It’s Fire Prevention Week. Protect your Family from Fire!
During Fire Prevention Week, October 9-15, 2011, the encourages residents to keep their homes safe.
What’s the best way to protect your family from fire? Be ahead of the game, of course. With more than 360,000 home fires reported in the United States in 2009, according to the nonprofit National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), your best defense is a good offense.
That’s why the West Hartford Fire Department is teaming up with NFPA during the October 9-15, 2011, to let our community know: “It’s Fire Prevention Week. Protect your Family from Fire!” This year’s campaign focuses on preventing the leading causes of home fires – cooking, heating and electrical equipment, as well as candles and smoking materials. Additionally, it urges people to protect their homes and families with life-saving technology and planning.
“In 2009, 2,565 people died in home fires. Nearly all of these deaths could have been prevented by taking a few simple precautions like having working smoke alarms and a home fire escape plan, keeping things that can burn away from the stove and always turning off space heaters before going to bed,” says Assistant Chief Mike Sinsigalli. “Fire is a dangerous opponent, but by anticipating the hazards, you are much less likely to be one of the nearly 13,000 people injured in home fires each year.”
“While preventing home fires in West Hartford is always our number one priority, it is not always possible,” Sinsigalli continued. “West Hartford’s residents need to provide the best protection to keep their homes and families safe in the event of a fire. This can be achieved by developing an escape plan which you practice regularly and equipping homes with life-saving technologies like smoke alarms and home fire sprinklers.”
The West Hartford Fire Department will be hosting Open Houses from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.at the Fire Stations and will offer tips for protecting your home and family from fire during Fire Prevention Week to promote “It’s Fire Prevention Week. Protect your Family from Fire!”
Open House Schedule:
October 10th Fire Station #1, 561 Prospect Avenue
October 11th Fire Station #2, 20 Brace Road
October 12th Fire Station #3, 1068 New Britain Avenue
October 13th Fire Station #4, 2458 Albany Avenue (to be telecast live on WHC-TV)
October 14th Fire Station #5, 51 Berkshire Road
Non-perishable food items will be accepted for the West Hartford Food Pantry. There will be free blood pressure screenings at all Open Houses.
For more information, contact Michael L. Sinsigalli, Assistant Fire Chief, 860-561-8320; msinsigalli@westhartford.org.
