Editorials Archive

Be smart, don’t risk a home fire
, Publisher
11-20-2009

Cold weather has moved into our area and with it comes an increased risk of structure fires.

Just this week in Lincoln Parish, Ruston firefighters responded to three separate residential blazes, two of which started in the kitchen. As more people pull out old electric heaters or turn on gas heaters, now is a great time to make sure a home has a working smoke detector.

Ruston Fire Public Education Officer Eric Brazzel recommends residents install two-three smoke detectors in the home. “Statistics say if you have a working smoke detector in a home and have a fire at night, you have a 50 percent better chance of surviving,” Brazzel said.

According to the Lincoln Parish Fire District Web site, residents with smoke detectors should observe the following:

• Install detectors either on the ceiling or six-12 inches below the ceiling on the wall.

• Keep detectors away from air vents.

• Change batteries at least twice per year. Not all batteries “chirp” when their power runs low.

Many people who lose their lives in fires actually die from breathing the smoke and toxic gases rather than the fire itself. Certain precautions can decrease the chances residents will ever have to contend with a home fire. Brazzel said if residents are going to use an electric heater, the newer models are less dangerous because they shut off automatically when tipped over. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, residents should not use electric heaters in their bathrooms. They should also avoid running heater cords under carpeting or touching the heater with wet hands.

Kitchen safety is also essential for reducing the risk of a structure fire. “Ninety percent of all kitchen fires could be avoided if people were paying attention,” Brazzel said. “You need to be in the room watching, so you can spot it overrunning or spilling out.”

Although the parish has many well-trained firefighters, they can only do so much by the time they arrive on the scene if the fire has been burning for a while. It is the responsibility of the individual homeowner or renter to ensure steps are taken to promote early fire detection and keep families and property protected.