Fire prevention month kicks off Published Oct. 1, 2007 By Christopher Huges 96th Civil Engineer Squadron EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Fire safety is essential at home as well as in the work place for Air Force operational readiness. National Fire Prevention Week, 7-13 Oct 07, is intended to focus attention on the safety of loved ones and co-workers in the event of a fire. This year's theme is "It's Fire Prevention Week, Practice Your Escape Plan." No one knows teamwork better than Team Eglin; working together we can ensure the safety of all Team Eglin members and continue to make our homes and work places fire safe. In the latest studies (2005) conducted by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) the leading cause of home fires are cooking (which lead to the most fires and injuries), smoking (which leads to the most deaths), heating, electrical equipment and intentionally set fires. Home fires killed 3,050 people. That averaged out to roughly 8 people killed in home fires every day in 2005. There were also 13,300 fire injuries from home fires (not including firefighter injuries) reported by United States fire departments. Sixty-five percent of home-fire deaths occurred in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms. Now is the time to make sure you and your family members have a plan of escape if a fire should occur in your home. Draw a simple plan of your home showing all exits, including windows. Sit down with everyone in your home, talk about the two best ways to get out of each room, and mark those exits on your plan. Make sure all exits are clear. If you have security bars, make sure they have quick-release devices on the inside. Decide on a safe meeting place outside your home where everyone will gather after they have escaped a fire. Be sure everyone knows to dial 9-1-1 in case of a fire or emergency. Make sure everyone knows the sound of the fire alarm and when it sounds to get out and stay out. Please help me and the fire department spread the word that "IT'S FIRE PREVENTION WEEK, PRACTICE YOUR ESCAPE PLAN." FIRE PREVENTION WEEK ACTIVITIES OCTOBER 2007 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS Oct. 9: Welcome Personnel to Work at East Gate Firefighter Day at Cherokee Elementary Oct. 10: Welcome Personnel to West Gate Firefighter Day at Oak Hill Elementary Oct. 11: Welcome Personnel to Work ACC Gate Firefighter Day at the CDC Bldg 2579 Oct. 12: Firefighter Day at CDC Annex Firefighter Day at CDC Bldg. 2582