This year’s fire safety theme could be the greatest gift you ever give to your family. The planning and practicing of a home fire drill, EDITH (exit drill in the home), is one of the most important things that you can do to insure that you and your loved ones can survive a fire. It is important that you take the time to plan and practice a fire drill in your home. If your child spends time with relatives or friends, check to see that they have an exit plan.

DESIGN A PLAN: If you haven’t already designed a step-by-step plan for your emergency fire escape, please sit down with your family and make one. If you already have a plan, review it with all family members to insure that they are familiar with it. The plan should have at least two (2) escape routes out of every room. The second escape route or emergency route should not use the hallway. The hallway could be blocked by smoke from a fire anywhere in the home. Make sure that children can work all the windows, doors, and locks they may have to use with all escape routes. If an escape route is from a second floor, be sure there’s a safe way to the ground.

PICK A MEETING PLACE: An important part of an escape plan is an outside meeting place where a head count can be made to make sure that everyone has exited safely. Meeting in the front of the house will make it easier to meet the firefighters to tell them whether everyone is out of the house. From this meeting place, someone can go to a neighbor and call the fire department.

SMOKE DETECTORS: Smoke detectors are an extremely important part of an escape plan. As most fatal fires occur at night, often while people are sleeping, smoke detectors provide the early warning necessary to escape from a burning building. Smoke detectors should be located on every level of your home and outside of every sleeping area. This is now a New York

State law. Smoke detectors located in the bedrooms will provide additional protection. Changes in the law now require smoke detectors inside a bedroom in newly constructed homes. Fatal fires have shown the importance of not only having a smoke detector, but having a WORKING smoke detector. In some of the recent fires smoke detectors were in the buildings, but during the investigation of the fires it was determined that they were not working, usually because of missing or dead batteries.

FREE SMOKE DETECTOR PROGRAM: Do you need a new smoke detector? The Town of Riverhead and it’s volunteer Fire Departments have FREE smoke detectors available to all residents. To request free smoke detector installation call (631)727-3200 ext. 555.

SLEEPING WITH CLOSED DOORS: A closed bedroom door can slow the spread of deadly smoke and fire. Preventing smoke from entering a child’s room may provide them enough time to safely escape a fire or be rescued, should they not be able to get out on their own.

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT: Failure to plan and practice a home fire drill could result in the loss of your life of the lives of your loved ones. THANK YOU for practicing a home fire drill.

If you have any questions, please contact your local fire department or Fire Marshal’s office at Town Hall.

This text was part of a letter from Fire Marshall Bruce E. Johnson. Pictured are Ex-Chief Vincent Golembeski and Harold "Smoky" Schaefer at the Roanoke Avenue School.