Fire Prevention Week is scheduled for October 9 -15. The week will close out with firefighters hosting an open house at the Central Fire Station from 10 am until 2 pm on Saturday, October 14th. Fire personnel will be providing safety tips related to this year’s national theme, Every Second Counts-Plan 2 Ways Out, throughout the week of October 8th thru 14th. “This year’s fire theme is so important in the way it reinforces why every family needs an escape plan. Each room of the family home needs two ways out,” says Assistant Fire Chief Jack Spurgeon.
During October’s open house, home safety literature will be distributed to visitors, and firefighters will demonstrate equipment and present fire safety information. The department’s popular public education robot, “Patches and Pumper,” and Blaze the Fire Dog will be on hand to interact with visitors of all ages. Also, Wellmont One air-transport unit will be on display, and the crew will be available for demonstrations and questions from 10 am until 12 noon. This schedule is based on Wellmont One’s on-call status. There will also be refreshments, as well as fire helmets and badges for the kids.
In addition to the numerous activities taking place during Fire Prevention Week, Fire Department personnel will be discussing the need for smoke alarms and steps that can be taken to be fire-safe in their homes as well as the importance of working smoke alarms. “Too often, that talk takes place after a damaging or a fatal fire. Smoke alarms are required to be replaced at least every 10 years, but because the people are generally unaware of this requirement, many homes have smoke alarms past their expiration date, putting people at increased risk,” continued Spurgeon.
Bristol firefighters will spend Fire Prevention Week educating the public on the value and importance of preventing fires, in particular, the need for a fire evacuation plan that includes two ways out of every room in a home, as well as, the importance and proper placement of smoke alarms.
The Central Fire Station is located at 211 Bluff City Highway, and the department encourages the public to come by and meet their firefighters and learn about fire safety.
For more information contact Jack Spurgeon via email at [email protected] or call 423-989-5701.
