(Mayor Bernard P. Carvalho Jr. joined the Kaua‘i Fire Department and the Fire Commission in a proclamation ceremony to promote this year’s Fire Prevention Week, Oct. 8 to 14. Shown from left to right are: Fire Fighter III Blair Yamashita, Commissioner Alfredo Garces Jr., Commissioner Chad Pacheco, Mayor Bernard P. Carvalho Jr., Commissioner Linda Kaawai-Iwamoto, Fire Prevention Captain Daryl Date, Commission Vice Chair Thomas Nizo, Commissioner Alfred Levinthol, Fire Fighter II Sean Kitamura, Fire Chief Robert Westerman, Commission Chair Michael Martinez, Deputy County Attorney Teresa Tumbaga, Deputy Fire Chief Kilipaki Vaughan, and Fire Fighter I Nick Hill.)

By Staff Reports

(LĪHU‘E) – Seconds can mean the difference between life and death in a fire. That’s why having a home escape plan is critical, and it’s the main message behind this year’s national Fire Prevention Week, Oct. 8 to 14.

“Developing and practicing a home escape plan is like building muscle memory,” said Fire Chief Robert Westerman. “With a practiced plan, you and your family will feel more confident in your ability to snap into action and escape as quickly as possible in the event of a fire.”

The Kaua‘i Fire Department is once again working in coordination with the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) to promote this year’s campaign, “Every Second Counts: Plan 2 Ways Out!”

To kick off Fire Prevention Week, the Fire Prevention Bureau will have an educational display at Home Depot on Oct. 7 for Fire Safety Day. Firefighters will be hosting tours of Sparky’s Fire Safety Trailer from 9 a.m. to noon, to teach fire safety tips to people of all ages.

In support of Fire Prevention Week, the Kaua‘i Fire Department encourages all households to develop a plan together and practice it. A home escape plan includes working smoke alarms on every level of the home, in every bedroom, and near all sleeping areas. It also includes two ways out of every room, usually a door and a window, with a clear path to an outside meeting place (like a tree, light pole, or mailbox) that’s a safe distance from the home.

NFPA and the Kaua‘i Fire Department offer these additional tips and recommendations for developing and practicing a home escape plan:

• Draw a map of your home with all members of your household, marking two exits from each room and a path to the outside from each exit.
• Practice your home fire drill twice a year. Conduct one at night and one during the day with everyone in your home, and practice using different ways out.
• Teach children how to escape on their own in case you can’t help them.
• Make sure the number of your home is clearly marked and easy for the fire department to find.
• Close doors behind you as you leave — this may slow the spread of smoke, heat, and fire.
• Once you get outside, stay outside. Never go back inside a burning building.

For more information on Kaua‘i’s Fire Prevention Week programs and activities, please contact the Kaua‘i Fire Department at 241-4985 or email kfdpreventionbureau@kauai.gov.

To learn more about home escape planning and other fire safety tips, visit the NFPA website at www.firepreventionweek.org