SANFORD, Fla. — The National Fire Protection Association’s Fire Prevention Week runs from now through Saturday with the theme “Learn the Sounds of Fire Safety.”
As part of National Fire Prevention Week, the Seminole County Fire Department’s Fire Prevention Team will visit several area preschools and daycares to teach kids this year’s theme.
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SCFD rolled their fire prevention trailer to Lakeside United Methodist Church Preschool Tuesday where the children got an opportunity to learn first-hand how to react to smoke alarms, how to escape a burning house, and how to avoid fires in general.
#FirePreventionWeek pic.twitter.com/MqMYO2JggL
— Seminole County Fire Department (SCFD) PIO Media (@scfdpio) October 5, 2021
Nearly 100 kids from the ages of 18 months to five years old participated.
“We let them know...don’t look for the animals, don’t pick up your toys. Get out of the house because time is of the essence,” Seminole County Fire Marshal Christina Diaz said.
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Diaz says it’s important for families to have a clear exit plan and designated meeting place in case of a fire. Working smoke alarms can also cut the risk of dying in a house fire by half.
“Make no mistake...home fires may not be as frequent as they were in the past...but when homes do catch fire, they burn much faster and deadlier than ever,” Diaz said.
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Diaz says that can be attributed to the amount of synthetic materials found in modern homes that tend to jumpstart fires and make them more intense.
“In fact, research shows that 30 years ago, you had about 17 minutes to escape a house fire,” Diaz said. “Today, it is only three to four minutes.”
Each year, the Red Cross responds to more than 60,000 disasters across the country, including home fires like this one in Seminole County. Thankfully, there were no injuries. For home fire prevention & safety tips, visit: https://t.co/fZlzQUU8WO#FirePreventionWeek #EndHomeFires https://t.co/jvJocqXuTa
— American Red Cross of Central Florida & USVI (@RedCrossCFL) October 5, 2021
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