Fire Prevention Week: Protect your family by practicing home fire escape plan, testing smoke alarms

During Fire Prevention Week (Oct. 5-11), the American Red Cross of Western Colorado reminds everyone of the dangers of home fires, which claim seven lives every day in the U.S.

To help protect your household, test your smoke alarms each month and practice your escape plan until everyone can get out in less than two minutes.

“Home fires can occur any time, any place,” said Christie Caster, executive director of the Red Cross of Western Colorado. “The sooner an alarm alerts you to a fire, the sooner you can get out. This is critical because fire experts say you may have less than two minutes to escape a burning home before it’s too late.”

Tips for creating your home fire escape plan and practicing your two-minute drill:

• Everyone in your household should know two ways to escape from each room in your home.
• Smoke is dangerous. Get low and go.
• Decide where to meet once you get outside. Select a meeting spot at a safe distance away from your home, such as a neighbor’s home or landmark like a specific tree in your front yard, where everyone knows to meet.
• Get out and stay out. Never go back inside for people, pets or things.
• If a fire starts, you may have less than two minutes to get to safety. Time your fire drill and find out: what’s your escape time?
• While practicing your escape plan, teach children what a smoke alarm sounds like. Talk about fire safety and what to do in an emergency.

Smoke alarm safety:

• Place smoke alarms on each level of your home, including inside and outside bedrooms and sleeping areas.
• In addition to testing your alarms once a month, change the batteries at least once a year, if your model requires it.
• Also check the manufacturer’s date of your smoke alarms. If they’re 10 years or older, they need to be replaced because the sensor becomes less sensitive over time. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

Local Red Cross Disaster Action Team volunteers provide emotional support, financial assistance and information to help families begin the process of recovery. Most of the 65,000 emergencies that the Red Cross responds to each year are home fires. So far this year alone, local Red Cross Disaster Action teams have responded to 60 home fires. Additionally, 173 smoke alarms have been installed so far in 2025 as part of the Red Cross of Western Colorado's Home Fire Campaign.

For emergencies like home fires, our volunteers provide comfort during what can be the worst days of people’s lives. Learn how you can volunteer for our Disaster Action Team at redcross.org/DAT.

• Donate: Thanks to donations, our services are free and available for all those in need. Help families prepare for, respond to and recover from home fires by giving at SoundTheAlarm.org or texting the word HOMEFIRE to 90999 to make a $10 donation.