Fire Prevention Week Proclamation

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PROCLAMATION "Fire Prevention Week" October 6-12, 2019 WHEREAS: Kittitas County is committed to ensuring the safety and security of all those living in and visiting Kittitas County; and WHEREAS: U.S. fire departments responded to 357,000 home fires in 2017, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA); and WHEREAS: U.S. home fires resulted in 2,630 civilian deaths in 2017, representing the majority (78 percent) of all U.S. fire deaths; and WHEREAS: newer homes are built with lightweight materials that bum faster than older home constructions; and WHEREAS: many of today's products and furnishings produce toxic gases and smoke when burned, making it impossible to see and breathe within moments; and WHEREAS: these conditions contribute to a much smaller window of time for people to escape a home fire safely, with people having as little as one to two minutes to escape from the time the smoke alarm sounds; and WHEREAS: a home fire escape plan provides the skill set and know-how to quickly and safely escape a home fire situation; and WHEREAS: a home fire escape plan includes two exits from every room in the home; a path to the outside from each exit; smoke alarms in all required locations; and a meeting place outside where everyone in the home will meet upon exiting; and WHEREAS: home fire escape plans should be developed by all members of the household; and WHEREAS: practicing a home fire escape plan twice a year ensures that everyone in the household knows what to do in a real fire situation; WHEREAS: The Kittitas County Fire Marshal and first responders are dedicated to reducing the occurrence of home fires and home fire injuries through prevention and protection education; and WHEREAS: Kittitas County residents are responsive to public education measures and are able to take personal steps to increase their safety from fire, especially in their homes; and