They can have any origination, and are often 100 percent preventable. It is our goal, and that of other industry professionals, to help our communities to look, listen, and be aware of fire hazards in their homes to plan for the worst, but take steps to prevent future devastating fires, loss of property, injuries, and even death.
Look
The easiest thing that homeowners can do is to look for risk factors throughout the home. You can do this on a regular basis on your own, or involve a professional through annual service appointments. Potential hazards may be obvious, like a clogged chimney flue, or may not seem a big deal at all, like exposed electrical wires or wood piles too near the house. It’s also important to look for fire hazards daily, such as scented candles, an oven, curling iron, or space heater left on, or food left on the stovetop.
Listen
Make sure that your home has a smoke alarm and carbon monoxide detector installed and that it has working batteries. These devices should be installed on each floor and should be checked regularly for proper function. Do not ever disable your smoke alarm, because it may be the only alert you have to leave the house during a fire emergency. It may also alert you BEFORE a fire occurs. For example, when the stove or toaster smokes, the alarm will notify you of a problem. Do not ignore the signs. Listen for the smoke alarm and listen for sounds that are not usually present in the home, fireplace, oven, or microwave may warn you of a dangerous fire.
Learn
Educating yourself and your family are the best ways to make a safe escape from a dangerous fire. Do not attempt to extinguish a fire. Household extinguishers are designed for small flames. The best way to save lives and prevent lasting lung damage is to leave the house as quickly as possible. Learn two ways to escape and practice it as often as you change the smoke alarm batteries.
Fire Prevention Week
Fires are responsible for 3,000 deaths each year, nearly 16,000 injuries, and over $11 billion in property loss according to the US Fire Administration. Chimney professionals, firefighters, and many others continue to participate in Fire Prevention Week since President Coolidge proclaimed a national observance in 1925. At New Buck Chimney Services we don’t just raise awareness, we also offer chimney services now and year-round. Our biggest safety tip to our customers is to use and maintain the chimney system properly. Additionally, it’s important to practice fire safety this winter, including:
-burning only properly seasoned firewood
-installing smoke alarms
-practicing fireplace safety
Schedule your chimney inspection and sweep now so that it’s ready for burn season.