GRAND RAPIDS — Fire won't wait, plan your escape. That's the theme of this year's Fire Prevention Week 2022. The week focused on safety and eliminating death, injury, property, and economic loss due to fire, electrical, and related hazards by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is in its 100th year.
The week is the longest public health campaign in the United States, specifically observed October 9-15 to commemorate the Great Chicago Fire. Today's homes burn much hotter and quicker than they did 100 years ago. You might have as little as two minutes to get out of your home if the unthinkable happens.
Most fatal fires in Michigan happen while we are sleeping, 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., and
"Michigan is in the top, one of top 5 deadliest states in the country, we have been for well over a decade. A lot of times when I'm talking with homeowners, when I'm talking with people that have experienced fire as a firefighter, they think that fire isn't going to happen to them, and they're totally surprised when it does happen," said Michael McLeieer, President E.S.C.A.P.E Fire & Safety.
Studies show many folks don't have a fire safety plan, and even fewer actually practice it. The escape plan should be tailored to where you live specifically.
"What we see on TV and Hollywood is not really how this happens. We don't have a lot of time to get out, and we want to make sure we lower these fire fatalities not only here in Michigan, but across the country as well," said McLeieer.
Inside your house, working smoke detectors are crucial. Make sure doors and walkways are free of toys, furniture, and clutter. Knowing two safe and accessible ways out of your home is essential.
If your bedroom is upstairs you should have a fire escape ladder. Those are available at hardware stores and are usually made for both 2 and 3 story homes. And for folks in apartments, "make sure that you understand what the expectation is should the fire alarm sound. In some high rises it may be safer to shelter in place, maybe take a damp cloth or towel, placing it at the bottom of the door, and then closing those heat or air conditioning register vents so that we don't have smoke coming into our building and then calling 911," said McLeieer.
Because of the pandemic and Covid 19 restrictions, it's been two years since many firefighters have taught fire safety inside school classrooms. That makes it even more crucial for your family to have that fire safety escape plan.
After you get outside, you need to set up a meeting place for your family. Practicing the plan is the last piece of this safety puzzle. "that way parents and caregivers are there to guide the children out that first story window, so if they have to practice and actually use this in a second story, they've already built that muscle memory and have those skills to be able to quickly and safely escape outside," said McLeieer.
McLeieer continued, "as we landscape make sure that we don't block those exits, especially as we go into the holiday time. Don't put decorations and things like that where we may need to quickly evacuate a building or a home."
Once you're at the meeting point, practice "getting out and staying out." Never go back inside a fire for people, pets, or things.
"Too many times in my career as a firefighter I've seen people go back in to try and retrieve toys or personal items. There was a story done here in the Detroit market recently where someone wanted to go back in and actually get personal belongings and take it out, and that's not a safe choice," said McLeieer.
In an exclusive partnership, we have a lesson plan for your family to download. The lesson plan is customized for grade 2, it be adapted for all classrooms and ages, and you can review it at home. It is interactive for families and also meets common core standards, teachers might want to download this too: Gr2_lntb-1 Escape Plan by WXMI on Scribd
