DAYTON — So far this year, house fires have killed at least seven people across the Miami Valley.
The Miami Valley Fire District posted a video and message Sunday to its social media page.
“More than half of all deaths that occur from residential house fires happen between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. Do you have a plan for escaping your house in the event of a fire? Be prepared and practice your escape plan.”
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This was after the Miami Valley Fire District responded to two house fires this weekend.
One was early Saturday morning at around 12:20 a.m. on Sonia Circle and another Sunday afternoon in the 9900 block of Chautaqua Road where a garage caught fire, according to their social media page.
No injuries were reported in either incident.
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News Center 7′s Taylor Robertson stopped by the Vandalia Fire Department Sunday afternoon to learn more about how people can keep their families safe.
Firefighters have a list of things for you to check around your house to lower the risk of a possible fire.
The first thing to do is check your air vent. They say if it’s looks dirty, then it’s time to change it.
Robertson spoke with Scott Jacobs, City of Vandalia Fire Division Community Risk Reduction Coordinator, who offered people some advice if they are not sure how to check the filter.
“Feel free to call your HVAC professionals,” he said. “So, they can come out and give you kind of a good health check, make sure your furnace filters are clean and your systems are clean.”
Jacobs said as dust and dirt collect, the risk of a fire goes up.
“And the same thing goes with your laundry dryers,” he told Robertson. “As spring cleaning comes up, cleaning that lint and dust build up from behind your dryers and appliances to just eliminate some of that extra fuel that can cause a fire.”
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Next, you should test your smoke detector.
“Doesn’t take long at all,” said Jacobs. “Just, you know, press the button until it sounds.”
Robertson spoke with Brian Geselbract, who owns B.J.G Inspections. He said he has a system to remind himself to check his smoke detector every month.
“Setting a time or using the monthly calendar at the first of the month checking or something like that works,” said Geselbract.
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Firefighters also suggest keeping the outside of your house free of debris, like leaves in your gutters.
“It can be fuel if something was to spark you don’t want that up against your house burning,” Jacobs told Robertson.
Those sparks can be especially dangerous at night.
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Most fires happen between the hours of 10 pm. to 6 a.m., according to the Miami Valley Fire District.
They say having an escape plan is crucial.
“Being able to pre-plan, knowing more than one way, knowing two ways out of your house,” Jacobs told Robertson.
“We have multiple escape routes for the front and the back of the house,” said Geselbracht. “So, we are able to go that way if need be.”
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Firefighters say once you’ve made it out of the house, do not go back inside.
“That’s when it seems to be that people get hurt is they try and go back in and look,” said Jacobs. “Know the meeting place, know where you’re gonna go away from the house.”
The three ways to be prepared in case of a fire: check your filters, test your smoke detectors and plan your escape route.
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