by Ted Halpin
On average, seven people die per day in the United States from preventable fires. The leading cause of home fires is cooking food and the leading cause of home fire deaths is still smoking followed closely by home heating devices. Tragically, most of these fires are preventable.
One of the critical factors in saving lives in home fires is the proper installation and maintenance of smoke alarms. The Madison County Fire Departments and the Madison County Emergency Management Office have ten year smoke alarms available for free while the supply lasts. County residents in need of a smoke alarm can contact their local fire department or email EM@madisoncounty.ny.gov.
As we approach this year’s National Fire Prevention Week with the slogan “Don’t Wait- Check the Date! Replace Smoke Alarms Every 10 Years”. We need to remember why these devices are so important. According to NFPA statistics of “Home Structure Fires” between 2010 and 2014 there was a yearly average of 358,300 home fires per year resulting in 2520 deaths, 12,720 injuries, and 6.7 billion in property damage per year from residential structure fires.
If your Smoke Alarms are less than 1O years make sure they have fresh batteries twice a year and they are checked at least monthly for proper operation. Practice Fire Safety Every Day and contact your local fire department for assistance with smoke alarms, fire escape planning. Individuals interested in joining their local volunteer fire department can go to www.MadCoHeroes.com.
The following Madison County Fire Departments will be hosting Fire Prevention Open Houses:
Cazenovia Fire Department Saturday, October 15, 2016 4:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M.
Chittenango Fire Department Saturday, October 15, 2016 12:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M.
New Woodstock Fire Department Saturday, October 15, 2016 5:00 P.M to 8 P.M. In conjunction with the annual roast beef dinner, details at www.NewWoodstockFD.com.