Connecticut State Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection

osfm emblem STATE OF CONNECTICUT
Department of Public Safety
1111 Country Club Road
Middletown, Connecticut 06457		  
Contact: 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Oct. 8, 2008
FIRE PREVENTION WEEK
"Prevent Home Fires"
   National Fire Prevention Week will be commemorated this week - October 5th thru 11th, 2008. The State Fire Marshal's Office from the Connecticut Department of Public Safety, in conjunction with all other fire safety agencies, is promoting the year's theme "Prevent Home Fires."
   The State Fire Marshal's Office is requesting that all of Connecticut's citizens, both young and old (and those "in between") do their part to help prevent fires in our homes.
   The most common causes of home fires result from cooking, heating, electrical malfunction, smoking materials and candles. Each of these categories has inherit dangers but the risk of starting a fire is greatly reduced if you follow some basic safety tips:
  • Stay in the kitchen when cooking. Many cooking fires start from "unattended" cooking.
  • Maintain heating equipment (furnaces, etc.) and chimneys by having them inspected and cleaned annually by a qualified professional.
  • Don't smoke in a situation where you may fall asleep while smoking.
  • Keep things that might burn away from light bulbs, fixtures and electrical heating sources. If you suspect any electrical problem, use a qualified electrician for repairs.
  • Use flashlights instead of candles during power outages. Never leave a burning candle unattended.      
   With regards to National Fire Prevention Week, Deputy State Fire Marshal John Blaschik, Jr., made the following statement, "By checking our homes for possible fire hazards, we will fulfill this year's theme of 'Prevent Home Fires.' By following the above mentioned safety tips and any other fire prevention steps applicable to our individual needs, we can truly make a difference by preventing a tragedy from happening."  Blaschik also reminds all of us that this is a good time of year to check that smoke detectors are working properly and replace batteries as needed.     
   In order to better prepare ourselves in the case of a fire, Blaschik offered the following suggestions:
  • Keep stairways and exits clear and free of clutter.
  • Practice your escape out of your home and if possible have several different escape routes in case one route is blocked.
  • Agree on a meeting place outside the home and away from the building where everyone can gather and be accounted for after escaping a fire.
  • Make sure that your house number is clearly visible from the road. 
   The Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Safety, John A. Danaher III, would like to remind the citizens of Connecticut of how important National Fire Prevention Week is and how the timing of this program is significant. Commissioner Danaher stated, "The number of fires increase with the onset of the winter months. This is the time of the year we should be checking our homes for fire hazards and working with our families on what to do in the case of a fire in the home or dorm rooms."
   Additional and more detailed information can be found on the National Fire prevention association web sites:
for a kids fire safety check list please go to the following link:
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