Governor Whitmer declares October as Fire Prevention Month in Michigan

LANSING, Mich. — Governor Gretchen Whitmer has proclaimed October as Fireplace Prevention Month in Michigan. The aim is to lift consciousness about easy and necessary methods to remain secure within the occasion of a house hearth.

In keeping with the Nationwide Fireplace Incident Reporting System, 107 individuals in Michigan had been killed in 94 residential fires in 2021. That very same yr, Michigan hearth departments responded to about 12,660 residential fires.

Knowledge from MI Prevention indicated that 65% of fireplace deaths occur in a single day between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. They most frequently begin in the lounge or bed room. The primary reported trigger of fireplace fatalities in Michigan is careless smoking, which has to date accounted for 51% of victims in 2022. 77% of deadly fires additionally didn’t have working smoke alarms.

MI Prevention additionally works with hearth service organizations to cut back the variety of hearth deaths, accidents, and property loss in Michigan. Since 2019, 33,154 smoke alarms and eight,531 carbon monoxide detectors have been put in in houses without spending a dime.

“Having working smoke alarms in each bed room, exterior sleeping areas and on each degree of your house – in addition to having working carbon monoxide detectors on every degree and shutting bed room doorways when you find yourself sleeping – are the most effective defenses towards these fast-moving deadly fires,” stated State Fireplace Marshal Kevin Sehlmeyer.

All through October, MI Prevention will lengthen instructional outreach efforts to Michigan hearth departments and the general public. This can embrace a group outreach equipment for hearth departments and day by day hearth security messaging on social media. Fireplace Marshal Sehlmeyer will journey to colleges all through Michigan to show the significance of fireplace security.

“This Fireplace Prevention Month, I urge each Michigander to know the way to forestall and escape hearth, which is a vital, doubtlessly life-saving talent,” stated Governor Whitmer. “Everybody in your house, from the youngest to the oldest ought to know two methods out of each room and recurrently observe their house escape plan. Residence hearth drills save lives. This month, take the time to test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, converse to your family members about hearth security, and take a look at the academic instruments and very important security info that fireside departments throughout Michigan are providing all month lengthy. Let’s work collectively to remain secure.”

Assets and security info may be discovered on MI Prevention’s web site and the Michigan Fireplace Inspectors Society’s web site.

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