Key West The Newspaper

It’s Fire Prevention Week and Monroe County Fire Rescue has been actively involved. Crews have been visiting eight schools and day care facilities throughout the Keys to help educate children about how to prevent fire and how to stay safe if a fire does break out.

This year’s Fire Prevention theme is: “Look. Listen. Learn. Be aware. Fire can happen anywhere.”

This week MCFR crews and Sparky, MCFR’s mascot, went to Lighthouse Christian Academy Day Care on Stock Island, Sugarloaf Elementary, Banana Cabana Academy at Sugarloaf School, Big Pine Academy and Big Pine Early Education. Next week crews are going to Big Pine Boys and Girls Club, Burton Memorial Child Development Center and Ocean Studies Charter School.

The firefighters taught the children about some of the following based on age:

Home Fire Escape Planning

• Home fire escape planning and drills are an essential part of fire safety. A home fire escape plan needs to be developed and practiced before a fire strikes.
• A home escape plan should include the following:

o Two exits from every room in the home – usually a door and a window

o Properly installed and working smoke alarms

o A meeting place outside, in front of the home, where everyone will meet after they exit

o A call to 9-1-1 or the local emergency number from a cell phone or a neighbor’s phone

Smoke Alarms

• Smoke alarms detect and alert people to a fire in the early stages. Smoke alarms can mean the difference between life and death in a fire.
• Working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in a home fire in half.
• Install smoke alarms in every sleeping room, outside each separate sleeping area, and on every level of the home, including the basement.
• Test smoke alarms at least once a month using the test button.
• Make sure everyone in the home understands the sound of the smoke alarm and knows how to respond.

Cooking

• Cooking is the leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries. The leading cause of fires in the kitchen is unattended cooking.
• Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, boiling, grilling, or broiling food.
• If you are simmering, baking, or roasting food, check it regularly and stay in the home.
• Keep anything that can catch fire away from your stovetop.

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