October 4-10 is National Fire Prevention Week
Date:
10/05/2009Summary:
Mayor Lawrence K. Nelson has proclaimed the week of October 4-10, 2009 as “Fire Prevention Week” in the City of Yuma.Contact:
Mayor Lawrence K. Nelson has proclaimed the week of October 4-10, 2009 as “Fire Prevention Week” in the City of Yuma.
The first national recognition of a Fire Prevention Day came in 1911 on the 40th anniversary of “The Great Chicago Fire”. That fire occurred on October 9, 1871. At least 250 people died, 100,000 were left homeless, more than 17,000 structures and 2000 acres burned in only 27 hours! Popular legend has it that the fire was started by a lantern kicked over by “Mrs. O’Leary’s cow”. Less known to history is “The Great Peshtigo Fire” raging that same day in neighboring Wisconsin. That fire would burn 2,400 square miles, killing between 1,200 and 2,400 people, and completely destroying the town of Peshtigo, Wisconsin.
That week in October would long be remembered for its tragic losses in life and property. In 1925 President Calvin Coolidge proclaimed the first National Fire Prevention Week. 84 years later, our country has grown tremendously and great efforts have been made to protect and preserve life and property, but thousands still die in fires every year in the United States. In 2008, U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated 1,451,500 fires. These fires resulted in 3,320 civilian fire fatalities. There was a civilian fire death every 158 minutes and a civilian fire injury every 31 minutes.
This year’s Fire Prevention Week theme is “Stay Fire Smart-Don’t Get burned!”
The most common types of burn injuries result from fire or flame burns, scalds and contact burns. Burns are painful and can result in serious scarring and even death. Most of these injuries are entirely preventable. We can do something about keeping our homes safe from fire and preventing devastating burn injuries.
By following simple safety rules, you can “Stay Fire Smart! Don’t Get Burned!”
- Keep hot foods and liquids away from tables and counter edges so they cannot be pulled or knocked over.
- Have a 3-foot “kid-free” zone around the stove.
- Never hold a child in your arms while preparing hot food or drinking a hot beverage.
- Be careful when using things that get hot such as curling irons, oven, irons, lamps, heaters.
- Install tamper-resistant receptacles to prevent a child from sticking an object in the outlet.
- Never leave a child alone in a room with a lit candle, portable heater, lit fireplace or stove, or where a hot appliance might be in use.
- Keep matches, lighters, and other fire starting tools, secured from children and teach your children never to play with fire.
- Wear short or close-fitting sleeves when cooking.
- Set your hot water temperature no higher than 120 degrees.
For more information, or to schedule a fire prevention presentation for your group or school, contact the Yuma Fire Department at 373-4855.
