Fire Prevention Week Spotlights Importance of Working Smoke Alarms

Sumter County Fire & EMS is busy during Fire Prevention Week, informing residents and schoolchildren across the County about the importance of fire safety and smoke alarms.

This year's Fire Prevention Week campaign strives to educate everyone about the importance of having working smoke alarms in the home. The call to action is for everyone to install, test, and replace smoke alarms and batteries. Smoke alarms should be in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area, such as a hallway, and on each level of the home - including those with basements.

"Smoke alarms are a valuable and necessary component of any place where people gather indoors," said Chief Rob Hanson, Sumter County Fire & EMS. "Smoke alarms provide early detection of fires and dangerous carbon monoxide levels; giving occupants valuable time to act before a fire becomes too large to escape or toxic carbon monoxide becomes too concentrated to survive."

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA),nearly 60 percent of home fire deaths occurred in properties with no smoke alarms (43 percent) or smoke alarms that failed to operate (16 percent). The death rate per 1,000 home structure fires is approximately 60 percent lower in homes with working smoke alarms than in homes with no alarms or none that operated.

As noted, smoke alarms play a critical role in surviving a fire. They also should be part of the planning process. If a fire breaks out in your home, you may have only a few minutes to get out once the smoke alarm sounds. Everyone needs to know what to do and where to go if there is a fire. Homeowners are advised to develop an escape plan, which includes drawing a map of the home showing all the doors and windows.

Sumter County Fire & EMS attend a variety of events during Fire Prevention Week and throughout October. Fire crews show students fire trucks, present lessons on home escape plans, and firefighters dressed in turn-out gear so children know what they look like and won't be afraid. Presentations include bags with coloring books, helmets, home fire escape plan activity sheets, smoke alarms, and a home safety action plan.