Broken Arrow Fire Department Shares Fire Safety Tips During National Fire Prevention Week

It's National Fire Prevention Week, and firefighters are using this week to educate everyone on best practices to avoid a fire. 

Firefighters are using this year's theme of “fire won't wait. plan your escape” to stress the importance of being prepared before there's a fire. 

"Every year the nation as a whole celebrates fire prevention week, and what we're trying to do during this week is give tips, helpful reminders to the citizens on fire safety," Broken Arrow Fire Department Deputy Chief Philip Reid said.

Reid said the number one thing to do to protect your family is to have working smoke detectors. 

"People have less time to get out of their house than they did 20 or 30 years ago, so it is of the utmost importance that you are alerted immediately and able to get out of the house," Reid said. 

The National Fire Protection Association said 60 percent of house fire deaths are because there wasn't a working smoke detector. 

Reid also stressed the importance of having a plan so families know what to do if there's a fire.

"Make sure you can account for everyone once they exit the residence or the apartment and that everyone is safe," Reid said. 

The NFPA said those who planned and practiced a house fire escape plan are more likely to survive a fire. 

Chief Reid said people should also be cautious of burning candles, be sure to not leave food unattended while cooking and don't overload electrical outlets with plug-ins. 

People can contact the Broken Arrow Fire Department for a free smoke detector if they don't have a working smoke detector.