Kettering Fire Department to educate residents on Fire Prevention during National Fire Prevention Week

Kettering, Ohio – October 3-9, 2021 is National Fire Prevention Week. This year’s theme for Fire Prevention Week is “Learn the Sounds of Fire Safety”. The Kettering Fire Department will be working to educate the public on fire safety during this week.

One of Kettering’s education efforts will be a video on fire safety tips. The Fire Department plans to release the video via social media and will be presenting it to Kettering’s schools. The video will focus on this year’s “Learn the Sounds of Fire Safety Theme”. The Fire Department wants residents to:

1. Respond immediately when a smoke alarm or carbon monoxide (CO) alarm sounds. When an alarm sounds you should leave the home immediately and call 911.

2. Remember that a chirping alarm typically means that the alarm’s batteries are running low and need to be replaced. The Kettering Fire Department says that if an alarm continues chirping after the batteries have been changed, or if the alarm is over 10-years old, it should be replaced with a new one.

3. Kettering also says that residents should test their alarms monthly to make sure they are working. Simply press the alarm’s test button to see if the alarm sounds.

4. The Fire Department also wants residents to know the difference between the sounds of a smoke alarm and carbon monoxide alarms. Smoke alarms have three beeps. Carbon monoxide alarms have four beeps.

Kettering has a special message for families that have someone in the home who is either deaf or has a hearing loss. To protect your loved ones who cannot hear audible alarms, you should install bed shaker alarms and/or strobe lights. These devices can mean the difference between life and death for those who cannot hear traditional alarms.

I personally know the importance of having a good smoke and carbon monoxide detector signaler for those with hearing loss because I have a hearing loss myself. Diglo, formerly Harris Communications, https://www.diglo.com/shop-by-alert-trigger/smoke-and-fire;d=3;c=32;s=328, has a great selection of smoke and carbon monoxide alarms for those who are deaf or have hearing loss. Although, Diglo is a great company to buy from, there are many other sources, such as MaxiAids or even good old Amazon. If you need more information on hearing loss or alarms, you might want to reach out to an organization like the Hearing Loss Association of America, www.hearlingloss.org.

The Kettering Fire Department also says that residents should:

1. Have a working smoke alarm on each level of the house and in each bedroom. Smoke alarms should be installed at least 10 feet away from cooking appliances to avoid false alarms.

2. Never leave cooking food unattended. Kettering also says that you should set a timer when cooking to make sure you remember when food is done.

3. Keep all items that can burn away from cooking equipment. Items that can burn might include, dish towels, paper products, wood cutting boards, etc.

4. Have chimneys and heating equipment inspected annually.

5. Clean out dryer lint traps before each use and clean out dryer vent pipes at least quarterly. You may want to clean vent pipes sooner if notice clothes are taking longer to dry.

6. Never smoke in bed or where medical oxygen is in use.

7. Have all electrical work completed by a qualified electrician.

8. Avoid using extension cords as a substitute for permanent wiring.

9. Keep space heaters at least 3 feet away from items that can burn. The Fire Department also says that you should plug heaters directly into a wall outlet.

10. Create and practice a home fire escape plan with your family.

Remember, don’t wait when you hear an alarm. Get out of the house right away. The Kettering Fire Department warns residents that fire and smoke spreads quickly and you may only have a couple of minutes to escape a home that’s on fire.