National Fire Prevention Week 2009

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National Fire Prevention Week

National Fire Prevention Week runs from October 4 - 10th, and this year's theme is "Stay Smart! Don't Get Burned".  The fire safety initiative, which is sponsored by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), focuses on fire and burn prevention.  Fire departments and fire service agencies across the United States are participating in National Fire Prevention Week by making special fire safety presentations at schools and are hosting open houses at fire stations where families can learn about fire prevention and preparedness.

Orange County Fire Authority Fire Prevention Week Open House

The Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) is one of thousands of fire departments in the United States who has hosted an open house this week.  This is the fourth year that the agency has opened its Regional Operations and Training Center to the public during National Fire Prevention Week.   Through many interactive displays and public safety information booths, OCFA's goal was to teach families how to protect their homes from fire.

Orange County Fire Authority Captain Greg McKeown explains, "We've got our firefighters here, letting the kids squirt the water, letting the kids actually see the firefighters putting fires out, climbing the ladders.  We've got an area where the kids can try on the firefighting gear, the turnouts.  We've got fire engine rides.  We've got a lot of different activities."  The agency also held demonstrations with their fire safety trailer to teach children what to do if their houses caught on fire.

Ready! Set! Go!

Because Southern California is in the midst of wildfire season, and there are several wildland urban interface areas in Orange County, OCFA spotlighted California's "Ready! Set! Go!" plan during the open house.  Captain McKeown explains that the program teaches residents how to prepare their homes for a fire, making them as fire safe as possible, and it also teaches them what to have ready in case a fire does attack their home.  It stresses the importance of having an evacuation plan ready before the fire and  that they should be prepared to leave even before a mandatory evacuation order is issued.  The agency passed out literature on the plan and department representatives met with home owners to discuss the fire risks in their neighborhoods.

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For fire prevention tips from the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) and Fire Corps, click here:

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Fire Prevention Tips: Tuesday

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