Questions That Can Save Your Life in a Fire

I’m writing to you today with a heavy heart. This holiday weekend when most of us were celebrating the 4th of July, a home in Lancaster, Pennsylvania experienced a devastating fire. Three adults and four children died in this home fire. There were no smoke alarms in the home.

Just two months ago, in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, two adults and four children died from a home fire. There was no chance for the kids or adults to escape because there was no smoke alarm to warn the family that there was a fire.

Unfortunately, these tragedies happen far too often. On average, one child dies each day from a fire or burn.

But it doesn’t have to happen. There are things we can do right now to make sure children and families are safer in their own homes.

And it starts with two simple questions:

• Do I have smoke alarms in my home?
• Do my smoke alarms work?

Please, ask yourself these questions. If you don’t know the answers off the top of your head, check your home to make sure. It doesn’t take much time at all but it can make a world of difference.  

And then go a step further. Make sure your loved ones, friends and neighbors ask the same questions. We assume the answer is always, “Yes. Of course there’s a smoke alarm,” or that the landlord or homeowner took care of it so “I don’t have to worry.” Yet the fact remains, the majority of homes where people have died from fires are homes that have no working smoke alarms.

So let’s make a commitment right now to make sure every home has a working smoke alarm. Think of all the lives we can save. By working together, I know we can.

Learn more about fire safety.