The City of Welland Fire and Emergency Services is teaming up with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) to promote this year’s Fire Prevention Week (FPW) campaign, ‘Fire won’t wait. Plan your escape.’, from October 9 to 15. This is the 100-year anniversary of Fire Prevention Week.

According to NFPA data, home — the place people feel safest from fire — is where they are at most significant risk. If a home fire occurs, it’s more likely to be serious; people are more likely to die in a home fire today than in 1980.

“It may sound simple, but having a fire escape plan, even drawn out on a piece of paper, could mean the difference between getting out safely or significant injury,” said Adam Eckhart, WFES fire chief. “There is no greater tool than being prepared in the case of an emergency, and we urge everyone to develop and practice their home fire escape plan.”

The fire and emergency services department reminds residents to:

• Develop and practice a home fire escape plan.
• Sit down with everyone in your home and discuss how each person will get out in a fire. Practice your escape plan with everyone in the home.
• Know two ways out of each room, if possible. Make sure all doors and windows leading outside open easily.
• Help those who need it. Determine who will be responsible for helping young children, older adults, people with disabilities, or anyone else needing assistance.
• Have a meeting place outside, a safe distance from your home. In case of a fire, everyone should go directly to this meeting place to be accounted for.
• Close doors behind you as you leave.
• Get out, stay out. When the smoke alarms sound, get out immediately and call 911 from outside using a cell phone or from a neighbour’s home. Never re-enter a burning building.

City of Welland firefighters will have a booth set up at Rona off Woodlawn Avenue on Oct. 9 and 15 from 9 a.m. to noon, where people can learn more about FPW. Additionally, firefighters will be visiting homes throughout the city to alert residents about fire safety, observing fire drills at Welland schools, and launching a week-long social media campaign.