Fire Safety Tips

It takes four minutes and 25 seconds for the El Paso Fire Department to respond to a fire. But it’s what you do before the fire even starts that could mean the difference between life and death for you and your family.

El Paso lost 11 of its residents last year in fire-related incidents.

The only thing each of the fires had in common was the victims’ inability to escape the smoke and flames.

“So what does that tell us? That you need to make sure that you have an early warning, which is a smoke alarm, and have a good escape plan.” said John Concha, El Paso Fire Department spokesman

By having those two precautions in place, residents can drastically increase their chances of surviving a house fire, he said.

Smoke alarms are the best defense. Check them every month to make sure they are working correctly by pressing the test button. Also, replace the batteries at least once a year.

The bars that many El Pasoans use to protect their homes can actually be deadly in a fire. They need to be fitted with a quick release mechanism so the windows can be used as an escape route.

The quick releases need to be checked as well.

“A good reference is when you change your batteries on your smoke detectors, go ahead and work each window and make sure that they don’t rust or they aren’t painted over and painted shut.” said Station 19 Lt. Robert Portillo.

Checking smoke detectors and window bars isn’t the only thing you need to focus on. Make sure every member of the family knows multiple escape routes from every room of the house.

If you can’t afford a smoke detector, stop by a local fire station during business hours and they will provide one.