Series of four PSA videos to be released on social media over the coming weeks
The Department of Emergency Services (DES) is launching a fire safety campaign to help residents reduce the risk of fire in their homes.
In a series of videos, the Department is focusing on some of the major causes of fires in the home and outlining steps that people can take to reduce their risk. The campaign also includes practical tips on maintaining smoke detectors and preparing a family evacuation plan in case a fire occurs.
The series of Public Service Announcement videos was announced Monday by County Executive Ken Jenkins at his weekly news briefing.
Jenkins said, “On Friday night alone, the 60 Control communications center at DES dispatched 17 structural fire events throughout the County. We are focused on giving people the information they need to keep themselves and their families’ safe.”
The campaign is the result of a rise in public inquiries for fire safety information in the wake of deadly fires in Westchester this year.
The first video released on Monday focuses on fire safety in the kitchen, an area of the home where a sizable number of fires occur.
Among the tips in this video:
· Keep all pot handles facing inward to prevent a child or pet from pulling a pot off the stove;
· Keep a lid handy when cooking, especially when frying, to be prepared to smother any fire that might start in a pot or pan;
· Always have a fire extinguisher nearby when cooking, and keep it in a place where it can safely reached if a stove fire occurs;
· Never leave food cooking unattended on the stove.
The other videos focus on: preventing common causes of fire in bedrooms; maintaining smoke detectors and replacing them, or their batteries, on a regular schedule; and creating – and practicing – a family evacuation plan. The four videos can be found on the Westchester County Government YouTube page.
DES Commissioner Susan Spear said, “There have been several recent severe and fatal fires here in Westchester. The Department of Emergency Services wants to be sure residents have useful information to help prevent house fires and know what to do in case of a fire. We focused on the most prevalent types of fires – kitchen and bedroom, as well as smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and family evacuation plans. These simple tips can save lives.”
Chief Mark Iannucci of the DES Fire Division said residents can get more fire safety information from their local fire departments as well as DES. He said residents should use the non-emergency phone number to contact fire agencies in this instance and only use 911 in an emergency.