FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Newport News Fire Department to Celebrate National Fire Prevention Week

Contact: Lisa King, Public Education/Relations Coordinator, (757) 926-8404

The Newport News Fire Department is teaming up with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) for Fire Prevention Week 2010, October 3-9, to urge Newport News residents to ensure that they have working smoke alarms. This year’s campaign, Smoke Alarms: A sound you can live with, focuses on ways to keep homes fire safe by having working smoke alarms and developing a home escape plan.

Smoke alarms are an important first line of defense against fire. But if they do not work, they can’t protect you. It is essential for every household to have working smoke alarms since 85% of all fire deaths occur in the home and the majority happen at night when most people are sleeping. Smoke alarms provide the advance warning needed to escape safely.

Additionally, Newport News Fire Department will be hosting an Open House & Fire Safety Event on Saturday, October 9, 20010 from Noon-4:00pm at the Oyster Point Fire Station located at 685 Oyster Point Road in Newport News to celebrate Fire Prevention Week, educate the community on fire safety, and also to provide career information for anyone interested in joining the NNFD. This free event will have activities for the entire family. Demonstrations from NNFD’s Specialty Teams include Hazardous Materials, Bomb Robot, Technical Rescue, and Marine Incident Response. Activities for the children include Sparky the Dog, home fire drill practice, craft activity, Diver Dunk Tank, and much more! Volunteers from Christopher Newport University will be on hand to provide Spanish interpretation as needed.

You can find additional information on National Fire Prevention Week by visiting www.firepreventionweek.org, or additional fire and life safety information on the Newport News Fire Department’s website at www.nngov.com/fire. Attached to this email, please find fliers for the Open House and Fire Safety Event.

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