State Fire Marshal Kevin Sehlmeyer urges Michiganders to take a proactive approach towards home fire safety as they spend more time at home. Since January 1, 2020, 55 people have died as a result of a residential fire in Michigan, with 15 in the month of April alone. There has been a 41 percent increase in the number of fire fatalities compared to this time last year.
In 9 of the 15 fatal fires in April, the fires were burning in an area where the occupants could not use the front door to escape, and only three of the fires in April had working smoke alarms. “Every family needs to talk about what would happen if a fire in their home prevented them from using the front or back door,” said Sehlmeyer.
Here are some tips from the fire marshal:
- Consider how you would escape from every room of your home.
- Consider purchasing an escape ladder to exit through a second story window.
- If a smoke alarm sounds ,everyone needs to exit the home as quickly as possible and meet at a pre-designated meeting spot away from the house.
- Only call 911 after you have exited the home.
Reporting for WGRT – Marty Doorn
