While we don’t know all the details, this latest tragedy — occurring right on the heels of Fire Prevention Week 2010 — again reinforces the importance of proactive fire prevention and life safety education as our best method of protecting lives and property.
Despite a rapid response and immediately initiating search and rescue as the tactical priority, firefighters were unable to save the victims of this fatal fire.
Would working smoke alarms have changed the outcome? Probably.
How about working smoke alarms plus a planned and practiced exit strategy for the occupants? Even better.
All of our fire departments spend a great deal of time (and rightly so) preparing for situations where we can make the ultimate difference in someone’s life, by rescuing them from a hostile fire.
We can make an even bigger difference by renewing our commitment to proactive fire prevention and life safety education — including residential smoke alarms.
For more information on smoke alarms:
- Read the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) press release on a smoke alarm survey performed last month.
- And visit the United States Fire Administration Focus on Fire Safety: Smoke Alarms website.
