LOS ANGELES, Oct. 7, 2022 — This Fire Prevention Week (October 9-15), the American Red Cross Los Angeles Region urges everyone to practice their two-minute home fire escape plan and test their smoke alarms to stay safe from the nation’s most frequent disaster.
Two minutes is the amount of time that fire experts say you may have to safely escape a home fire before it’s too late. These crises account for most of the 60,000-plus disasters that the Red Cross responds to each year across the U.S. — where home fire responses are 30% higher during cold months than warmer times of year.
“As the threat of home fires increases with colder temperatures, Fire Prevention Week is a great time to sit down with your loved ones to plan how to stay safe,” said Guillermo Sanchez, Regional Preparedness Manager. “Take some time this week to practice your two-minute home fire escape drill and test your smoke alarms to help keep your family safe.”
HOW TO PRACTICE YOUR TWO-MINUTE DRILL Practice your plan with everyone in your household; also teach children what a smoke alarm sounds like and what to do in an emergency. Visit redcross.org/fire for more information, including a printable escape plan and safety tips for cooking and home heating — the leading causes of home fires, according to the National Fire Protection Association, which is sponsoring Fire Prevention Week with the theme, “Fire Won’t Wait. Plan Your Escape.”