Safety In Our Neighborhoods: Firefighters going door-to-door checking smoke alarms

NEWS ADVISORY
Richard Bowers, Fire Chief Pete Piringer, Public Information Officer
Executive Office Building, 101 Monroe Street, 12th Floor, Rockville, Maryland, 20850
Media Hotline – 240.777.2442

IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 5, 2009

Safety In Our Neighborhoods
Firefighters going door-to-door checking smoke alarms

There has been a significant decline of residential fire fatalities in Montgomery County.

Having a functional smoke alarm is one of the simplest, most effective ways to reduce tragic deaths and injuries from fire. In fact, working smoke alarms nearly cut in half the risk of dying in a home fire.

Since November 2008 the men and women of the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service (MCFRS) have been checking smoke alarms at least every Saturday afternoon in neighborhoods throughout Montgomery County as part of the ‘Safety in Our Neighborhood’ campaign.

Montgomery County firefighters have visited over 17,000 homes, installed nearly 500 smoke alarms and installed or changed over 600 batteries. The primary focus has been in areas populated with older residents and where residential fire fatalities have occurred. There was a significant decline of residential fire fatalities in Montgomery County. Last year in 2008 there were five (5) residential fire fatalities compared with thirteen (13) the previous year in 2007. All residential fire fatalities have occurred in a non-sprinklered dwelling.

2 – Smoke Alarms and Sprinklers
Fire Chief Richard Bowers notes, "This is a busy time of year for firefighters in this region. The simplest thing a family can do to protect themselves from fire is have a working smoke alarm, on every level of their home, and have fire escape plan."

Recent surveys conducted by fire fighters after serious fires in Montgomery County have found that nearly half, 50%, of the smoke alarms checked did not work. That is alarming! Smoke alarms DO save lives !

Montgomery County residents may schedule a home safety evaluation by calling the Home Safety Hotline @ 240.777.2476.

The Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service recommend that homeowners follow these tips to help prevent fires, deaths, and injuries:
* Install and maintain smoke alarms.
* Develop and practice a fire escape plan.

Fire can spread rapidly through your home, leaving you as little as two minutes to escape safely. Your ability to get out depends on advance warning from smoke alarms and advance planning—a home fire escape plan that everyone in your family is familiar with and has practiced.

Because fire can grow and spread so quickly, having working smoke alarms in your home can mean the difference between life and death. Once the alarm sounds, you may have as few as two minutes to escape. Smoke alarms are the most effective early warning devices available.

Remember, check you smoke alarm and put a finger on it!

The combination of working smoke alarms and residential sprinklers almost guarantees that a family will survive a home fire

MCFRS is on Zannel

In a continuing effort to reach out in diverse and innovative ways to those we serve, MCFRS is pleased to announce that we now have a presence on Zannel. To learn more, and sign on to follow us, please go here: MCFRS on Zannel

NEWS ADVISORY

IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 4, 2009

Montgomery County Fire Fighters “Spring into Action”
to Get Residents Ready And Creating a Culture of Preparedness and Safety

“Sounds of Silence – Could be Tragic”

The message is simple – check smoke alarms and have an escape plan.

A campaign will focus on all Montgomery County residents to be reminded to change the battery in their smoke alarm when they change their clock to reflect changing from daylight savings time to standard time this coming weekend on Sunday, March 8, 2009.

Get into a life saving habit – “Change Your Clock – Change Your Battery”.

Remember – the message is simple:

Develop an Escape Plan – Identify two ways out of each room in your home, identify a meeting place for your family outside, practice your plan at least twice a year when you change your clock. Once Outside – Account for all family members at your designated meeting place, call 911 from a safe location, never go back inside a burning building for any reason. Inform arriving firefighters if everyone got out and where the fire is located.

Spring Into Action – to get ready

Working Smoke Alarms Save Lives – Ensure you have a working smoke alarm on each floor of your home, additional smoke alarms can be placed in sleeping and kitchen areas, test your smoke alarms monthly, change the battery when you change your clock twice a year, if your smoke alarms are powered by your homes electrical system consider installing battery powered smoke alarms as a back up in case of a power outage. “Put a Finger on It” smoke alarms are effective only if they work!

Unfortunately, each year people die in residential fires that were started by preventable causes, such as unattended cooking, improperly discarded smoking materials, candles left burning unattended, space heaters, and child fire play. These are lives that can be saved. Smoke alarms save lives!

Citizens and residents that combine common sense fire and injury prevention habits with a working smoke alarm will increase the probability that even if a fire should ever occur in their home, that everyone will get out alive. Help us to help you, ensure you have at least one working smoke alarm in your home and plan an escape plan with your family. “Put a Finger on It.”
When home fire sprinklers are used with working smoke alarms, your chances of surviving a fire are greatly increased. Sprinklers are affordable - they can increase property value and lower insurance rates. In addition, a one-time property tax break is available for those who “retro-fit” their homes. Montgomery County is the largest jurisdiction in the United States to require residential sprinklers in all newly constructed homes.

Firefighters want all residents to know to always remember - If a fire starts in your home GET OUT and call 911 IMMEDIATELY closing the door to the room on fire as you go! DO NOT DELAY as fire doubles in size every minute.

For more information or if you are a Montgomery County resident and would like a FREE home safety evaluation call the Safety in Our Neighborhood – Home Inspection Hotline at 240.777.2476.

Recruit Class 33 in Action

Watch a video of our recently graduated Recruit Class 33 in action while going through their training: MCFRS TV

Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Our 9-1-1 Emergency Communications Center

Ever wonder where your 9-1-1 call goes? Who is answering the phone? How they know what, and how many, fire trucks and ambulances to send to your emergency situation? Join host Bill Delaney and special guest Captain Patrick J. Stanton, who is the Communications Training Supervisor for our 9-1-1 Center, on Tuesday, February 24th at 10:30 AM for the answer to these and other questions. Calls and email questions will be taken. Go to our Blog Talk Radio homepage to listen to the show next week.

The show will also be available to download and listen too anytime after the show airs.