Recognition of Fire Prevention month

In recognition of October as Fire Prevention Month, the Jasper Fire Marshal's office is asking people to take one step at a time each week toward improving safety at home, work and school.

Fire Marshal Stephen Williamson has also scheduled Few Elementary students to visit the fire department for safety drills.

For the week of Oct. 1-6, Williamson advises, "Make an escape plan." That includes at least two escape routes from each room (windows count), and a meeting place outside so that everyone is accounted for.

The meeting place could be a neighbor's house, a mail box, anywhere that is a safe distance to make sure everyone escaped.

Oct. 7-13, Williamson says, "Practice an escape plan." That includes all family members walking through the "escape" and meeting outside.

"Households with children should consider drawing a floor plan, marking the exit ways out of each room," Williamson said.

Oct. 14-20 is "replace smoke detector batteries," or install smoke detectors at least in every sleeping room and every level of the house.

Smoke detectors should be replaced at least every 10 years because the sensors degrade.

Oct. 21-27 is "check to make sure street numbers are visible" from the roadway, or install street numbers. Numbers need to be at least four inches high and in contrast with their background.

"House numbers can save lives in an emergency," according to Williamson.

Oct. 28-31 is the week to practice an alternate escape plan. Surveys show that most people overestimate how long they have to escape a fire; it may be as little as two minutes.

"Closing doors on your way out slows the spread of fire, giving you more time to safely escape," Williamson said.

Fire Prevention Week is celebrated nationally in commemoration of the Great Chicago Fire that killed more than 250 people and left 100,000 homeless Oct. 9, 1871, but it wasn't the only blaze that week.

The Peshtigo Fire was the most devastating forest fire in American history. It wiped out 16 towns in Wisconsin, killed 1,152 people and scorched 1.2 million acres.

According to the National Archives, Fire Prevention Week is the longest running public health and safety observance on record.