Mid-Missouri fire departments team-up for fire prevention week
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Mid-Missouri fire departments are teaming-up with the National Fire Protection Association for National Fire Prevention Week. The week started on Sunday and will end this Saturday.
This week marks the 100th anniversary of National Fire Prevention Week and the campaign's theme is “Fire won’t wait. Plan your escape”, pushing everyone to have a quick and safe way to escape their homes in the event of a fire.
Missouri Department of Public Safety says research has shown that modern-built homes can burn up to two or three times faster than older homes because the newer, lighter weight building materials are often more flammable. This means you may have under two minutes to get out of the home, once the smoke alarm sounds.
This week comes as two fires happened in mid-Missouri over the weekend.
One fire took place in Fulton on Saturday night, which was caused after cooking materials were left on a stove. Fulton Fire crews says it caused around $80,000 worth of damage.
The second fire took place at a mobile home in Boone County on Saturday. Fire crews say the home along Wyatt and Leisure Hills Rd. was completely destroyed and crews say the total damage was estimated to be $75,000. No one hurt in this blaze but officials say two dogs died in the fire.
The Red Cross was called to help both families who lost items in the fire.
Fire officials say there are some tips to keep in mind when creating a fire escape plan:
- Know at least two ways out of every room, if possible.
- Practice your home fire drill at least twice a year with everyone in the household, including guests.
- Practice the escape during the day and at night.
- Make sure your home escape plan meets the needs of all your family members, including those with sensory or physical disabilities.
State Fire Marshal Tim Bean says closing doors can also help slow the spread of a fire. He says the closed door cuts off the oxygen which fuels a fire and reduces the amount of smoke that spreads to other rooms.
