Fire Prevention Week
Incident #: N/A Date of Incident: 10/7/2011 Issuing Officer: Jan Doherty/Public Education Officer
Narrative:
Fire Prevention Week: October 9-15 It's time to celebrate National Fire Prevention Week and take action with the 2011 theme of "Protect Your Family from Fire!" (1) Know how to read the BACK LABEL of your smoke detector to discover how old it is. No smoke detector is reliable more than 10 years from its date of manufacture. This is true both for hardwired detectors and for the battery-only type. If the siren still alarms, that only means the horn works when you push the button. It does not mean the detector can alert you in an actual fire. Spokane Fire Department recently found a smoke detector in an apartment that was manufactured 3/21/80. While the beeper still worked, every family that has lived in that unit has been at risk for the past 21 years. (2) While you are reading the detector label, notice whether your units are ionization, photoelectric or a combination photo-ion. We now understand how important it is to have at least one PHOTOELECTRIC detector on each level of the home. Otherwise, the more common ionization detector (the kind that often beeps when people are cooking or taking a shower) may not sound any alarm in a slow-burning, smoldering type of fire such as those that may start from smoking materials or old and damaged wiring. More people die from smoke than from flame. (3) Put a check mark on the 1st of every month in your calendar to remind you to test your detectors to assure the batteries are still connected and working. Spokane nearly lost a family of 6 to a house fire this summer when the smoke detectors failed to alarm. The battery was not connected correctly and the residents had never checked to see whether the detector installed by their landlord actually sounded. (4) If you rent your home, be sure to carry renter's insurance. Monthly rates run about $12. Approximately $150 in annual premium far outweighs the cost of personal losses from a fire or personal liability from property damage accidentally caused by you or a family member. (5) Use a timer every time anyone in the household begins to cook. Keep a pan lid handy whenever anyone is frying food in order to quickly smother small grease fires. Baking soda is a good second choice for a stovetop fire. Unattended cooking is the #1 cause of house fires in the United States. (6) Conduct a home fire drill so that each family member understands how to safely get out of every room in the house and gather outside at the meeting place in front of the home. Please call Spokane Fire Department at 625-7058 or visit your neighborhood fire station if you have more fire prevention questions!
Cause:
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Damage:
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End Of Release For more information on this release please call (509) 625-7002
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