Tragic Rowhouse Fire In Washington, DC Provides A Grim Reminder On The Need For Family Fire Preparedness

Yesterday's tragic rowhouse fire in Northwest Washington, DC that resulted in the deaths of two people is another very important reminder of the dangers associated with residential fires and why you must be prepared and have a fire safety and emergency escape plan for you and all members of your family BEFORE disaster strikes.

Did you know that home fires are the single most common disaster throughout the United States?

According to the National Fire Protection Association, a home fire is reported in America every 79 seconds and someone dies from a home fire every 135 minutes. The U.S. Fire Administration reports in a typical year 20,000 people are injured in home fires.

Approximately 70 percent of home fire deaths occur from fires in residences with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms. Cooking fires lead the pack as the major cause of home fires followed by heating fires.

Back on May 2, 2007, Fire Chief Dennis Rubin from the Washington, DC Fire & EMS Department visited my Code Red! radio show dedicated to personal security, safety and emergency preparedness to offer some powerful suggestions regarding fire safety and fire escape planning. To hear Chief Rubin's live radio interview visit: http://www.theurltool.com/?2296 and click on the MP3 play button for the May 2, 2007 Code Red! broadcast. The interview can be downloaded to your computer and burned to an audio CD for future reference.

Sadly, according to the American Red Cross, only 26 percent of families have actually developed and practiced a home fire escape plan which could be critical to your family's survival when a fire occurs at home.

The good news is most fires and fire related deaths and injuries CAN BE PREVENTED if you'll take the time to prepare you and your family BEFORE disaster strikes! The American Red Cross has prepared some important fire safety tips. Check out their information at:
http://www.theurltool.com/?2285

Til Next Time...

Stay Safe!

Alfred McComber
[al]@personalsecuritybulletin.com