Alabama Fire Chiefs Announce ‘Turn Your Attention to Fire Prevention’ Campaign

The Alabama Fire Chiefs Association (AFCA) launched a new statewide campaign to reduce the fire fatality rate in Alabama – Turn Your Attention to Fire Prevention.

By uniting the resources of all Alabama fire departments, paid and volunteer, the AFCA will have a prominent “single voice” of fire prevention awareness in all areas of the state.

Alabama’s fires and fire fatalities are consistent with national trends.

• Older adults are the age group most likely to die in a home fire.
• Unattended cooking and alternate heating sources (space heaters, open flames) are the leading causes of fatal home fires.
• Half of home fire deaths occur between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.
• Most home fire deaths are in homes with no working smoke alarm.

“The purpose of the campaign slogan, Turn Your Attention to Fire Prevention, is to emphasize the importance of taking personal responsibility when it comes to protecting yourself and your family from fire,” says Tuscaloosa Fire Chief Alan Martin. “Installing and maintaining a smoke alarm could save a majority of the lives lost in home fires, especially if they work in conjunction with home sprinklers.”

The focus will be on changing behaviors that cause most unintentional fires, with emphasis on unattended cooking and alternate heating sources. Fire departments will be increasing their efforts to educate the public on how to prevent fires and how to avoid serious injury or death if fire occurs; the use and maintenance of smoke alarms, and developing and practicing escape plans. The initiative will promote a wider use of residential sprinkler systems and continued regulations to make home products more fire-safe