National Fire Prevention Week: Officials encourage learning the sounds of fire safety

MANKATO, Minn. (KEYC) - Sunday kicks off National Fire Prevention Week and the City of Mankato encourages community members to learn the sounds of fire safety, as that can save lives.

Officials advise the following:

• Know the difference between the sound of a smoke alarm and a carbon monoxide alarm
  • Three beeps for smoke alarms
  • Four beeps for CO alarms
• When a smoke or CO alarm sounds, respond immediately by exiting the home as quickly as possible.
• If a smoke alarm begins to chirp, it may mean batteries are running low and need to be replaced. Replace the alarm if chirping continues after batteries are replaced.
• The CO alarm sounds, check for low batteries and replace and call 911 if the alarm continues to sound.
• If someone in your household is deaf or hard of hearing, install a bed shaker and strobe-light alarms to alert that person to fire.

Mankato Public Safety Commander Sean Hayes advises the public to practice the ”once a month, once a year and once a decade” method when it comes to fire safety and alarms.

“Once a month we are talking about testing all smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in our homes, make sure they work. Once a year refers to making a plan of escape and practicing that from our homes, and once a decade would be replacing all your smoke alarms once every 10 years,” said Hayes.

In addition, the Mankato Fire Department’s annual fire safety event is canceled this year, with hopes to hold the event in the spring.

National Fire Prevention Week runs from Oct. 3-9.

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