When the average citizen hears ‘fire prevention,’ they often think of Sparky, Smokey Bear and the week in October when firefighters visit school children.
To fire officials, however, fire safety education is vital, not a once a year event and must reach every generation.
In December, while many people were getting ready for Christmas, a group of firefighters, educators and other safety officers were addressing myths, misconceptions and misinformation about fire safety initiatives.
The report from the event, hosted by the National Fallen Firefighters’ Foundation, offers resources and information on a myriad of prevention issues.
“Today’s fire protection improvements can be attributed to behavioral changes, technological innovations and legislative advances. However, there is still much to be done in each of these areas to ensure that there is no further loss of life, either firefighter or civilian, due to fire…” according to NFFF Executive Director Ron Siarnicki.
After hearing about life safety programs in Arizona, Maryland, Iowa and Tennessee, attendees discussed topics such as smoke alarms, residential sprinklers, community risk reduction and building codes.
National Fire Sprinkler Association President Shane Ray told the group: “Quality of life is what every community seeks. Strong building and fire codes, along with planning and zoning, lead to quality growth that is safe for all members of the community….”
He continued: “My advice to communities committed to reducing civilian and firefighter injuries and fatalities is to be proactive. Bring all the stakeholders to the table for discussions and decisions related to community and economic development. Leading and living fire life safety requires that all of us must work together to make a difference. We can’t do that by just maintaining the status quo. We need to focus on a future that places less of a burden in the community, while protecting property and saving lives…”
Here’s a brief snapshot of the groups’ findings:
Smoke alarms:
“Do I really need to put smoke alarms in my home? And, do I really need them in every bedroom?
Fact: According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), more than one-third (37%) of home fire deaths result from fires in homes without smoke alarms. The risk of dying in a fire is cut in half in homes with working smoke alarms. Since more than 50% of all fire fatalities occur between 11:00 PM and 7:00 AM, it is crucial to have smoke alarms inside every bedroom and outside of every sleeping area on every level of your home.
2. “It’s confusing to know when I need to replace them…so I just don’t worry about it.”
Fact: Replace a smoke alarm when it is 10-years old or older, or if it no longer sounds when tested. To check the age of your smoke alarm, look for the manufacturer’s stamped or printed date on the back of the smoke alarm. If in doubt, err on the side of caution and replace it. There are 10-year smoke alarms available powered by sealed lithium batteries. These batteries do not need to be changed for up to 10 years. Remember that all smoke alarms should be tested every month.
Residential Sprinklers:
“Residential sprinklers are so expensive to install.”
Fact: The cost of residential sprinklers varies across the country. The general estimate is that the cost of residential sprinklers is about $1.35 per square foot. They typically cost 1 to 1 ½ percent of the total building price. (Source: NFPA and USFA)
“I’ve heard that residential sprinklers can be activated accidently and they sometimes leak.”
Fact: Leaks in residential sprinklers are rare because they are only activated when a heat change is significant. The sprinkler is not going to be activated because of burnt bacon or steam from a shower. They will activate when needed to protect you and your family from fire. The likelihood of a sprinkler discharging accidently due to a manufacturing defect is only 1 in 16 million sprinklers per year. (Source: National Fire Sprinkler Association)
Community Risk Reduction:
“I’m just a firefighter. Community risk reduction is a job for fire prevention staff. I’ve got enough to do.”
Fact: From day one of recruit school, every firefighter is engaged in community risk reduction. Instilling this during recruit school and reinforcing this throughout one’s career is the guideline to success. There is a myth that says that some firefighters don’t like to participate in fire prevention activities because it will “put them out of business.” This is a fallacy. The business of firefighting IS fire prevention and community risk reduction. There are many variations of the firefighter oath or pledge. However, the basic premise of all firefighter oaths is “service before self.” Every interaction with the public should be viewed as a “teachable moment,” and an opportunity to educate the local citizenry about how to keep themselves safe
“Community risk reduction is all about smoke alarms, right?”
Fact: Community risk reduction is about smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, fire sprinklers, codes, fire safety education, working with policy makers and community leaders and so much more. Community risk reduction is a very visible and powerful part of how a fire department serves its community. A holistic approach to community risk reduction will always be the most effective, because it uses multiple approaches to reduce the incidence and severity of fire, and thus the likelihood of death or injury to both the public and fire service personnel.
Building Codes:
“Only the fire marshal’s office in a fire department needs to know about codes so they can enforce them. I’m a line firefighter. What do I need to know about codes?”
Fact: Traditionally, fire department personnel involved in code enforcement were the only ones who were knowledgeable about codes. But in today’s fire department, it is becoming increasingly more important for all members of the department to have a general awareness of codes and code-related issues. This strengthens the department’s overall ability to serve within a community. Operational firefighters and company officers are regularly running medical calls and conducting pre-planning drills or other daily activities in their communities. If they know and understand building codes they can alert others, and will be prepared to act proactively to correct issues before they become problems.
“Do building codes have anything to do with firefighter safety?
Fact: All stakeholders can agree that the safety of citizens is paramount. From that basic premise, it is important to keep the dialogue open regarding how best to collaboratively accomplish this. Increasing communication and building relationships is the pathway to understanding each other’s points of view and thus enabling negotiation. An excellent example of this is adoption of sprinkler legislation in Scottsdale, Arizona, described on page 6 of this report. By understanding the economics of code adoption, the city was able to provide design changes to developers to offset these financial impacts and ensure the passing of sprinkler legislation.
