[Press Release] : Install. Inspect. Protect. Fire Safety Campaign unveiled by United States Fire Administration and supported by the Columbia Fire Department

[Press Releases]

Columbia, MO– On average almost 3,000 people die in home fires each
year in the United States; most of whom are in homes without a working
smoke alarm. To prevent these deaths, the U.S. Fire Administration
(USFA), a division of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is
sponsoring a nationwide Install. Inspect. Protect. Campaign designed to
raise awareness about how working, properly installed smoke alarms can
lower a person’s chances of dying in a fire. The Columbia Fire
Department is supporting this critical effort to reduce injuries and the
loss of life.  
 
The USFA’s Install. Inspect. Protect.Campaign is aimed at encouraging
Americans to practice fire safety by installing and maintaining smoke
alarms and residential fire sprinklers, which can help save the lives of
residents and fire fighters, practicing fire escape plans, and
performing a home safety walk-through to remove fire hazards from the
home.  The campaign is promoting fire safety through a free Campaign
Toolkit disc; educational materials; print, radio and television PSAs;
children’s materials, community organization-sponsored events and a
consumer-friendly campaign Web site. 
 
“The Columbia Fire Department is proud to be a partner with the USFA in
this very relevant campaign.  Far too many people have died or been
injured in fires as a result of not having working smoke alarms or
sprinklers. One person killed in a home fire is just too many,” said
Fire Chief William Markgraf.  “Together, we can educate our communities
and help save lives.” 
 
“If a fire breaks out in your home while you’re asleep, how will you
know?  Having a working smoke alarm is like having a fire safety
official on duty in your home, 24 hours a day.” said Deputy U.S. Fire
Administrator Glenn A.Gaines.  “Working smoke alarms will alert you to
the fire and we know conclusively, a residential sprinkler system can
help put the fire out.” Gaines adds, “Smoke alarms and sprinklers are
able to provide residents the time it takes to get everyone out of the
house, before firefighters have to come in.” 
 
When both smoke alarms and fire sprinklers are present in a home, the
risk of dying in a fire is reduced by 82 percent, when compared to a
residence without either.  According to the National Fire Protection
Association, between 2003-2006, almost two-thirds of home fire deaths
resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke
alarms. 
 
 
The USFA and the Columbia Fire Department offer a few helpful tips on
smoke alarms and sprinklers: 
o       Place properly installed and maintained smoke alarms both
inside and outside of sleeping areas and on every level of your home.
o       Interconnected smoke alarms are best, because if one sounds,
they all sound. 
o       Get smoke alarms that can sound fast.  The U.S. Fire
Administration recommends that every residence and place where people
sleep be equipped with both ionization and photoelectric smoke alarms or
dual sensor smoke alarms, which contain both ionization and
photoelectric smoke sensors.Inspect and test smoke alarms monthly and
change alkaline batteries at least once every year, or as instructed.
You can use a date you already know, like your birthday or when you
change your clocks as a reminder.

o       If possible, install residential fire sprinklers in your
home.Avoid painting or covering the fire sprinkler, because that
will affect the sensitivity to heat.

 
The Columbia Fire Department and the Columbia Professional Fire
Fighters Association can provide low income Columbia residents with free
smoke alarms or batteries for their smoke alarms. To receive a free
smoke alarm and have it installed, call the Columbia Fire Department at
573-874-7556. The smoke alarms are made possible by contributions to the
Share the Light program administered by the Office of Volunteer Services
and by the Columbia Professional Fire Fighters Association. 
 
Organizations in partnership with the U.S. Fire Administration’s
Install. Inspect. Protect. Campaign include the American Fire Sprinkler
Association, Burn Institute, Everyone Goes Home, Fire and Emergency
Manufacturers and Services Association, Fire Department Safety Officers
Association, Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition, Home Safety Council,
International Association of Black Professional Firefighters,
International Association of Fire Chiefs, International Association of
Women in Fire & Emergency Services, NASFM Fire Research and Education
Foundation, National Association of Hispanic Firefighters, National
Association of State Fire Marshals, National Fallen Firefighters
Foundation, National Fire Protection Association, National Fire
Sprinkler Association, National Volunteer Fire Council, and SAFE KIDS
Worldwide.
 
For more information on the Install. Inspect. Protect. Campaign and
other fire prevention information, please visit
www.usfa.dhs.gov/smokealarms. To learn more about the Columbia Fire
Departments local campaign activities, please feel free to contact the
Columbia Fire Department at 573-874-7556 or by visiting our web site at
www.GoColumbiaMo.com/Fire/
 
Install. Inspect. Protect. 
Smoke Alarms Save Lives
Smoke Alarms combined with Automatic Fire Sprinklers reduce your risk
of death by 82%