Guest Column by Brad Smith, Derby Fire Chief
 
Fire Prevention Week (Oct. 9-15) is fast approaching, and the Derby Fire & Rescue Department will conduct many fire prevention activities during October. Our goal every year is to give as many Derby youth as possible life-saving knowledge about fire safety and prevention.

As usual, we will go to all elementary schools in Derby to teach the K – 2nd students how to respond if there is a fire in their home. Using our fire safety house, we will teach them the importance of:

1. staying low if they hear their smoke detector or smell smoke
2. feeling the door to see if it’s warm. and
3. having an alternate escape route from their bedroom

We also give them the opportunity to talk to a firefighter and see up close the fire trucks and equipment the firefighters use, hopefully to help them be unafraid when they hear firefighters coming to help.

Every year we teach more than 1,500 young people as well as adults about fire safety.

This year’s fire safety theme is “Don’t wait, check the date” on your smoke detectors. Smoke detectors do not last forever and should be replaced every 10 years. The date can be easily found on the back of the detector. According to the National Fire Protection Association, twice as many fire fatalities happen in homes with no or non-working smoke detectors.
 
Fire prevention week activities actually continue year round for Derby firefighters. If you would like to schedule a tour for your group, give us a call at 788-5819.

Published in the Derby Informer on Sept. 21, 2016.