MEMPHIS, Tennessee — The American Red Cross has responded to more than a thousand house fires in Tennessee this year.
With National Fire Prevention Week underway through the end of the week, the Red Cross is urging people to take precautions and to be prepared.
“October is that doorway to fire season," John Brown, the executive director of the Mid-South Red Cross chapter. "We know that during the winter months people are trying to keep warm."
Brown said the difference between survival and a tragedy can come down to following two golden rules: routinely checking fire alarms and practicing an escape plan that takes less than two minutes.
"We have to keep pushing that message," he said. "We're saying you have to prepare. You have to go over your plan. You have to know your escape routes. You have to do the tests. Test your smoke alarms. You can’t ignore that beep and we all know what that beep is.”
In the Memphis area, Brown said that message is especially important to get out.
“We outpace Nashville, Davidson County, in house fires," he said. "That indicates how important of a message that is for us."
The pandemic has made it increasingly difficult to spread awareness on fire safety. School visits by partner organizations and fire departments are unable to happen.
Brown said locally they're organizing virtual classes with girl and boy scouts but the pandemic did cancel one of their big campaigns this year.
“We go to the homes and do the educational plan with that family and install smoke alarms, teach them how to test that, COVID knocked all that out so you’re looking at a higher risk," he said.
When it comes to testing smoke alarms, the Red Cross recommends doing it monthly. Smoke alarms should also be placed on every level of the home including inside and outside bedrooms.
If a smoke alarm is older than ten years, the Red Cross said it should be replaced because the sensor will become less sensitive over time.
An escape plan that takes less than two minutes to get out should be practiced twice a year. Family members should all have a meeting place planned after an escape during a fire.
“There’s something that we can to really help save lives," Brown said. "Property is one thing but you can’t replace a life.”