We visit schools. We post messages. We train employees. The number of fire incidents are drastically down from years past. We thank you for your efforts. But our mission is yet to be complete. There is always that accidental cooking fire or wires down in a storm. That heater that gets a little too close to combustibles. The motor vehicle accident with fuel leaking. Then we can throw in hurricanes or gas leaks to add to the mix or the occasional arsonist. So what can we do better? Situational awareness is the answer.

• Stay in the kitchen when cooking on stove top
• Get an electrician if lights are constantly flickering
• Watch where you place space heaters; if using kerosene heaters refill out doors when cool.
• Clean your chimney regularly and burn seasoned wood.
• Clean lint out of dryer vent hoses annually
• Check for gas grill leaks with soapy water after tank changes and don’t store them inside!
• If you notice something, say something

For those hazards that aren’t noticed, make sure your smoke detectors and CO alarms are in place and working. Our commercial establishments have sprinkler systems to keep fires in check. If you are building a home you may consider sprinklers or want to retrofit existing homes with sprinklers they are very affordable now. Keep in mind that the contents of homes burn rapidly and produce heavy volumes of lethal smoke and Carbon Monoxide in a short amount of time. Plan your escape and have a meeting place. Know the address of places you visit and have you address numbers visible from the road. Consider Close Before you Doze when going to sleep at night. Keep up the good work and thanks for helping keep your families safe! Remember Fire Prevention is every week.