Focusing on fire prevention The Laguna Beach...

Focusing on fire prevention

The Laguna Beach Fire Department joins the National Fire

Protection Assn. and fire departments across the nation to observe

Fire Prevention Week, which begins Monday and ends Oct. 11.

The focus is to reinforce three areas of fire safety: talking

about and practicing a home fire escape plan, eliminating home fire

hazards and installing/maintaining smoke detectors in your home.

The fire department reports that recent information shows that

about 85% of fire deaths occur in the home and the majority take

place between the late night and early morning hours.

Throughout the month, the Laguna Beach Fire Department will make

an effort to increase awareness for fire safety in and around Laguna

Beach. Fire drills and firefighting demonstrations will be held at

local schools.

A special “Fire Station Tour Day” will take place on Oct. 11, with

fire station tours for the public at each of the city’s four fire

stations: Forest Avenue, Agate and Glenneyre streets, Alta Laguna and

Tree Top Lane, and 2nd Avenue in South Laguna.

The station tours on Oct. 11 will take place from 10 a.m. to 2

p.m.

For more information on fire safety or emergency planning, call

(949) 497-0700.

Here are some fire safety tips:

GET OUT, STAY OUT

* Developing and practicing a home fire escape plan that everybody

understands can mean the difference between life and death.

* Practice the escape plan at least twice a year, making sure that

everyone is involved -- from children to grandparents.

* Be fully prepared for a real fire. When a smoke alarm sounds,

get out immediately. Once out, stay out and call 911.

ELIMINATING HOME HAZARDS

* Never leave cooking food on the stove unattended, and always

keep a close eye on food cooking in the oven.

* Give space heaters plenty of space -- at least three feet away

from anything that could burn.

* Wild land fire safety -- make sure to have adequate vegetation

and brush clearance around your property.

INSTALLING AND

TESTING SMOKE ALARMS

* Install approved smoke alarms on every level of your home,

including bedrooms and kitchen areas.

* Mount the smoke alarms high on walls and ceilings and don’t

paint or alter the alarms.

* Replace the batteries at least once a year, and never “borrow” a

battery from your smoke alarm.

* Replace all smoke alarms after 10 years or when moving to a new

residence.