Fire safety vital as weather turns cold

PARKERSBURG - With National Fire Prevention Week approaching and the start of fall forest fire season in October, officials are urging residents to be aware of fire safety as the weather turns cold.
"Carelessness is the number one cause of fires," said Parkersburg Fire Inspector Mike Beckett. "Under that would fall things like leaving candles burning unattended, leaving food cooking in the oven or on the stove, and accidents involving smoking."
In 2008, fire departments responded to a home fire every 81 second, according to the National Fire Protection Association. Smoking materials, such as cigarettes and cigars, caused one of four home fire deaths last year.
Electrical fires also are common. Parkersburg Fire Department responded to a smoke scare last week after an extension cord plugged into a refrigerator overheated and melted, causing the house to fill with smoke, Beckett said.
"There are still some homes that do not have working smoke detectors in them," said Beckett. "Some people believe the myth that they will be alerted to a fire and wake up because they smell smoke, but that's just a myth. Smoke detectors should be placed on every floor and in every room where people sleep."
According to the NFPA, smoke alarms were not present in 40 percent of home fire deaths. National Fire Prevention Week, which runs Oct. 4-10, is a good time to check the batteries on all smoke detectors in the home.
If there are senior citizens or disabled residents who cannot reach their smoke alarms to install them or change the batteries, Parkersburg fire officials will go to the homes and assist them free of charge, said Beckett.
Planning a fire escape route is crucial for fire safety, especially for families with children.
"Every family should have a plan. Go over them. Practice them," said Beckett. "Have children physically practice the escape plan to make sure they can open windows or climb down a ladder. That way if the time comes and there is an emergency, they'll know they are able to do it."
With fall forest fire season beginning today, burning restrictions are in place within Parkersburg city limits and statewide.
In order to burn outdoors, Parkersburg residents must call the fire department to obtain a permit, which is free of charge. The department will send a fire truck and officials will inspect the area to make sure the fire pit is 100 feet from structures, said Beckett.
Statewide, the ordinances are different regarding burning restrictions. The West Virginia Division of Forestry restricts burning from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31, during fall fire season.
Division of Forestry regulations state all fires must be contained by a safety strip and never be left unattended. All fires must be completely extinguished before being left unsupervised.