Fire Prevention Week

Key West Mayor Craig Cates and Commissioner Billy Wardlow, during this week’s City Commission meeting, proclaimed October 8-14 Fire Prevention Week.

The City is “committed to ensuring the safety and security of all those living in and visiting Key West,” reads the proclamation, and dedicated to reducing the occurrence of home fires through prevention and protection education.

This year’s theme is “Every Second Counts: Plan 2 Ways Out” effectively serves to educate the public about the vital importance of developing a home fire escape plan with all members of the household and practicing it twice a year.

In the most recent national statistics, collected by the National Fire Protection Association, U.S. fire departments responded to 369,500 home fires in 2015, which resulted in 2,560 civilian deaths.

“Many of today’s products and furnishings produce toxic gases and smoke when burned, making it impossible to see and breathe within moments,” according to the proclamation. “A home fire escape plan includes two exits from every room in the home; a path to the outside from each exit; smoke alarms in all required locations; and a meeting place outside where everyone in the home will meet upon exiting.”

Fire Marshal Alan Averette noted that the Key West Fire Department considers all of the month of October as Fire Prevention month by reaching out to school children and the community with educational visits.

Finally, he noted, that smoke alarms are a vital part of protection.

“Smoke alarms save lives,” said Averette.

In the photo: Key West Fire Chief Michael Davila, Fire Marshal Alan Averette, Mayor Craig Cates, Commissioner and retired Fire Chief Billy Wardlow, Operations Chief Danny Blanco, and EMS Chief Eddie Perez.

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