Monthly Archives: October 2018

Fire can happen anywhere, at any time – day or night.  According to the National Fire Protection Association, if you have a reported home fire today, you are more likely to die than you were in 1980.  This startling fact is attributed to several factors, including the way homes are built and the contents in them.

This year’s National Fire Prevention Week campaign, “Look. Listen. Learn. Be Aware. Fire can happen anywhere,” works to educate people about three basic but essential steps to take to reduce the likelihood of having a fire – and how to escape in the event of one:

LOOK for places fire could start.  Take a good look around your home.  Identify potential fire hazards and eliminate them.

LISTEN for the sound of the smoke alarm.  You could have only minutes to escape safely once the smoke alarm sounds.  Go to your outside meeting place, which should be a safe distance from the home and where everyone should know to meet.

LEARN two ways out of every room, practice your home escape plan with your family and make sure all doors and windows leading outside open easily and are free of clutter.

N.F.P.A. reports four out of five U.S. fire deaths occur in homes.  According to the U.S. Fire Administration, three out of five home fire deaths result from fires in properties without working smoke alarms.  While children under 5 and adults over 65 are at the highest risk for injury or death in a fire, people of all ages are vulnerable.  In fact, the risk of a nonfatal fire injury is highest for those between 20 and 49, showing that fire safety education is essential for everyone.

E.S.C.A.P.E. Fire Safety reminds you in a fire, seconds can mean the difference between a safe escape and a tragic injury or death.  Fire safety education isn’t just for school children.  Teenagers, adults and the elderly are also at risk in fires, making it important for every member of the community to take the time every October during Fire Prevention Week to make sure they understand how to stay safe in case of a fire and steps they can take to prevent a fire from occurring.

About Fire Prevention Week

Since 1922, the National Fire Protection Association has sponsored the public observance of Fire Prevention Week.  In 1925, President Calvin Coolidge proclaimed Fire Prevention Week a national observance, making it the longest-running public health observance in the United States.  During Fire Prevention Week, children, adults and teachers learn how to stay safe in case of a fire.  Firefighters provide lifesaving public education in an effort to drastically decrease casualties caused by fires.

Fire Prevention Week is observed each year during the week of October 9^th in commemoration of the Great Chicago Fire, which began on October 8, 1871, and caused devastating damage.  This horrific conflagration killed more than 250 people, left 100,000 homeless, destroyed more than 17,400 structures and burned more than 2,000 acres of land.

Here is a list of some of the area smoke alarm or carbon monoxide alarm installation programs across West Michigan:

Allegan County:
Dorr Township Fire Department – 616-681-9874
Fennville Area Fire Department – 269-455-9068
Ganges Township Fire Department – 269-227-3806
Graafschap Fire and Rescue – 616-396-4060
Salem Township Fire – 616-292-7789
Saugatuck Township Fire District – 269-857-3000
Wayland Fire Department – 269-779-2999

Barry:
Yankee Springs Fire Department – 269-779-2999

Branch:
Coldwater Fire Department – 517-278-4177

Calhoun:
Battle Creek Fire Department – 269-966-3519

Eaton:
Bellevue Community Fire Department – 517-719-0861 – chief@bellevuefiremi.com
Olivet Fire Department – 269-492-3340 – michael.mcLeieer@olivetfire.org

Kalamazoo:
American Red Cross – Raul Galvan – 269-762-1935
Kalamazoo Township Fire Department – 269-888-2171 – tckowalski@ktwp.org
Portage Department of Public Safety – Fire Division – 269-329-4487

Kent:
American Red Cross – Nikki Salladay – 269-303-2135 or 616-456-8661
Cutlerville Fire Department – 616-455-7670
Dutton Fire Department  – 616-541-0119
Grand Rapids Fire Department – 616-456-3966
Kentwood Fire Department – 616-554-0800
Walker Fire Department – 616-791-6840
Healthy Homes Coalition of West Michigan (must live in Grand Rapids, Kentwood, or Wyoming and have a resident child 14 years of age or younger. Both tenants and owners are eligible) – 616-241-3300 or email info@healthyhomescoalition.org.

Montcalm:
Home Township Fire Department (Edmore) – 616-902-3923

Muskegon:
Blue Lake Township Fire Department – 231-288-9220
Casnovia Township Fire Department  – 231-834-7066
Dalton Township Fire Department – 231-766-3277
Egelston Fire Department – 231-788-2254
Fruitport Township Fire Department  – 231-773-9312
Holton Township Fire Department – 231-343-6861
Montague Fire District Authority – 231-893-3311
Moorland Township Fire Department – 231-769-9402
Muskegon Charter Township Fire Department – 231-773-4316
Muskegon Heights Fire Department – 231-733-8893
Muskegon City Fire Department – 231-724-6795
North Muskegon Fire Department  – 231-744-1766
Norton Shores Fire Department – 231-799-6809
Ravenna Fire Department – 231-638-1142
White Lake Fire Authority – 231-893-6503

Ottawa:
Allendale Fire Department – 616-895-6295, ext. 30
Crockery Township Fire Department  – 616-837-6700 (fire station) or
616-837-6868 (township hall)
Grand Haven Department of Public Safety – 616-842-3460 – mdilley@grandhaven.org
Spring Lake Fire Department – 616-215-1590

If you need smoke alarms or carbon monoxide alarms installed in the home you own, please contact one of the organizations listed above, call the WOTV Operation Save A Life program toll free at 1-844-978-4400 or email escape@wotv4women.com.