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This week serves as an annual reminder of the dangers of fires in our homes, and also what we can each do to help prevent them from happening.
While Fire Prevention Week often has activities aimed at our youth, with visits from firefighters to local schools providing educational materials and activities, it is a time we all should keep in mind, no matter our age, as those lessons have the potential to save lives.
This year's theme is "Smoke alarms: Make them work for you!"
According to the National Fire Protection Association, working smoke alarms reduce the risk of dying in a home fire by 54%. Keep those words in mind - working smoke alarms - because the NFPA also notes that three out of every five fire-related deaths happen in homes with either no smoke alarm or smoke alarms which don't work.
In West Virginia, the U.S. Fire Administration reports 26 home fire fatalities in 2023, with 42 already reported this year. One death is too many, and can be prevented.
It is advised for smoke alarms to be installed in every bedroom, as well as outside of each separate sleeping area, and on each level of the home including the basement.
Smoke alarms should be tested at least one a month and replaced when they are 10 years old.
Local fire departments often have community outreach programs beyond their school visits, so be sure to speak with your neighborhood firefighters for advice as well.
Fire Prevention Week has been observed in the United States for more than 100 years, with a campaign each October. It's something to keep in mind year-round, though, in order to better protect ourselves and others.