Just before 1 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 15, the Jefferson City Fire Department responded to a report of a structure fire on Boss Terrace Drive. Upon arrival, the first fire company reported fire on the first floor with heavy smoke coming from the front door.
Fire crews immediately entered the residence and extinguished a fire in the kitchen. The fire was under control in less than 10 minutes. The home sustained fire damage to the kitchen and smoke damage throughout, but it could have been much worse.
The occupant reported she was asleep on the second floor of her home and woke to the sound of the smoke detectors alarming. She was able to confirm that there was a fire on the first floor and then safely exited with her three children. We respond to dozens of calls just like this every year.
Now, if I asked you where the smoke alarms are in your home, could you tell me? Like many people, you may not know where they have been installed. However, location matters when it comes to smoke alarms.
Smoke alarms should be installed inside each bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement.
Working smoke alarms are a critical fire-safety tool that can mean the difference between life and death in a home fire.
According to the nonprofit National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), smoke alarms can cut the chance of dying in a home fire in half.
Meanwhile, NFPA data shows that home fires killed 2,755 people in 2013 - an average of eight people every day that year. Many of these deaths could have been prevented with proper smoke alarm usage.
As a member of the fire service for almost 20 years, I have personally seen the devastating effects of fire - from burn injuries to the loss of homes and possessions. Witnessing a family's agony after a loved one has been killed in a fire is much worse. It is truly heartbreaking.
As the official sponsor of this year's Fire Prevention Week from Oct. 4-10, the NFPA is promoting "Hear the Beep Where You Sleep. Every Bedroom Needs a Working Smoke Alarm!" In support of these efforts, the Jefferson City Fire Department will be hosting local campaign activities throughout the month.
Here are additional smoke alarm tips to follow:
• Interconnect all smoke alarms throughout the home. When one sounds, they all sound.
• Test alarms each month by pushing the test button.
• Replace all smoke alarms, including alarms that use 10-year batteries and hard-wired alarms, when they are 10 years old or sooner if they do not respond properly.
• Make sure everyone in the home knows the sound and understands what to do when they hear the smoke alarm.
• If the smoke alarm sounds, get outside and stay outside.
• Go to your outside meeting place. Call the fire department from outside the home.
To learn more about the "Working Smoke Alarms Save Lives: Test Yours Every Month!" campaign, visit www.firepreventionweek.org, www.sparky.org/fpw, and www.jeffersoncitymo.gov.
Matthew D. Schofield, Jefferson City fire chief, can be reached at 573-634-6401 or via email at [email protected]