October is Fire Prevention Month which stems from National Fire Prevention Week. National Fire Prevention Week (October 7-13, 2012) was originally proclaimed by President Calvin Coolidge and commemorates the 1871 Great Chicago Fire. This fire burned from Sunday, October 8th through Tuesday, October 10th, 1871, killing hundreds and destroying around 3.3 square miles in Chicago, Illinois. It was considered one of the largest US disasters of the 19th Century.
Reports from the US Fire Administration state that fires kill more than 4,000 Americans each year and injure approximately 20,000 more. Although the month of October is focused on promoting fire safety and prevention, this should be practiced all year-long.
There are many things your clients can do to help improve the fire safety of their buildings.
- Check all smoke detectors on a regular basis to ensure they are working properly. If the smoke detectors are not hard-wired, be sure to check the batteries.
- Promote prevention of electrical fires – remind tenants not to overload circuits or extension cords, especially during the holiday season!
- Storage Areas – Keep storage areas neat and accessible and do not overload these areas.
- Keep all hallways clear of clutter and debris.
- Make sure all fire exit stair doors are self-closing and snap shut properly.
- Check all fire extinguishers to ensure they work.
- Make sure all apartment doors are fire-code compliant; self-closing and tight-fitting.
- Make sure all tenants know the escape routes for the building.
- Check all Fire Safety Sprinklers. When combined with working smoke alarms, fire sprinklers increase the chance of survival and help prevent the spread of fires.
Be sure to forward this blog on to your clients and remind them October is Fire Prevention Month. There is no better time for Fire Safety than now!
Sources: Wikipedia.org; NFPA.org
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