To raise awareness of the importance of smoke alarms, Moody’s Fire Department hosts Fire Prevention Week Oct. 9-15, here. 

This year’s theme “Don’t wait, check the date,” encourages people to change their alarms at least once every 10 years.

“This year’s theme hits close to home because I’ve had family members die in their sleep due to not having smoke alarms in the home during a fire,” said Wayne Blake, 23d Civil Engineer Squadron fire inspector. “Life can get busy and we can sometimes get complacent but safety is paramount. Fire Prevention Week allows us to put these safety precautions at the forefront of Team Moody’s and the community’s minds. Everyone needs to be aware of fire prevention and protection to save not only their property, but their lives.”

According to the National Fire Protection Association, three of every five home-fire deaths resulted from fires without smoke alarms or with none that worked in the household.

“Our goal is to help protect lives and property in any way possible,” said Blake. “Unfortunately, the outcomes of not only not having a smoke alarm, but also having a device that’s outdated or unserviceable can be the difference between life and death in the event of a house fire.”

“You have to make sure they’re operational,” Blake added. “Research has shown that these alarms degrade by 10 percent yearly, which is why you have to change your alarm at least every 10 years. Changing out the batteries yearly and checking the alarm monthly to ensure its serviceable is important.”

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Jeff Young, 23d Civil Engineer Squadron firefighter, stressed the importance of knowing the bare essentials of smoke alarm usage and how to prepare for the worst case scenario in home fires.

“Over the past years, we’ve emphasized the importance of paying attention to the little things,” said Young. “By always keeping track of your smoke alarm’s serviceable standards and being mindful to not leave candles unattended or electrical components where they don’t belong can prevent a bad situation from happening. In the event of an incident, we teach people about evacuation plans and what to do once out of the fire.

“Fire Prevention week gives us an opportunity to tell people about our job, the mission and how we can save them and how people can save themselves,” added Young. “I’m happy to be able to [foster] that camaraderie within the [fire department] and provide our services for the kids and other base facilities to enjoy and see. We have a tight-knit brotherhood and we’re ready for this week’s events.”

From Oct. 11-14, Moody and local community firefighters will participate in several visits on base facilities and schools with pamphlets, prizes and information to raise awareness.