Every year, almost two-thirds of fire deaths are the result of a missing or non-working smoke detector, East Lansing Fire Marshal Bob Pratt said.

“Smoke detectors double your chances of surviving a fire,” Pratt said.

As part of the national week, the Greater Lansing area and the East Lansing Fire Department participated in a Fire Prevention Open House on Saturday at the Lansing Fire Department. No other events are planned in coordination with prevention week, but the fire department holds education programs in settings from preschool through nursing homes not only this week, but year-round.

“There’s a ‘big three’ in safety,” Pratt said.

“One is early detection. Two is alarms in bigger places and letting everyone in the property know (of the fire), and three is a means of exiting.”

The purpose of prevention week is to remember historically how devastating fires can be. Two of the worst fires in U.S. history, both happening Oct. 8, 1871, in Chicago and Peshtigo, Wisc., are to be remembered.

“(Wisconsin) was the most devastating forest fire in U.S. history,” Pratt said. “It burned 16 towns and burned 1.2 million acres.”

For students living in rental houses in East Lansing, it’s important to make sure detection devices are working properly, said packaging senior Anne Behm.

“Every year the batteries should be replaced, and the detector should be tested once a month,” Pratt said. “Most people change batteries on some sort of anniversary.”

Pratt said the life span of smoke detectors is 10 years. To ensure they continue to work properly, the Lansing Fire Department recommends never removing or disabling fire alarms in the home.

In addition to the importance of smoke detectors, Code Enforcement Operations Administrator Annette Irwin said it is important for everyone to know a way out of their housing complex.

“A lot of times, fires start in the early morning or late at night without occupants knowing,” she said.

Pratt said some places in a house might seem like a good spot to sleep, such as in a basement or attic, but those places usually have only one exit.

“That also goes for partying,” Pratt said. “With the (minor in possession) laws we enforce, we’ve pushed people into unsafe areas to avoid bringing attention to themselves. A lot of these areas are basements that only have one exit.”

Residents should know of two ways out from every sleeping area, Pratt said.
With two experiences of fire drills in the dorm, no-preference freshman Sam Mulhern said the drills are effective.

“I’m on the sixth floor, and I feel pretty safe,” he said.