“Don’t Wait, Check the Date”
Annapolis, MD (10-4-16) – Annapolis Mayor Michael Pantelides and Fire Chief David L. Stokes, Sr. remind residents that working smoke alarms can make the difference between life and death. The message behind this year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign is, Don’t Wait, Check the Date.
Along with firefighters and safety advocates nationwide, the Annapolis Fire Department is joining forces with the nonprofit National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) during Fire Prevention Week, which is October 9-15, to remind local residents about the importance of knowing how old their smoke alarms are. Fire officials want residents to know how to check the age of the smoke alarm and remind individuals that all smoke alarms should be replaced every ten years.
According to the latest NFPA research, working smoke alarms cut the chance of dying in a fire in half. Meanwhile, almost two-thirds of home fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.
“In a fire, seconds count,” said Annapolis Fire Chief David L. Stokes, Sr. “Roughly half of home fire deaths result from fires reported at night between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. when most people are asleep. Home smoke alarms can alert people to a fire before it spreads, giving everyone enough time to get out.”
Fire Prevention Weeks campaign includes the following smoke alarm messages:
- Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each separate sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement.
- If you have hardwired smoke alarms, make sure they are inter-connected. This way, when one sounds, they all sound.
- Test alarms at least monthly by pushing the test button.
- Make sure everyone in the home knows the sound of the smoke alarm and understands what to do when they hear it.
“I walked from home to home with our firefighters during Fire Prevention Week in the past, making sure that each home that needed a smoke alarm, had one,” Mayor Pantelides said. “This is a great program that the fire department offers and I urge you to reach out to them if you need an alarm.”
On Saturday, October 15th the fire department will be conducting its monthly Smoke Alarm Outreach Program on selected streets throughout the city. This outreach program stresses the importance of having working smoke alarms in the home and testing them monthly. The members of the fire department will provide residents with voluntary audits, safety checks and inspections of their smoke alarms.
Chief Stokes adds, “It is the Annapolis Fire Department’s goal to ensure each City home has working smoke alarms.” If firefighters have not yet reached your neighborhood and you are concerned about your smoke alarms, please contact the Annapolis Fire Department and we will schedule a time to meet with you to check them.
Also on October 15th, 2016 ‘Sparky the Fire Dog’ will be visiting Main St. between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. for pictures and to give away fire prevention materials.
During Fire Prevention Week, the Annapolis fire department will be conducting a poster contest with selected Annapolis area elementary schools. The contest will be judged by Mayor Pantelides and other public safety officials, with prizes given to the winners.
The Annapolis Fire Department is always available to provide fire safety presentations or programs for your organization or community groups. Fire Station based tours and programs are also available. For more information on the programs, or to schedule Fire Prevention Week programs and activities in Annapolis, please contact Inspector Dante Jacobelli of the Annapolis Fire Department at 410-263-7975 ext. 7809, or visitwww.annapolis.gov. To learn more about smoke alarms and “Don’t Wait, Check the Date”, visit NFPA’s website – www.firepreventionweek.org.
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