JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO, Texas –
Joint Base San Antonio Fire and Emergency Services are teaming up with the National Fire Protection Association, or NFPA, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Fire Prevention Week from Oct. 9-15, 2022.
This year’s FPW campaign theme is “Fire won’t wait. Plan your escape.” The campaign works to educate everyone about simple but important actions they can take to keep themselves and those around them safe from home fires.
“Today’s homes burn faster than ever. You may have as little as two minutes, or even less, to safely escape a home fire from the time the smoke alarm sounds,” said Lorraine Carli, NFPA vice president of outreach and advocacy. “Your ability to get out of a home during a fire depends on an early warning from smoke alarms and advance planning.”
JBSA Fire and Emergency Services encourage all residents to embrace the 2022 Fire Prevention Week theme.
“It’s important for everyone to plan and practice a home fire escape. Everyone needs to be prepared in advance so that they know what to do when the smoke alarm sounds. Given that every home is different, every home fire escape plan will also be different,” said Assistant Fire Chief for Fire Prevention Darrin S. Tannert. “Have a plan for everyone in the home. Children, older adults, and people with disabilities may need assistance to wake up and get out. Make sure that someone will help them!”
JBSA F&ES is sharing these key home fire escape planning tips:
- Make sure your plan meets the needs of all your family members, including those with sensory or physical disabilities.
- Smoke alarms should be installed inside every sleeping room, outside each separate sleeping area, and on every level of your home. Smoke alarms should be interconnected so that when one sounds, they all sound.
- Know at least two ways out of every room, if possible. Make sure all doors and windows open easily.
- Have an outside meeting place at a safe distance from your home where everyone should meet.
- Practice your home fire drill at least twice a year with everyone in the household, including guests. Practice at least once during the day and at night.
JBSA F&ES is hosting a series of events in support of this year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign at all three JBSA locations (JBSA-Fort Sam Houston, JBSA-Lackland and JBSA-Randolph) including appearances throughout the week by “Sparky the Fire Dog” at all child development centers, youth centers, Exchanges, commissaries and all installation elementary schools.
To find out more about Fire Prevention Week programs and activities at JBSA-Fort Sam Houston, Lackland and Randolph, contact JBSA Fire and Emergency services at their respective locations for JBSA-Fort Sam Houston at 210-221-2772, at JBSA-Lackland at 210-671-2046 and at JBSA-Randolph at 210-652-6915. For more information about Fire Prevention Week and Fire Prevention in general, visit www.fpw.org.