October 2024: Fire Prevention Month

WHEREAS, last year, the State Fire Marshal's Office and MI Prevention, a statewide community risk reduction program, reported 125 Michigan residents were killed in 112 residential fires and that fire departments throughout Michigan responded to 17,040 home fires in 2023; and,

WHEREAS, as of today for the year 2024, MI Prevention reported 72 Michigan residents were killed in 69 residential fires and that fire departments throughout Michigan responded to 8,859 residential fires in 2024; and,

WHEREAS, today's fires grow quickly and produce extreme heat and deadly smoke that limits the time occupants have to escape a residential fire to two minutes before they are overcome by the toxic smoke, lack of oxygen, and unable to escape; and,

WHEREAS, careless smoking has been identified as the leading cause of fatal fires in Michigan accounting for 38% of fatal fire victims; and

WHEREAS, 30% of these 67 fatalities reported as having a disability or mobility issues limiting their escape.

WHEREAS, 80% of the residential fatal fires in Michigan were reported as not having working smoke alarms at the time of the fire; and,

WHEREAS, 47% of the fire deaths in Michigan happen between 6 pm and 6 am, with those fatal fires most often starting in the living room or bedroom; and,

WHEREAS, the best option for escaping a residential fire is to have a residential fire escape plan where every family member is prepared to react quickly and calmly in a real fire situation by establishing two routes out of every room to exit the residence within two minutes or less; and,

WHEREAS, the best residential fire survival tip is to close all doors between you and the toxic smoke and fire to add minutes to your escape plan; and,

WHEREAS, by practicing a residential fire escape plan at least twice a year that includes a residential fire drill during the day, a residential fire drill in the dark at night, and closing a bedroom door prior to opening a window to escape, you can increase your chances of surviving a residential fire; and,

WHEREAS, having working smoke alarms in every bedroom and outside sleeping areas on each level of your residence, working carbon monoxide detectors on each level, and closing bedroom doors when sleeping can cut a family's risk of dying in a residential fire in half; and,

WHEREAS, MI Prevention, Michigan's fire departments, and partnering organizations are dedicated to reducing the occurrence of residential fires and residential fire injuries through fire prevention education, so residents can take personal steps to decrease the chance of a residential fire and be true heroes in protecting their residences and families; and,

WHEREAS, MI Prevention, Michigan's fire departments, and partnering organizations are dedicated to improving Michigan's residents' chance of escaping a residential fire by installing 107,617 smoke alarms in 26,198 Michigan residents since 2019;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Gretchen Whitmer, governor of Michigan, do hereby proclaim October 2024 as Fire Prevention Month in Michigan.

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