News from the City of Purcell

From the Purcell Fire Department

Quinn Kroth, Fire Marshal

Not only does October feature Halloween but it has another important week that we need to be aware. Fire Prevention Week is October 9-15. When we talk about fire prevention we immediately think of “Stop, drop, and roll.” That message is important, but let’s try to prevent fires so we don’t get to that point.

We can prevent fires by buying proper safety tested products. Cell phone charging cords are best to buy from the original manufacturer or a product that has a United Laboratories (UL) mark. UL tests products for safe consumer use. Another product we need to pay close attention to are products that have lithium-ion batteries. Those batteries can react when they are undercharged, overcharged, or damaged. They may react suddenly or they may react many days after the damage. That reaction could be in the form of an explosion or excessive heat. You must dispose of these batteries properly.

Home Depot and Best Buy have recycling bins for lithium-ion batteries, or you can find another place to recycle them by going to Earth911.com. Both lithium-ion batteries and improper electronic charging cords are high on the list for fire starters in homes, but the number 1 cause of home fires is cooking fires. We can prevent fires in our kitchens by not leaving stoves unattended, keep towels and potholders away from burners, keep children out of the kitchen while cooking, check to make sure there is nothing in the oven before turning it on, and by making sure burners and the oven are turned off when cooking is complete.

It’s a good idea to keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen and educate yourself on how to extinguish a grease fire. Remember, do not use water.

These few tips can help prevent fires, but sometimes incidents happen beyond our control and its important to have devices in place to warn us so we can get our family to safety. Devices, such as smoke detectors, save lives and can give you enough time to exit your home. However, if you don’t check the batteries and they have failed, the device cannot help protect you and your family. Change those batteries this month. If your smoke detector is older than 10 years, replace it. If you can’t see the date, replace it. Test your smoke detector monthly.

We can do everything right and still be faced with a fire in our homes, so stay educated and teach your family members on what to do in case a fire occurs. For example, press that button on the outside of your detector and listen for the beep. Let your children hear that beep and explain to them what they need to do when they hear it.

Make a plan with your family on how to get out of your house in case there is a fire, especially your children. Draw a map and set a meeting place outside away from your home. A simple escape plan can get your family to the meeting place faster and safer; it can keep you from searching for a loved one. Use this week to educate your family on the dangers of fire and what you as a family need to do if your faced with this situation.

CHECK THOSE SMOKE DETECTORS!