The Factoryville Fire Company wants you to make sure that the stove burner is turned off or the damaged electrical cord you’ve been meaning to fix is your top priority during Fire Prevention Week, October 4-10. 
 

The theme of this year’s campaign, “Stay Fire Smart! Don’t Get Burned,” focuses on preventing the leading causes of home fires – cooking, heating and electrical equipment, and smoking materials in addition to burn prevention.

According to the latest statistics from the nonprofit National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), there were an estimated 399,000 reported home structure fires in 2007, resulting in almost 2,900 civilian deaths.

While the statistics are daunting, most home fires are easily preventable when we narrow our focus and take personal steps to increase our safety. One way to do this is by proactively combing through each room in your home to find signs of danger and fix them. The Factoryville Fire Company is encouraging (Residents) and their families to put their safety first by performing a home hazards inspection during Fire Prevention Week.  You can download a home fire safety checklist from www.firepreventionweek.org. 

There are also a number of simple steps that you can put into action to keep your home safe from fire:

• Burns: Bath and shower water should be no higher than 100 degrees.
• Cooking: Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, or broiling food. If you leave the kitchen for even a short period time, turn off the stove.
• Heating: Keep all things that can burn, such as paper, bedding or furniture, at least 3 feet away from heating equipment.
• Electrical: Replace cracked and damaged electrical cords; use extension cords for temporary wiring only. Consider having additional circuits or receptacles added by a qualified electrician. 
• Smoking: If you smoke, smoke outside; wherever you smoke, use deep, sturdy ashtrays.

As firefighters and fire safety educators, fire prevention is always on our minds. We hope that you use the checklist and home fire prevention tips to put your safety first during Fire Prevention Week, and year-round.