Alpharetta Observes Fire Safety Week

Today marks the beginning of Fire Safety Week and the Alpharetta Department of Public Safety is offering tips on how to keep you and your family safe from a fire. 

With more than 360,000 home fires reported in the United States according to the nonprofit National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the best defense is a good offense. 

That’s why Alpharetta is teaming up with NFPA during Fire Safety Week, set for Oct. 6-13, to inform the public how to remain safe.  

This year’s theme is Prevent Kitchen Fires, and will focuses on educating the public on preventing fires in the kitchen. 

Kitchen fires are the leading origin of home fires in the United States, NFPA states.  

"Thousands of people die annually in home fires, said Alpharetta Fire Marshal David Morris. "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. 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."

Tips on preventing kitchen fires: 

• Do not throw water on grease fires; instead, smother them or use baking soda.
• Keep a fire extinguisher in the pantry or underneath the sink in the kitchen.
• Keep potholders and towels away from the stove and oven while you are cooking.
• Do not hang any flammable fabrics from the handle of your oven.
• Install smoke detectors in every sleeping room, outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home and check the batteries often.
• Make an escape plan and practice it twice a year.
• Once you’re out, stay out. Do not re-enter a burning building.
• Install a residential fire sprinkler system in your home.

The department also offers ways to keep your family safe if a fire occurs in the home:

• Install smoke alarms inside each bedroom, outside each sleeping area, and on every level of the home (including the basement).       
• Interconnect all smoke alarms in the home so when one sounds, they all sound.
• Test smoke alarms at least monthly and replace all smoke alarms when they are 10 years old or sooner if they do not respond when tested.
• Make sure everyone in your home knows how to respond if the smoke alarm sounds.
• Pull together everyone in your household and make a plan. Walk through your home and inspect all possible ways out. 
• Households with children should consider drawing a floor plan of your home, marking two ways out of each room, including windows and doors.
• If you are building or remodeling your home, consider installing home fire sprinklers.

To find out more about Fire Prevention Week programs and activities in Alpharetta, contact the Alpharetta Fire Department Fire Marshal’s office at (678) 297-6272. 

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