Recent house fires serve as stark reminder to prioritize smoke alarms and home fire safety:
On the heels of a pair of house fires just ten days apart in the Wessington Springs area, Wessington Springs Volunteer Fire Department (WSVFD) Chief Jim Vavra urges the community to prioritize fire safety, driving home the life-saving significance of smoke alarms.
“There is a good chance that we would have lost two families if not for smoke alarms,” Vavra stated gravely. “Make sure you have smoke alarms in your house and in the right locations, that they are installed properly and the batteries are fresh. Batteries need to be changed when the time changes in fall and spring and the whole alarm needs to be changed every 10 years.”
Summer Schooler of Wessington Springs was jolted awake by the piercing scream of her home’s fire alarms on November 12, alerting her to get up, get moving and get her family out of the house.
“The smoke alarms did save our lives,” she said, matter-of-factly. “Before our fire, I didn’t discuss fire safety plans with my kids but I do now. No one ever knows when something like this will happen because you don’t expect it to happen.”
Jason Weber and his family were asleep at home south of Wessington Springs on November 21 when the smoke alarm woke him at approximately 11:30 p.m.
“The detector went off and when I got up, I could barely smell smoke. I went downstairs to find flames coming out of the wall of the garage,” he recalled, adding that he immediately woke up his wife Cristin to help safely evacuate their two children from the house.
“Six minutes lapsed from when I could barely smell smoke to the point of not being able to make it through the smoke into the house. Had it not been for smoke detectors, I wouldn’t be talking to you right now. For absolute certain, the smoke alarms saved our lives.”
Vavra, who has served on the department since 2007 and as WSVFD Chief for nine years, said every family should establish a fire safety plan that includes escape routes and a meeting place outside of the home in case of fire. By making sure everyone knows this plan and practices it, families can be better prepared in case of emergency.
Vavra encourages the community to be diligent when it comes to fire safety.
Vavra shared the list below and challenges the community to make certain that all members of a household can answer, “yes” to these questions:
• Can your house number be seen from the street so that emergency vehicles can find it?
• Do you have a smoke alarm in your home? Is it tested monthly? Make sure to change the batteries when you change your clocks in the spring and fall.
• Do you practice Operation EDITH (Exit Drills In The Home) with your family?
• Do you talk to babysitters, grandparents and others about the EDITH plan when they’re in your home?
• Is there a fire extinguisher in your home? Does everyone know where and how to use it?
• Are all matches and lighters kept in a safe place away from children?
• Do you know to stop, drop and roll if your clothes catch on fire?
• Do you have a screen on your fireplace? Is it closed at all times?
• Is your yard clear of old tree branches, litter and weeds?
• Do you sleep with your bedroom door closed to prevent the spread of fire?
Vavra is currently working with the State Fire Marshal’s office to secure a grant for smoke alarms to be distributed and installed through WSVFD.
Look to upcoming print and e-editions of the True Dakotan for further details and distribution dates.
