(EDITOR’S NOTE: This is one in a series of articles on fire prevention efforts. The articles will continue throughout October as the Great Bend Fire Department presents Fire Prevention Month.)

“Protect Your Family From Fire” is the theme for the Great Bend Fire Department’s Fire Prevention Month throughout October and one of the ways that is accomplished is through early warning.
And that means having working smoke detectors in local homes, according to this year’s Fire Prevention Month coordinator Capt. Luke McCormick.
Smoke alarms are stressed with the students when they meet with firefighters during this season, and with good reason.
Smoke alarms are important to keeping families safe, according to information from the National Fire Prevention Association.
According to NFPA information:
Smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in a reported fire in half.
•Most homes (96 percent) have at least one smoke alarm (according to a 2008 telephone survey.)
•Overall, three-quarters of all U.S. homes have at least one working smoke alarm.
•Each year, nearly 3,000 people die in U.S. home fires.
•In 2003-2006, roughly two-thirds of home fire deaths resulted from home fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.
• No smoke alarms were present in 40 percent of the home fire deaths.
• In 23 percent of home fire deaths, smoke alarms were present but did not sound.
• In more than half of the reported home fires in which the smoke alarms were present but did not operate even though the fire was large enough, batteries were missing or disconnected.
• More than half of the smoke alarms found in reported fires and two-thirds of the alarms found in homes with fire deaths were powered by battery only.
• Most homes still have smoke alarms powered by battery only.
• In a 2007 American Housing Survey, 67 percent of the respondents who reported having smoke alarms said they were powered by battery only.
• Interconnected smoke alarms on all floors increase safety.
• In a U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission survey of households with any fires, interconnected smoke alarms were more likely to operate and alert occupants to a fire. This includes fires in which the fire department was not called.
There is a good reason for firefighters to continue their education efforts, according to national statistics:
• On average, seven people died in home fires every day. Adults, 65 and over, face the highest risk of fire death.
• In 2009, U.S. fire departments responded to 362,500 home structure fires. These fires caused 12,650 civilian injuries, 2,565 civilian deaths, $7.6 billion in direct damage.