ROCKLAND – Today’s home fires burn faster than ever. In a typical home fire, you may have as little as one to two minutes to escape safely from the time the smoke alarm sounds. Knowing how to use that time wisely takes planning and practice.

The Rockland Fire and EMS Department is teaming up with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) the official sponsor of Fire Prevention Week™ for more than 90 years to promote this year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign, “Look. Listen. Learn. Be aware. Fire can happen anywhere™,” which works to educate the public about basic but essential ways to quickly and safely escape a home fire.

NFPA statistics show that the number of U.S. home fires has been steadily declining over the past few decades. However, the death rate per 1000 home fires that are reported to fire departments was 10 percent higher in 2016 than in 1980, according to a news release.

“These numbers show that while we’ve made significant progress in teaching people how to prevent fires from happening, there’s still much more work to do in terms of educating the public about how to protect themselves in the event of one,” said Lorraine Carli, NFPA’s vice president of Outreach and Advocacy, in the release. “This is particularly critical given the increased speed at which today’s home fires grow and spread.”

Carli also notes that although people feel safest in their home, it is also the place people are at greatest risk to fire, with four out of five U.S. fire deaths occurring at home. That over-confidence contributes to a complacency toward home escape planning and practice.

“Working in the fire service for many years, we know that people often make choices in fire situation that jeopardize their safety or even cost them their lives,” said Lieutenant Patrick Lowe o,f the Rockland Fire and EMS Department, in the release. “We need to do a better job of teaching people about the potentially life-saving difference escape planning and practice can make and motivating them to action.”

Lieutenant Lowe says this year’s “Look. Listen. Learn.” campaign highlights three steps people can take to help quickly and safely escape a fire:

 Look for places fire could start.
 Listen for the sound of the smoke alarm.
 Learn two ways out of every room.

While NFPA and the Rockland Fire and EMS Department are focusing on home fires, these fire safety messages apply to virtually anywhere.

“Situational awareness is a skill people need to use wherever they go,” said Lieutenant Lowe. “No matter where you are, look for available exits. If the alarm system sounds, take it seriously and exit the building immediately.”

Every year during Fire Prevention week we visit many of the schools and day care facilities educating children about fire safety. In addition to this the Rockland Fire and EMS Department is hosting an open house beginning at 10 a.m. October 13 at the Fire Station (118 Park St).

For more information about Fire Prevention Week and home escape planning, visit www.firepreventionweek.org.