Fire Prevention Week to Feature a Home Fire Drill Day at the Quincy Mall

Home fires have proven to be one of the largest disaster threats facing American families today, resulting more than 8 in 10 fire-related deaths. To raise awareness about this issue and encourage families to be prepared, Safe Kids Adams County will be joining Central Fire Station, Safe Kids Worldwide, Nationwide’s Make Safe Happen program and other experts for a Home Fire Drill Day this Saturday. With this being National Fire Prevention Week, this free fire safety event will be held at the Quincy Mall from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

“Creating a fire escape plan with your family and practicing it is a smart thing for every family to do,” said Triena Dietrich, Safe Kids Adams County . “In the event of an emergency, a child could feel overwhelmed or worried. Practicing on Home Fire Drill Day can help teach your children how to be prepared in case of a home fire .”

“We are launching Home Fire Drill Day with our expert partners to encourage families across the country to take a pledge that they will practice home fire drills on October 15. We want every family member to know exactly what to do in the event of a home fire,” says Mike Boyd of Nationwide. “We all practice fire drills at work and children do the same at school – we should do them at home, as well, where fires are happening every day.”

This marks the first time that these organizations from the public and private sector are collaborating on this single, life-saving call to action. The group of partners are also working together to share simple tips and tools for families to use on this new observance day.

Home Fire Drill Day tips include:
 Pick a family safety spot outside that’s near your home and a safe distance away.
 Test your smoke alarms with your kids so they know what the beep sounds like.
 For children under six, assign an adult to help them.
 Use a timer to ensure everyone can get out to the safety spot in two minutes or less, this is how much time a family has to safely exit the house in the event of a fire.
 Prepare for the practice by drawing out a plan based on the exits around the home.

For more information about Home Fire Drill Day, visit www.homefiredrillday.com.