News and Articles

 “Hear the Beep Where You Sleep”

October is Fire Prevention Month and this year’s theme is “Hear the Beep Where You Sleep” promoting smoke detectors in every sleeping area.  Santa Fe County Fire Prevention activities will consist of age appropriate fire prevention presentations at schools located within the County. 

“Fire Prevention Month is an excellent time for families to review their homes for fire hazards, test their smoke detectors and create and practice a fire escape plan,” says Fire Chief David Sperling, “during a fire is not the time to figure out what to do.  Planning and preparation is the key to saving lives.”

Did you know that three out of every five home fire deaths result from fires in properties without working smoke alarms?  To assure that smoke alarms are working properly, they should be tested once a month and the batteries changed twice a year.  A good way to remember when to change the batteries would be when the time changes in the spring and fall, “Change your Clocks, Change your Batteries.”

Homes should have working smoke alarms and an effective fire escape plan, which consists of the family drawing a map of their home and determining 2-ways out of every bedroom and establishing a safe meeting place, then practicing the plan at least twice a year.

Many home fires are the result of dirty chimneys.  Homeowners should have their chimneys cleaned by a professional technician once a year to remove the build-up of creosote.

For more information on home fire prevention contact the Santa Fe County Fire Prevention Division at 505-995-6523 or visit www.santafecountynm.gov/fire.