Mobile Fire-Rescue Department Reminds Residents to “Learn the Sounds of Fire Safety

October is Fire Prevention Month! The goal of Fire Prevention Month (and week October 3rd – 9th) is to raise fire safety awareness, and help ensure your home and family is protected.The Mobile Fire-Rescue Department is teaming up with the National Fire Protection Association® (NFPA®)—the official sponsor of Fire Prevention Week for more than 90 years—to promote this year’s Fire Prevention Week^TM campaign, “Learn the Sounds of Fire Safety^TM.” This year’s campaign, October 3-9^th,  works to educate everyone about simple but important actions they can take to keep themselves and those around them safe.  

“What do the sounds mean? Is there a beep or a chirp coming out of your smoke or carbon monoxide

alarm? Knowing the difference can save you, your home, and your family,” said Lorraine Carli, vice-president of outreach and advocacy at NFPA.  

Mobile Fire-Rescue encourages all residents to embrace the 2021 Fire Prevention Week theme.

“It’s important to learn the different sounds of smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. When an alarm makes noise—a beeping sound or a chirping sound—you must take action!” said Deputy Chief Dwayne Penn, Chief of Support Services. “Make sure everyone in the home understands the sounds of the alarms and knows how to react.”

The Mobile Fire-Rescue Department wants to share safety tips to help citizens “Learn the Sounds of Fire Safety”:

• A continuous set of three loud beeps—beep, beep, beep—means smoke or fire. Get out of the home, call 9-1-1, and stay out outside.
• A single chirp every 30 or 60 seconds means the battery is low and must be changed.
• All smoke alarms must be replaced after 10 years.
• Chirping that continues after the battery has been replaced means the alarm is at the end of its life and
  the unit must be replaced.
• Make sure your smoke and CO alarms meet the needs of all your family members, including those with sensory or physical disabilities.

MFRD is hosting a series of events in support of this year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign, “Learn the Sounds of Fire Safety”, including canvassing neighborhoods for fire safety checks and smoke alarm distribution, fire safety programs at local schools, and a Smoke Alarm Blitz. The events will follow COVID-19-safety guidelines and educate the public on ways to prevent disasters and emergency incidents starting at home. 

• October 2, Fire Safety Day, Lowe’s (Tillman’s Corner), 10:00 AM-2:00 PM
• October 4, neighborhood canvas, Cobblestone Community (West Mobile), 4:00-6:00 PM
• October 5, fire prevention, Meadowlake Elementary School, 1:00 PM
• October 5, neighborhood canvas, Toulminville Community, 4:00-6:00 PM
• October 6, neighborhood canvas, Harmon Park Community (Crichton), 4:00-6:00 PM
• October 7, neighborhood canvas, Campanella Community (Theodore), 4:00-6:00 PM
• October 7, Village of Spring Hill fire celebration, 4:00 PM
• October 16, Smoke Alarm Blitz, Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, 8:00 AM-1:00 PM

To find out more about Fire Prevention Week programs and activities in Mobile, please contact MFRD’s Office of Community Risk Reduction at (251) 208-5802.  For more general information about Fire Prevention Week and fire prevention in general, visit www.fpw.org.