Broken Arrow Fire Dept. Educating People On Fire Safety

It's national fire prevention week and firefighters are using this week to educate everyone on best practices to avoid a fire.

Firefighters are using this year's fire prevention week theme of “fire won't wait. Plan your escape” to stress the importance of being prepared before there's a fire.

"Every year the nation as a whole celebrates fire prevention week and what we're trying to do during this week is give tips, helpful reminders to the citizens on fire safety," Reid said.

Broken Arrow Fire Department Deputy Chief Phillip Reid says the number one thing to protect your family is to have working smoke detectors.

"People have less time to get out of their house than they did 20 or 30 years ago, so it is of the utmost importance that you are alerted immediately and able to get out of the house," Reid said.

The National Fire Protection Association says 60 percent of home fire deaths are because there wasn't a working smoke detector.

Reid also stresses the importance of having a plan so your family knows what to do if there's a fire.

"Make sure you can account for everyone once they exit the residence or the apartment and that everyone is safe," Reid said.

THE NFPA says those who planned and practiced a home fire escape plan are more likely to survive a fire. Chief Reid says you should also be cautious of burning candles, be sure to not leave food unattended while cooking, and don't overload electrical outlets with plug-ins.

If you don't have a working smoke detector, you can contact the broken arrow fire department for a free one.