Brought to you by WBIW News and Network Indiana
Last updated on Thursday, October 8, 2015
(UNDATED) - Lawrence County Volunteer Firefighters Association will be reminding families to “Hear the Beep Where You Sleep” during National Fire Prevention Week events.
Roughly half of home fire deaths result from fires reported between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., when most people are sleeping.
"A person's sense of smell is greatly diminished when he or she is asleep," says Shawswick VFD Chief Bobby Brown. "Smoke alarms are critical in order to double one's chances of survival because smoke spreads quickly in a home fire. Therefore, notification is extremely important."
Smoke alarms should be installed in every bedroom, outside every sleeping area and on every level of your home, including the basement. Larger homes may need more alarms installed. If you have a home with gas appliances or park your vehicle in an attached garage it is also recommended that you have at least one Carbon Monoxide alarm installed near your sleeping areas. Carbon Monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas that is deadly.
Brown stresses that smoke detectors are not enough, every family needs to develop, discuss and practice a home escape plan.
"Establishing a meeting place is an extremely important part of this plan," Brown says. "The meeting place will help families and firefighters to know if all members have been able to escape during a fire."
Every room in your home should have two ways out, which often includes a window. Family members that sleep in an upstairs bedroom need to include a plan on how to get to ground level.
On Saturday firefighters from Shawswick, Pleasant Run, Oolitic, Marshall, Guthrie, Indiana Creek, Perry, Williams, Marion, Mitchell, Huron will be holding a fire safety event at Tractor Supply from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will be a smoke house for children to climb through, games and other activities. Firefighters from Bedford Fire Department, crews from IU Health Hospital and Seals ambulances and both Bedford Police and Lawrence County Police officers will be there.
There will be free hotdogs and hamburgers, with donations accepted.
1340 AM WBIW welcomes comments and suggestions by calling 812.277.1340 during normal business hours or by email at comments@wbiw.com
© Ad-Venture Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved.