This year's National Fire Prevention Week is slated for October 4-10th. The 1998 theme is "Fire Drills: The Great Escape."

"In 1997, 14,980 residential fires occurred across Ohio, killing 118 people, injuring 947 and causing nearly $129 million in damage," said Donna Owens, Director of the Ohio Department of Commerce. "Many of these people would still be alive and far fewer injuries would have occurred if more families had developed a home fire escape plan and practiced it."

"The Great Escape" is a concerted effort to get Ohioans actively involved in developing a home fire escape plan and practicing it. State Fire Marshal James J. McNamee is strongly encouraging Ohio residents to develop the plan and practice it on Wednesday, October 7 at 7:30 p.m.

"'The Great Escape' is a fun, lifesaving activity for entire families to participate in during Fire Prevention Week," Fire Marshal McNamee says. "If a fire breaks out in your home, you and your family only have a couple minutes to escape safely. Home fire escape planning and practice ensures that everyone in the household immediately knows what to do in the event of a fire."

To develop a home fire escape plan, draw an outline of your home. Identify each room and label them. Locate all windows, doors, hallways and stairways. Draw black arrows to show the normal escape route through hallways and stairways. Then, draw black arrows to mark alternative escape routes such as windows in case fire blocks exits through hallways and stairways.

On your plan, locate and mark a meeting place where everyone will meet after they get out of the house. The meeting place can be a tree or the end of the driveway or some other easily identified safe location outside the home.

You will need to practice your plan. Most fatal fires occur at night so have everyone go to their bedrooms as though they were sleeping. Start the drill by pushing the test button on your smoke detector. Everyone should move quickly out of the home and go to the meeting place. Time your drill. A fire can cut off your normal escape route in two minutes or less. The very young and the very old may need assistance in escaping. Make this part of your plan. Remember to call the fire department from a neighbor's home and never re-enter a building that is on fire.

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The Division of State Fire Marshal is part of the Ohio Department of Commerce. The Fire Marshal's Office trains firefighters, enforces the Ohio Fire Code, investigates the cause and origins of fires and explosions, provides fire prevention programs, and performs other services. Other Commerce divisions enforce regulations regarding industrial compliance, financial institutions, liquor, real estate, securities, auctioneers, unclaimed funds, and private investigators, among others. The department's internet address is www.com.state.oh.us.

NOTE TO EDITOR: During Fire Prevention Week, we will be issuing daily releases entitled "Fire Facts" which will provide fire prevention information on specific topics.