As Fire Fatalities Rise, Maple Grove Firefighters Urge Residents to Have Escape Plan
It’s National Fire Prevention Week that carries a theme of “Fire won’t wait. Plan your escape.”
The Maple Grove Fire Department has tips for keeping you and your family safe.
“Fatalities are up nationally this year. According to the NFPA, 2021 is the highest we’ve had in fatalities since 2005,” said Maple Grove fire Inspector Jeremy Berger.
Berger says people are at a greater risk of having a fire at home because that’s where they spend most of their time.
Maple Grove fire officials ask residents to have a home fire escape plan.
Berger offered up some tips on creating a home escape plan:
- Make sure you have working smoke alarms
- Two ways out of every room, especially bedrooms.
- Have a safe meeting spot outside the home
Experts also suggest people test their fire detectors once a month and replace the batteries yearly. And make sure to have one on every level of the home.
The Maple Grove Fire Department also highly recommends purchasing smoke alarms with a sealed 10-year battery. Smoke alarms with strobe lights are suitable for residents who are deaf or have difficulties hearing.
Being prepared could potentially save lives.
“People who don’t have working smoke alarms, people who don’t have a fire escape plan are much more likely to die in a fire,” said Berger.
Maple Grove residents can stop by the city hall or the community center to collect a home survey. The brochure has tips on developing an escape plan.
