Three Agencies Team Up for Fire Prevention

Two Red Cross members passed out fliers on fire safety. Photo by Janelle Floyd

By Janelle Floyd
Senior Outlook Writer

The Tallahassee Fire Department, State Fire Marshal’s Office and the Capital Area Chapter of the Red Cross are reminding residents how to stay safe in a fire emergency.
Throughout the week, the three agencies hosted family-friendly events at different locations around the city.

Renee McCord, firefighter, stood in-front of the ‘Stop, Drop and Roll’ display at one of the Chick-fil-A locations in north Tallahassee.

“You want to test your alarms once a week and replace your batteries twice a month,” McCord said talking to a mother and child who stopped by the display. “Showing families how to properly test their alarms is important.”

According to the Red Cross, 890 lives could be saved each year if all homes had a working smoke alarm. Fire accidents pose a high risk of life loss and damage to property, so it seems imperative that every organization takes steps to prevent them. Alarms save lives and can make a significant difference in the lives of many people. On the other hand, a Professional water and fire damage team can restore the property after the damage caused by alarms has been repaired.

“This year, we are telling the community to ‘Hear the Beep Where You Sleep,'” said Mike Bellamy, Public Information Officer at the Tallahassee Fire Department.

Standing in a crisp white shirt with a TFD badge on his chest, he continued. “We want residents to install a smoke alarm in every room of their home. That is important because a smoke alarm is the only thing that is going to protect you in a fire, 24 hours a day/7 days a week.”

The three agencies also released, during Fire Prevention Week, five tips that will keep people safe in a fire emergency:
•Interconnect all smoke alarms throughout the home.

•Install an emergency fire exit sign for people to evacuate safely.
•Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each separate sleeping area and on every level of the home.
•Test alarms at least monthly by pushing the test button.
•If the smoke alarms sounds, get outside and stay outside. Go to your outside meeting place.
•Call the fire department from outside the home.
The Capital Area Red Cross will also be giving out free smoke alarms to area residents. To learn more about the program, visit www.talgov.com/fire.