Fire Prevention is a year-round effort. During Fire Prevention Week, when we get to share important fire prevention and safety tips with our community.

This year’s Fire Prevention Week theme is “hear the beep where you sleep.” What does this mean? We want to make sure our residents have installed smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each separate sleeping area, and on every level of their homes, including the basement. Larger homes may need more alarms.

Here are a few key bits of information that you might not know about the importance of smoke detectors and escape plans.

Roughly half of home fire deaths result from fires reported between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., when most people are asleep.
One-quarter of home fire deaths were caused by fires that started in the bedroom. Another quarter resulted from fires in the living room, family room or den.
Three out of five home fire deaths happen from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.
Working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in reported home fires in half.
When smoke alarms fail to operate, it is usually because batteries are missing, disconnected, or dead.
Almost three-quarters of Americans do have an escape plan; however, more than half never practiced it.

It’s important to have plenty of working smoke detectors, and it’s crucial to develop – and practice – a fire escape plan at your home.