Mayor Bernard P. Carvalho, Jr. (far left), Sparky the Fire Dog and other members of the Kaua‘i Fire Department and Ocean Safety Bureau attend a Mayoral Proclamation Ceremony held at the Lîhu‘e Civic Center Mo’ikeha Building to promote this year’s Fire Prevention Week, Oct. 5-11. This year’s theme is “Working smoke alarms save lives! Test yours every month.”

By Staff Reports

(LÎHU‘E) – Working smoke alarms can make a life-saving difference in a fire. That’s the message behind this year’s national Fire Prevention Week, October 5-11.

The Kaua‘i Fire Department is joining forces with the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) to promote this year’s campaign to have every home equipped with a working smoke alarm that is tested monthly.

To kick off Fire Prevention Week, the Fire Prevention Bureau will have an educational display at Saturday’s Kmart National Safety Day event at the Lîhu‘e Kmart from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Firefighters will be hosting tours of Sparky’s Fire Safety Trailer to teach people of all ages about the importance of having a working smoke alarm and other fire safety tips.

According to the latest NFPA research, working smoke alarms cut the chance of dying in a fire by half. In addition, two-thirds of house fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or non-working alarms.

This year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign promotes the following safety tips:

• Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each separate sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement.
• Test smoke alarms at least once a month by pushing the test button.
• Replace all smoke alarms within 10 years, or sooner if they do not respond properly.
• Make sure everyone in the home knows the sound of the smoke alarm and what to do when they hear it – have a fire escape plan and practice it often.

In honor of Fire Prevention Week, firefighters will also be distributing Firefighter Safety Guides to preschools and elementary schools across the island.

For more information on Kaua‘i’s Fire Prevention Week programs and activities, please contact the Kaua‘i Fire Department at (808) 241-4980 or email, kfdpreventionbureau@kauai.gov.

To learn more about smoke alarms and other fire safety tips, visit the NFPA website at www.firepreventionweek.org.