The second week of October is recognized annually as National Fire Prevention Week. Because Frisco takes fire prevention seriously, we dedicate the entire month of October as Fire Prevention Month in Frisco. To assist firefighters in their efforts, each October the Frisco Fire Clowns visit all Frisco ISD elementary schools to 'clown around' with the kiddos and provide important safety messages to students.
Using fun and lively skits, the Frisco Fire Clowns show students the importance of preventing fires, planning fire escape routes in their homes, testing their smoke detectors and other safety messages.
While the Frisco fire clowns make children of all ages laugh, their key messages are serious. According to the National Association of Fire Protection (NFPA) someone is fatally injured in a home fire every 170 minutes in the United States. By promoting safety education, the children of Frisco are provided with the tools and training they need to make sure they and their families are not included in that statistic.
For 2008, the National Fire Protection Association has directed their fire prevention efforts at targeting those fires that start in the home.
A pot holder too close to a lit burner on the stove or a burning ember escaping from a fireplace could be all it takes to start a home fire. In fact, cooking and heating are among the leading causes of home fires in the United States, according to the NFPA.
Many of the fires that occur inside homes are easily preventable. Taking the time to look around your home and identify potential safety issues is half the battle. Check out the Home Fire Inspection Checklist that families can review together to identify possible fire safety issues. As well, below are a few basic actions you can take that will help to decrease the odds of a fire in your home:
Appliances: Do not operate the clothes dryer without a lint filter. Clean lint filters before or after each use and remove accumulated lint from around the drum. Turn off the dryer before leaving your home.
Candles: Keep candles at least 12” away from anything that can burn. Avoid using candles in bedrooms or sleeping areas. Extinguish candles when you leave a room, being careful not to splatter wax when doing so. As a safer alternative, consider using battery-operated flameless candles.
Cooking: Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, or broiling food. If you leave the kitchen for even a short period time, turn off the stove.
Electrical: Replace cracked and damaged electrical cords; use extension cords for temporary wiring only. Consider having additional circuits or receptacles added by a qualified electrician.
Heating: Keep all things that can burn, such as paper, bedding or furniture, at least 3 feet away from any type of heating equipment such as a space heater or fireplace.
For even more in-depth safety tips, look over these downloadable Fact Sheets which go into more detail about each type of fire and how to best prevent them.
Appliance Safety Fact Sheet
Candle Safety Fact Sheet
Cooking Safety Fact Sheet
Electrical Safety Fact Sheet
Heating Safety Fact Sheet
Smoke Alarm Information Sheet