We think about keeping burglaries out of our homes and that is a successful strategy. With fire, the threat may already be in the home. Of course, having and regularly maintaining smoke detectors can help save us in the event of a fire but wouldn't it make more sense to consciously take steps to avoid a fire in the first place?
 

 
Fire Safety Week is all week, Oct 4-10. Below are numerous resources to check to make your home safer for you and your family. A good starting point is the Home Fire Safety Checklist (link below). To prepare children, the USFA website for kids makes learning about fire safety fun, plus it is a good resource for teachers.
 
Winter is fast approaching. Forecasters are indicating this will be coldest winter of the past decade. We will be more likely to use our fireplaces and other types of heaters. A little precaution now can be much appreciated later. Besides just fire, being conscious of carbon monoxide threats can save lives too. (See Winter Fire Safety Tips below.)
 
Even if your precautions do not prove to be enough and you are awaken by your smoke detectors, what do you do? Do you know to test a door before opening it? Why do you not use your palm to test? Once advancing, do you leave the door open or closed? (See the "during a fire" link below.)
 
Many Garland neighborhoods will be celebrating National Night Out on Tuesday. These tips would be good to announce or to put in a future newsletter. Garland fire fighters will be at many of those neighborhood gatherings. After looking through the sources below, the fire fighters will be a great source to answer any questions you might have. Wouldn't it feel great to have some good questions instead of, "Will you blow the horn?" Okay, don't worry, they still might blow the horn for you.
 

From USA.gov

 
According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), each year more than 4,000 Americans die and more than 25,000 are injured in fires, many of which could be prevented. Direct property loss due to fires is estimated at $8.6 billion annually.
 
Fire spreads quickly; there is no time to gather valuables or make a phone call. In just two minutes, a fire can become life-threatening. In five minutes, a residence can be engulfed in flames. To ensure the safety of yourself and your family in the event of an emergency, you should learn what to do before a fire, during a fire, and after a fire.
 
There is a wealth of information regarding fire safety available from the federal government. Please visit the following online resources:

• Firesafety.gov - Resources and information geared toward eliminating residential fire deaths. This website includes fire safety information for citizens, kids, the fire service and the media.
• Smoking and Home Fires - A web page from the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) that provides information about preventing home fires caused by smoking.
• USFA Kids - This web page provides information especially for children. Kids can learn about home fire safety, smoke alarms and escaping from fire, as well as play a variety of online fire safety games.
• Fire Safety Publications - Online publications about fire safety from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), including a Home Fire Safety Checklist.
• Fire Safety Advisor - Information from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regarding fire safety in the workplace.
• Fire Safety Education - Recommendations from the California Division of Forestry and Fire Protection.
• Agricultural Fire Safety - This web page from the National Ag Safety Database (NASD) offers a large variety of topics about farm-related fire prevention and safety.
• Campfire Safety - Tips from the U.S. Forest Service about how to safely enjoy a campfire.

Additional Resources:

• Winter Fire Safety Tips
• Barbecue Safety Tips
• Fireworks Safety Tips
• Wildfires

Fire Prevention Week 2009 will be celebrated on October 4 through 10. The 2009 theme focuses on burn awareness and prevention, as well as keeping homes safe from the leading causes of home fires.