ALLENTOWN, Pa. — As the temperature drops, the number of house fires increases, according to the National Fire Protection Association.
So Lehigh Valley safety officials are sounding the alarm to make sure people are prepared in the instance that flames flare up in their home.
"We had double digit fires in the Lehigh Valley and Berks County last week."Peter Brown, executive director, Pennsylvania Rivers Chapter
"We're busy year 'round, but we are always busier during the winter,” said Peter Brown, executive director of the Red Cross Pennsylvania Rivers Chapter.
The chapter covers a nine-county area that includes the Lehigh Valley.
Brown said the chapter "had double-digit fires in the Lehigh Valley and Berks County last week, in the span of about five days," and 25 home fires from Thanksgiving to New Year's Day.
Brown said people spending more time indoors, plugging in electronics and space heaters, or using other supplemental heat sources all can lead to an increased fire risk.
Brown said a few basic rules will increase people's safety significantly.
"Have working smoke alarms," he said. "Test them regularly. Have a plan with your family. Be smart about how you use space heaters and where you put them.
"Don't use open flame candles. Don't use your oven as a heating source."
'Make sure the fire department is on the way'
Brown suggested having working smoke alarms on each level of the home and in the bedrooms.
However, he said not to put one in the kitchen, but just outside of it — otherwise a family might get desensitized to it going off.
He also said people should use smoke detectors with a sealed battery inside so no one can remove it and render it disabled.
"Extinguishers are very reliable, but they're man-made, something might happen. It might not function properly. You might get overcome with smoke, really [only] takes one breath, you could slip, fall, anything can happen. Make sure the fire department is on the way."Allentown Fire Department Capt. John Christopher
Allentown Fire Department Capt. John Christopher said that in addition to smoke detectors, people should have a fire extinguisher in the home.
He said to operate an extinguisher, it’s important to remember the acronym PASS, which stands for pull, aim, squeeze and sweep.
"The pull refers to that pin right on the handle that unlocks the handle enabling you to squeeze that discharges the product. So you point the nozzle directly at the fire you squeeze and then you sweep the base of the fire,” Christopher said.
Christopher said in the event of a fire, the first thing to do is call 911.
"Extinguishers are very reliable, but they're man-made, something might happen," he said.
"It might not function properly. You might get overcome with smoke, really [only] takes one breath, you could slip, fall, anything can happen.
"Make sure the fire department is on the way."
Outlets, grease fires and 'go bag'
Christopher said many of the homes in Allentown are older and the electrical systems aren’t made to handle as many plugs, so he sees a lot of overloaded outlets this time of year.
Christopher said that to be safe, don't overload power sources and don’t plug items that need a lot of power, such as space heaters or air conditioners, into a power strip or extension cord.
He also said not to cover power cords with anything so they don’t overheat.
Christopher said his crew responds to cooking fires almost daily in Allentown. He said grease fires should be put out by putting the lid or a baking sheet on the pot and letting it cool.
If a family experiences a house fire, he said, it should already be prepared with what he calls a “go bag.”
"This could be a pillowcase and everyone in the family should have this in case you have to evacuate, possibly go to a temporary shelter," he said.
What's going to be in that bag is going to be personalized to every individual, he said. He said to add things such as reading glasses, cell phone chargers, medication or empty pill bottles to have the information to refill the bottle, small bills and copies of important paperwork, such as insurance and license information.
"Have working smoke alarms, test them regularly. Have a plan with your family. Be smart about how you use space heaters and where you put them. Don't use open flame candles. Don't use your oven as a heating source. Those basic rules will increase people's safety significantly.”Allentown Fire Department Capt. John Christopher
Brown said being prepared and having a family fire plan and meeting location can be the difference between life and death.
"Have working smoke alarms, test them regularly," he said. "Have a plan with your family. Be smart about how you use space heaters and where you put them.
"Don't use open flame candles. Don't use your oven as a heating source. Those basic rules will increase people's safety significantly.”
He also said the Red Cross will come out and check individual homes to make sure smoke detectors are working. People need to call 1-800-RED-CROSS to set that up.
The local Red Cross Chapter also in spring will continue its "Sound the Alarm Save a Life" program, in which it gives out and installs smoke detectors throughout the Lehigh Valley.
