The National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) deemed Oct. 6-12, 2019 as National Fire Prevention Week across the U.S. The 2019 theme is “Not Every Hero Wears a Cape. Plan and Practice Your Escape,” which aims to educate everyone in our communities about the small but important actions they can take to keep themselves and those around them safe from fire.

NFPA statistics show that in 2017, U.S. fire departments responded to 357,000 home structure fires. These fires caused more than 2,600 fire deaths and more than 10,000 injuries. On average, seven people died in a fire in a home per day during 2012 to 2016. In 2018 in Louisiana, there were more than 75 fire- related deaths reported. So far in 2019, there have been more than 50 reported.

Over the next few days, the Louisiana Office of State Fire Marshal, along with your local fire departments and districts, will be publishing various statistics and tips on this year’s theme through a variety of graphics, pictures and videos. These will be shared via social media platforms. A number of fire prevention community events and presentations are also scheduled to take place each day. Those range from school and senior community visits to fire station open houses and a parade.

The campaign will focus on empowering every citizen to take action to prevent damaging and deadly fires with situational awareness tips. Secondly, we’ll be sharing a notable story about an unlikely hero who stepped up to save her family from fire after learning simple safety lessons from her local fire department. Lastly, this week we hope to enhance your family’s chances of surviving a fire by showing citizens how to create, and practice, an effective home escape plan.

For more information about Fire Prevention Week, visit firepreventionweek.org.

Ashley Rodrigue is the public affairs director for the Office of Louisiana State Fire Marshal. She can be reached at 225-620-5115 or at ashley.rodrigue@la.gov