Fire Department gives Fire Prevention Week pointers

BY Dawn Rankins

The Canyon Lake Fire Department teamed up with the National Fire Protection Association to celebrate the 100 year anniversary of Fire Prevention Week which ends tomorrow.

The Canyon Lake Fire Department wants to remind all residents, “Fire Won’t Wait. Plan Your Escape.”

That Fire Prevention Week Campaign attempts to educate everyone about simple, but important actions they can take to keep themselves and others around them safe from home fires, according to the fire department’s Bailey Ward.

In the event of a home fire, occupants may have as little as two minutes, or less to safely escape after the smoke detector sounds. A person’s ability to get out of a home during a fire depends on early warning from smoke detectors and advanced planning.

Bailey said the Canyon Lake Fire Department wants to share these key home fire escape planning tips:

Make sure the plan meets the needs of all family members, including those with sensory or physical disabilities.

Smoke detectors should be installed inside every sleeping room, outside each separate sleeping area and on every level of the home.

Smoke detectors should be interconnected so when one sounds, they all sound.

Check smoke detectors monthly to ensure they are in proper working condition. If a smoke detector is more than 10 years old, replace the whole unit. Replace each smoke alarm‘s batteries every six months.

Know at least two ways out of every room, if possible, and make sure all doors and windows open easily.

Have an outside meeting place that is a safe distance away from the home where everyone should meet.

Practice the home fire drill at least twice a year with everyone in the household, including guests. Practice at least once during the day and once at night.

“It is important for everyone to plan and practice a home fire escape,” Bailey said. “Everyone needs to be prepared in advance, so they know what to do when the smoke detector sounds. Every home is different, so every home fire escape plan is different.”

Families should have a plan for everyone in the home. Children and older adults and those with disabilities may need assistance to wake up and exit the home.

In support of National Fire Prevention Week, the Canyon Lake Fire Department has participated in a series of fire safety and prevention events, including presenting fire extinguisher safety at the Canyon Lake Emergency Preparedness Committee’s monthly meeting.

The Canyon Lake Fire Department read “The Story of Sparky the Fire Safety Dog” at story time at the Canyon Lake Library.

To find out more about Fire Safety and Prevention, contact the Canyon Lake Fire Department at 951-335-9414 or at fire@canyonlakeca.gov.

For more general information, about Fire Prevention Week, visit, www.fpw.org or www.sparky.org.

Canyon Lake Fire Department personnel demonstrate fire safety in the parking lot outside of City Hall in the Canyon Lake Town Center. Photo provided by Bailey Ward.

The canyon lake fire department makes a presentation on fire extinguisher safety at the canyon lake emergency preparedness committee monthly meeting. Photo provided by Bailey Ward.