Fire Prevention Week is getting underway, and the Red Cross uses this period of awareness to urge Pennsylvanians to take steps to protect their homes.
According to a data set compiled by the U.S. Fire Administration , Pennsylvania has had the most house fire deaths of all states over the last seven years.
To prevent fire deaths, the Red Cross urges having smoke alarms throughout a home, and regularly testing them, along with creating an escape plan and practicing it.
“Fire now travels faster through homes, largely due to popular open-concept layouts and synthetic materials,” said Jorge Martinez, CEO of the American Red Cross of Greater Pennsylvania. “The sooner an alarm alerts you to a fire, the sooner you can get out. This is critical because fire experts say you may have less than two minutes to escape a burning home before it’s too late.”
The Red Cross has several tips for making an escape plan, including how to talk to children about fire safety:
- Everyone in your household should know two ways to escape from each room
- Smoke is dangerous. Get low and go!
- Decide where to meet once you get outside. Select a meeting spot at a safe distance away from your home, such as a neighbor’s home or a landmark like a specific tree in your front yard, where everyone knows to meet.
- Get out and stay out. Never go back inside for people, pets or things.
- If a fire starts, you may have less than two minutes to get to safety. Time your fire drill and find out: what’s your escape time?
- While practicing your escape plan, teach children what a smoke alarm sounds like. Talk about fire safety and what to do in an emergency.