The St. Charles Fire Department is hosting an open house at Fire Station #1, 112 N. Riverside Avenue, on Saturday, October 15, 2022, from noon to 3 p.m. to commemorate Fire Prevention Week. The theme this year, “Fire won’t wait. Plan your escape!”, highlights the simple but important actions everyone can take to keep themselves and those around them safe from home fires.
All are invited to stop by the Open House, talk with the firefighters, and learn about fire safety. Several exhibitions will be held throughout the day including:
- Fire extinguisher demonstrations
- Special rescue operations
- A live burn/sprinkler demonstration, which demonstrates how effective residential sprinklers can be in combating residential house fires.
Activities for children and refreshments also will be available, along with informational displays on department programs and general fire safety concerns.
Today’s homes burn faster than ever. You may have as little as two minutes (or even less time) to safely escape a home fire from the time the smoke alarm sounds. Your ability to get out of a home during a fire depends on early warning from smoke alarms and advance planning.
The Fire Department encourages all residents to embrace the 2022 Fire Prevention Week theme. “It’s important for everyone to plan and practice a home fire escape. Everyone needs to be prepared in advance, so they know what to do when the smoke alarm sounds. Given that every home is different, every home fire escape plan will also be different,” said Chris Thomas, St. Charles Firefighter. “Have a plan for everyone in the home. Children, older adults, and people with disabilities may need assistance to wake up and get out. Make sure that someone will help them!”
The St. Charles Fire Department shares these key home fire escape planning tips:
- Make sure your plan meets the needs of all your family members, including those with sensory or physical disabilities.
- Smoke alarms should be installed inside every sleeping room, outside each separate sleeping area, and on every level of your home. Smoke alarms should be interconnected so when one sounds, they all sound.
- Know at least two ways out of every room, if possible. Make sure all doors and windows open easily.
- Have an outside meeting place a safe distance from your home where everyone should meet.
- Practice your home fire drill at least twice a year with everyone in the household, including guests. Practice at least once during the day and at night.
In addition to the annual Fire Department Open House, the Fire Department is hosting a series of events in support of this year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign, including school talks. For more general information about Fire Prevention Week and fire prevention in general, visit https://www.nfpa.org and https://sparky.org.
The National Fire Protection Association® (NFPA®) has been the official sponsor of Fire Prevention Week for more than 90 years. The campaign works to educate everyone about the small but important actions they can take to keep themselves and those around them safe.
