{"id":119551,"date":"2021-10-01T11:53:18","date_gmt":"2021-10-01T15:53:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/?p=119551"},"modified":"2021-10-01T11:53:18","modified_gmt":"2021-10-01T15:53:18","slug":"fire-prevention-week-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/?p=119551","title":{"rendered":"Fire Prevention Week news"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Test smoke alarms now\u00a0before cold weather brings increased threat of home fires; Red Cross responds to 27% more US home fires a month in winter than in warmer seasons<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This Fire Prevention Week (Oct. 3 to 9), the Eastern New York Region of the American Red Cross urges you to test your smoke alarms before the threat of home fires increases with cold weather.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the past year, Red Cross volunteers in Eastern New York responded to nearly 700 local disasters, most of them home fires, assisting 1,360 families. The Red Cross responds to\u00a027 percent more home fires\u00a0in November-March than in warmer months. According to the National Fire Protection Association, which is sponsoring Fire Prevention Week with the theme, \u201cLearn the Sounds of Fire Safety,\u201d home fires are most common in cooler months when people spend more time inside, and cooking and heating equipment are the leading causes of these crises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEvery day, people\u2019s lives are devastated by home fires \u2014 a threat that\u2019s increasing as winter approaches,\u201d said Kevin Coffey, Regional CEO, Eastern New York Region. \u201cHelp keep your family safe now by testing your smoke alarms and practicing your two-minute fire escape drill.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During Fire Prevention Week, test your smoke alarms and practice your two-minute home fire escape drill \u2014 the amount of time that experts say you may have to get out before it\u2019s too late. Teach children what a smoke alarm sounds like and talk about fire safety and what to do in an emergency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n