2000 National Fire Prevention Week Is October 8-14; Knowing Fire Safety Can Save Your Life!

Business Editors, Feature Writers

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 5, 2000

This year 4,000 Americans will die in home fires. Another 30,000 will suffer life-threatening injuries.

Fire strikes fast. In just thirty seconds, a spark from a discarded cigarette can become an uncontrollable flame. In three minutes, a room can flashover, becoming so hot that it spontaneously explodes.

"Knowing what to do in a home fire can save your life," says Dan Gengler, a spokesperson for the the National Fire Sprinkler Association and a retired Deputy Fire Chief of the Milwaukee Fire Department. "Begin by installing proven lifesavers like smoke alarms, escape ladders and a fire extinguisher."

According to Gengler, more than 60,000 homeowners in the United States have taken fire safety to the next level by installing automatic fire sprinkler systems. Sprinklers improve the odds of surviving a home fire by over ninety-percent. In Illinois, fire sprinklers are required in all new single-family homes built in Long Grove, Hoffman Estates, Barrington, Clarendon Hills and Wheeling.

"The idea of sprinklers in a home is a new one to many homeowners, just as smoke detectors were twenty years ago," Gengler notes. "But for less than the cost of adding a fireplace or wall-to-wall carpeting to a new home, sprinklers will provide the best defense against fire possible for your family and home."

Gengler offers these lifesaving tips to share with your family and friends:

EVACUATE FIRST, INVESTIGATE LATER. A fire escape plan should be in place already, including a predetermined outside meeting place. Always have an alternative means of escape in case your route is blocked, and equip windows with fire escape ladders. If a family member is unaccounted for, do not attempt to go in after them. Many deaths occur when an untrained person reenters a burning building. Instead, wait for the fire department to rescue the missing person.

IF YOU AWAKEN TO SMOKE, DON'T SIT UP -- GET LOW AND GO. Room temperatures in a fire rise to as high as 600 degrees F at eye level, 1,000 degrees F along the ceiling. Inhaling this air can scorch your lungs, so don't sit up in bed if you wake up to smoke and fire. Roll out of bed and crawl along the floor where temperatures only reach about 90 degrees F.

BEWARE OF SMOKE. Poisonous smoke and toxic gases kill. Again, it is recommended you crawl along the floor because smoke and hot air rise to the ceiling. Try to cover your nose and mouth to filter out the smoke.

FEEL THE DOORKNOB BEFORE OPENING THE DOOR. Often the metal of the doorknob conducts heat more truthfully than a wooden door. This will help you determine the proximity of the fire. Should you open the door, brace yourself against it, preventing it from swinging open and sending a sudden rush of air to the oxygen-hungry fire. When escaping, close as many doors behind you as you can to prevent fire from spreading. If you can't leave the room, close the door immediately and seal the cracks in the doorway with sheets and pillow cases to block smoke and toxic gases. If you can't escape through your window because of height, wave bedspreads or a flashlight and yell to alert bystanders and firefighters as to your whereabouts. You should keep a flashlight in every room of your house.

DON'T FIGHT A FIRE ALONE. Many people keep fire extinguishers handy in case of small fires. While this is a good idea, some people may try to fight fires that are too big to be controlled. If you have any doubt about your ability to fight a fire, get out. Too many people die needlessly attempting to fight fires that should be left to the trained\professionals.

STOP, DROP & ROLL. If clothing catches on fire, immediately follow these rules: Stop. Drop to the ground. And roll to smother the flames. This method is extremely effective and dramatically reduces the severity of burn injuries.

KNOW FIRST-AID AND EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS. Emergency phone numbers may differ from one community to the next -- 911 is not always the number to call. Learn the emergency phone numbers where you live and keep them posted next to the phone. Also, acquaint yourself with basic first-aid treatment. Immediate actions often have a positive healing impact on an injury.

Established in 1905, NFSA is a trade association comprised of installers and manufacturers of fire sprinklers and related equipment and services.