Every day, house fires claim the lives of people and damage or destroy homes and properties.

Over the last month, fire destroyed an apartment building in Catasauqua, damaged four apartments at the Livingston Apartments and several units in two separate apartment buildings in Allentown, a home in Slatington and three row homes in Bethlehem.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, firefighters responded to an estimated average of 357,000 home structure fires per year in the United States between 2009 and 2013.

These fires caused an annual average of 2,470 civilian deaths, 12,890 civilian injuries and $6.9 billion in direct damage.

The NFPA website states the two leading causes of house fires and injuries are cooking and heating equipment.

Three out of every five house fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or working smoke alarms, according to the NFPA.

Upper Macungie Township Fire Commissioner Grant Grim and Inspector Keith Richard say there is no specific time of year or day when a fire happens.

According to Richard, fire does not discriminate; it can happen to anyone at any time.

Early detection is the most important way to save lives, Grim said, adding without smoke alarms in the home you are not going to be aware of a fire.

More people survive a house fire because of a smoke alarm in the home, he said.

Grim and Richard recommend having smoke alarms on every floor of the home, one in each bedroom and in the hallway outside of each bedroom.

They also recommend:

· Writing the month and year on the new battery before placing it in a smoke alarm;

· Placing a piece of tape across the terminals of a dead battery when disposing of it, so if it touches another battery in the trash it will not start a fire;

· Replace smoke alarms every 10 years; and

· Before testing a smoke alarm, turn the fire alarm monitoring system to test if you have one in the home.

According to Peter Brown, executive director of the American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley, between Feb. 29 and March 17, his agency, which responded for four major fires that displaced 15 families and more than 35 clients, offered shelter, food, personal supplies, health and mental health services.

Brown said the Greater Lehigh Valley Chapter is partnering with local fire departments and volunteer fire companies across the Lehigh Valley for its Home Fire Preparedness Campaign.

This free program takes home fire safety to the neighborhood, Brown said.

Red Cross volunteers and fire company members will go door-to-door offering home fire safety training, and checking and installing smoke alarms where needed.

Brown said events scheduled across the Lehigh Valley include Allentown, April 23; Washington Township, April 30 and June 30 and Vera Cruz, June 11.

For additional information on receiving smoke alarms, call the Red Cross at 610-865-4400.

While one week in October is observed as National Fire Prevention Week, with firefighters educating students in schools and the public about fire safety and smoke alarms, it is not enough.

Americans should focus on fire safety in the home year-round.

· Talk to children about fire safety;

· Teach children about smoke alarms, what they sound like and what to do if they hear it;

· Practice fire drills at home;

· Establish a safe place to meet outside the home should a fire happen;

· Test smoke alarms monthly;

· Pick a date every year such as when you change your clocks to change the battery in your smoke alarms;

· If your smoke alarm makes a chirping noise, change the battery.

If your smoke alarm does sound due to a fire:

· It is important to stay calm;

· Get outside and stay outside, do not go back into a burning building; and

· Call for help once you are outside.

Help put an end to deaths of loved ones and friends due to house fires.

Properly install and maintain smoke alarms in your home.

Susan Bryant

editorial assistant

Parkland Press

Northwestern Press