Hope Fire Engine And Hose Company #1

When most people think about firemen, they picture fire trucks racing to put out a fire, or to help
people that have been in a vehicle accident. While that may be the most visible part of the job,
there is a much more important aspect that occurs behind the scenes. The Manheim Fire
Department, like most departments around the country, participates in a fire prevention and
education program. Geared mainly toward children and students, these free programs teach what
to do in case of a fire, and how to prevent many household accidents. We can host classes and
tours at the fire station, or we can come to your facility. We have educational material that we
provide to children, including magnets, stickers, coloring books, and the always popular fire
helmets. Throughout the year we hold classes at many community events, as well as local
preschools, elementary schools, churches, and civic groups. We also have access to the
Lancaster County Firemen's Association smoke trailer that uses fake smoke to simulate a fire and
teaches children how to get out of the house safely. For more information or to set up a program,
please contact us and we will be happy to discuss what type of program you are interested in.

Some facts from the National Fire Protection Association:

In 2006, there were 1,642,500 fires reported in the United States (up 3% from 2005). These fires
caused 3,245 civilian deaths, 16,400 civilian injuries, 89 firefighter deaths, and $11.3 billion in
property damage

524,000 were structure fires (up 3% from 2005), causing 2,705 civilian deaths, 14,350 civilian
injuries, and $9.6 billion in property damage.

278,000 were vehicle fires (down 4% from 2005), causing 490 civilian fire deaths, 1,200 civilian
fire injuries, and $1.3 billion in property damage.

801,000 were outside and other fires (up 10% from 2004), causing 50 civilian fire deaths, 950
civilian fire injuries, and $0.2 billion in property damage.

In 2006,
A fire department responded to a fire every 19 seconds.
One structure fire was reported every 60 seconds.
One home structure fire was reported every 80 seconds
One civilian fire injury was reported every 32 minutes.
One civilian fire death occurred every 2 hours and 42 minutes.
One outside fire was reported every 38 seconds.
One vehicle fire was reported every 113 seconds.

Safety tips:

Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home.
For the best protection, interconnect all smoke alarms throughout the home. When one sounds,
they all sound.
Test smoke alarms at least once a month using the test button.
Replace smoke alarms every 10 years.
Make sure everyone can hear the sound of the smoke alarms.
Have a home fire escape plan. Know at least two ways out of every room, if possible, and a
meeting place outside. Practice your escape plan twice a year.
When the smoke alarm sounds, get out and stay out.
If you are building or remodeling your home, consider a residential fire sprinkler system.

Reproduced from NFPA's Fire Prevention Week Web site, www.firepreventionweek.org. Š2008 NFPA