News from the State Fire Marshal...

It appears spring is now well-underway, which means we’ve made it through another winter and home heating season – the time of year in Ohio where we typically see an increase in home fires and fire fatalities. However, warm temperatures and sunny skies only means that we have better conditions to be out and about in our local neighborhoods sharing fire safety messages.

While our office’s Safe & Sound campaign was aimed at reducing fire deaths during the colder months, it does not need to end with the final days of winter. The concepts of Safe & Sound are of timeless, all-year-long importance. For example: while Ohioans across the state will be expiring their efforts to heat their homes, also expiring will be the batteries and/or lifespans of their smoke alarms. We must keep reminding our citizens of the simple steps they can take to save their lives, their families and their property. The facts are clear: working smoke alarms and fire escape planning save lives.

The American Red Cross was an excellent partner to Safe & Sound, and I would like to see that partnership continue throughout the rest of the year. Please keep teaming up with groups like this – and likewise, your Area Agencies on Aging and the fire departments in your neighboring communities – to spread fire safety to as many people as possible. (As I noted in my last update, an unnervingly large percentage of fire fatalities so far in 2016 have been Ohioans over the age of 60.)

If you haven’t already, you will soon start to see your residents coming out of their homes to enjoy the weather, grill out and host backyard bon fires. I encourage you to start sharing safety tips for these kind of events right away! If you need some help, both the Ohio State Fire Marshal’s website and the National Fire Protection Association have resources available.

Many of you took the Safe & Sound campaign and hit the ground running. Due to your local canvassing events and safety days, hundreds and hundreds of homes across Ohio now have working smoke alarms. So once again, thank you for your commitment to making the Safe & Sound campaign a success. Now, let’s use that momentum and keep moving forward!

As always, if there is anything my team and I can do to help you in your efforts, do not hesitate to reach out to us. You can always contact our PIO, Bill Krugh, at william.krugh@com.ohio.gov or (614) 752-7179.

Your daily commitment to public safety is helping to make a stronger Ohio. Thank you.

 Stay safe,

Larry L. Flowers
Ohio State Fire Marshal
Fire is Everyone’s Fight!