Prepare and protect yourself: Essential tips on fire security for your home | Wgil 93.7 FM

The fire chief of Galesburg, Randy Hovind and Captain Ben Caruana, followed Galesburg's morning news in order to emphasize the importance of fire security and emergency prevention.

The interview focuses on a heroic deed recently based by Galesburg, which a kitchen fire deletes, emphasizes the crucial role of smoke detectors (especially with new state law requirements), offers implementable fire safety advice and promotes resources for the installation of smoke detectors.

Meaning of smoke detectors and updated regulations:

• Captain Caruana emphasizes that “the fire doubles every minute” and makes early detection decisive.
• The residents alert smoke detectors during the “beginning level” of a fire.
• For a new state law (effectively on January 1, 2023), 10 years of sealing the battery smoke detectors are required to eliminate problems with the battery and to ensure continuous operation for a decade.
• Despite the 10-year battery, testing smoke detectors is still necessary to ensure functionality.
• The state law prescribes a smoke detector on every floor, including the basement, and within 15 feet of all sleeping bodies.

Fire protection and escape planning:

• The main recommendation for a fire is: “Get out and call 911”.
• It is important to have a fire extinguisher, but only if you feel comfortable and know how.
• It is crucial to have and practice an escape plan with children, including the determination of a meeting point.
• Chief Hovind advises to close the doors at night to slow down the spread of the fire.

Community resources and fire brigade support:

• The Galesburg fire brigade works with the Red Cross to provide and install smoke detectors for the residents free of charge.
• On the website of the city of Galesburg (www.ci.galesburg.il.us) under the fire brigade's community programs you will find an registration form.
• The fire brigade will install smoke detectors to meet the government requirements (one on every level and within 15 feet of sleeping areas).

Carbon monoxide (CO) detectors:

• State law requires at least one carbon monoxidal arm within 15 feet of bedrooms.
• Combination smoke/CO detectors are available.
• The fire brigade is working on raising awareness of this requirement.