CONCLUSION
Firefighters are sworn to protect and serve the people in their community. Home safety visits are a powerful and effective tool to protect and serve. When you respond to a fire and the people are waiting for you outside, they are safe and you and the other firefighters are safer too.
Remember, every home you go into represents a family that potentially could be saved from injury or death from a fire or accident. Understand that each home safety visit is unique and will require you to address issues that are particular to the residents’ needs. When you leave a home, make sure that you left it equipped with the tools needed for that family to effectively reduce the likelihood of a fire or fire injury. And remember to take all your trash with you. Residents really appreciate this. Take the empty smoke alarm boxes, leaving the
instruction manual with the residents. There have been rare reports of residents attempting to return smoke alarms in the original packaging for a refund.
When your fire department takes on the task of implementing a program such as this, you can take comfort knowing that your work will make your community a safer place to live. The information, advice and education from the home safety visit, as well as the alarms that are installed, will very likely save lives, injuries and property damage.
Resources
American Red Cross
Chapter Directory
(www.redcross.org/find-your-local-chapter)
Home Fire Preparedness Campaign Smoke Alarm Installer Guide
(HFPCSmokeAlarmInstallerGuide.pdf)
Friendship Veterans Fire Engine Association/Vision 20/20 Resources
Home Fire Safety Videos
Download free apps with four home fire safety videos to share during your home visits. Produced by the Friendship Veterans Fire Engine Association in partnership with the Institution of Fire Engineers – Vision 20/20, these videos cover the speed of fire, smoke alarms, escape planning and practice, and cooking fire safety. They are presented in English, Spanish, Mandarin and American Sign Language. You can download the free “Safety Visits” App from the Apple store. The Android version of the “Safety Visits” App is available on Google Play.
Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition
Free Information and Tools
(www.homefiresprinkler.org)
30-Second Broadcast Public Service Announcement
(www.homefiresprinkler.org/index.php/ask-for-home-fire-sprinklers)
International Fire Service Training Association (IFSTA)/ResourceOne/Vision 20/20 Community Risk Reduction Training
A five-part training program that introduces Community Risk Reduction as a way to create a safer community
(www.strategicfire.org/page.cfm/go/Community-Risk-Reduction-for-Fire-Service-Leaders)
Research on Fire Safety for People with Disabilities
(homesafetyvisit.strategicfire.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/OK-Fire-Safety-Implementation-Guide.pdf)
Injury Free Coalition for Kids®
Coalition Website
(www.injuryfree.org)
International Code Council’s Sound the Alarm – This program was developed by the International Code Council in partnership with the National Volunteer Fire Council through an Fiscal Year Fire Prevention and Safety grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security/FEMA. It focused on rural communities in states with the highest per capita fire fatality rates. The program provides guidance on home visits, including a basic home safety inspection and smoke alarm installation and replacement. It emphasizes that correct addresses should be properly displayed and visible for first responders. Materials now reside on the Fire Corps website. (www.firecorps.org/departments/grow-a-program).
Meals on Wheels
Directory
(www.mowaa.org/findameal)
Michael H. Minger Foundation
Campus Fire Safety Community Service Project
(www.mingerfoundation.org)
MySafe:LA
www.mysmokealarm.org – MySmokeAlarm is a new concept in Internet management of a family’s fire protection systems and preparedness. Developed by the Safe Community Project and MySafe:LA to help families be better prepared in the event of a home fire.
Home fire safety inspection software is also available at www.purecommand.com
National Fire Academy Classes
Course Catalog (http://www.usfa.fema.gov/training/nfa/)
1) Community Risk Reduction by Company Officers
2) The Changing American Family at Risk
3) Cultural Competence in Risk Reduction
(www.usfa.fema.gov/nfa/catalog/)
National Fire Protection Association Resources
NFPA Public Fire Education Planning for Urban Communities: A Five-Step Process Guide to Success (www.nfpa.org/~/media/files/safety%20information/public%20educators/urban%20task%20force/urban5stepprocess.pdf)
NFPA Smoke Alarm Installation Guide: Planning and Implementing a Successful Smoke Alarm Installation Program
(https://homesafetyvisit.strategicfire.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Smoke-Alarm-Installation-Guide-3.pdf)
NFPA-1452: Guide for Training Fire Service and Personnel to Conduct Dwelling Fire Safety Surveys (www.nfpa.org/codes-and-standards/document-information-pages?mode=code&code=1452)
NFPA Tip Sheet on Smoke Alarms
(www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/By-topic/Smoke-alarms)
NFPA Tip Sheet on Smoke Alarms for People Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
(www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/By-topic/Smoke-alarms)
NFPA CO Alarm Tip Sheet
(www.nfpa.org/-/media/Files/Public-Education/Resources/Safety-tip-sheets/COSafety.ashx)
NFPA Escape Plan Tip Sheet
(www.nfpa.org/~/media/Files/Safety%20information/Safety%20tip%20sheets/escapeplanningtips.pdf)
NFPA Heating Safety Tip Sheet
(www.nfpa.org/-/media/Files/Public-Education/Resources/Safety-tip-sheets/Heating_Safety.ashx)
NFPA Smoking Tip Sheet
(www.nfpa.org/-/media/Files/Public-Education/Resources/Safety-tip-sheets/SmokingSafety.ashx)
NFPA Candle Safety
(http://www.nfpa.org/safety-information/for-consumers/causes/candles/candle-safety-tips)
NFPA Safety Tip Sheets
(www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/Resources/Safety-tip-sheets)
NFPA Easy-to-Read Handouts and Safety Tip Sheets in Other Languages
(www.nfpa.org/safety-information/safety-tip-sheets/easy-to-read-handouts-in-other-languages)
NFPA Cooking Tip Sheet
(www.nfpa.org/-/media/Files/Public-Education/Resources/Safety-tip-sheets/CookingSafety.ashx)
NFPA—Remembering When: A Falls and Fire Prevention Program for older Adults.
(www.nfpa.org/safety-information/for-public-educators/education-programs/remembering-when)
National Literacy Directory
Directory of Programs
(www.nationalliteracydirectory.org/)
Nurse-Family Partnership
Locations
(www.nursefamilypartnership.org/Locations)
Oklahoma State University’s Fire Protection Publications and Oklahoma ABLE Tech
Home Fire Safety Solutions Smoke Alarm Project
(www.okabletech.org/community/fire-safety/fire-safety-for-people-who-are-hard-of-hearing/)
Course 1: Firefighters Serving People with Disabilities
Note: This course is now available as part of the ResourceOne training available at IFSTA.org. Click on the link in the right column for Smoke Alarm Installer Courses.
(ifsta.org/)
Oklahoma State University Resource
Oklahoma’s Fire Safety Solutions for People with Disabilities – How to Implement a Home Fire Safety & Smoke Alarm Installation Program A Model Program from Oklahoma that Saves Lives
(homesafetyvisit.strategicfire.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/OK-Fire-Safety-Implementation-Guide.pdf)
ProLiteracy Literacy-Friendly Smoke Alarm Illustrations for Home Visits
With support from Vision 20/20 and the Washington State Fire Marshals Association, ProLiteracy has created guidance and tools to use with residents who may not read well or do not yet understand English well. The illustrations come in three formats: color, grayscale, and black-and-white line drawings. The content is the same for each. There is very little text. The Tip Sheet provides detailed information on how to present key information about smoke alarms and fire safety. You have permission from ProLiteracy to download and print the illustrations to use when doing home visits to install smoke alarms, do safety checks, or provide safety education.
[We are aware that the links for this project are broken. We are working to get updates posted.]
Tip Sheet (how to use the illustrations)
(www.proliteracy.org/Downloads/firesafety_smokealarmtipsheet.pdf)
Smoke Alarm Illustrations (color)
(www.proliteracy.org/Downloads/firesafety_smokealarms_color.pdf)
Smoke Alarm Illustrations (grayscale)
(www.proliteracy.org/Downloads/firesafety_smokealarms_bw.pdf)
Smoke Alarm Illustrations (black-and-white line drawings)
(www.proliteracy.org/Downloads/firesafety_smokealarms_line.pdf)
Fire Safety Cooking
(homesafetyvisit.strategicfire.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Fire-Safety_Cooking-F_Color.pdf)
Safe Kids
Coalitions
(www.safekids.org/coalitions)
Spring Lake Park-Blaine-Mounds View (MN) Fire Department Resources
The Home Safety Challenge Program has a wide variety of resources you can adapt for your local community.
Program page (www.homesafetychallenge.org/)
Safety Videos (www.homesafetychallenge.org/home_safety_videos.cfm)
Comprehensive home visit checklist (www.homesafetychallenge.org/home_safety_more_information.cfm)
Underwriters Laboratories
UL 217 Standard for Single and Multiple Station Smoke Alarms
(www.ulstandards.ul.com/standard/?id=217)
UL 2034 Standard for Single and Multiple Station Carbon Monoxide Alarms
(www.ulstandards.ul.com/standard/?id=2034)
U.S. Census Bureau Resource
American Fact Finder site with population and other community facts
(www.factfinder2.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml)
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Safe States Alliance
(www.safestates.org/)
Funded Injury Control Research Centers
(www.cdc.gov/injury/erpo/icrc/)
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Healthy Homes Initiative
(www.portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/healthy_homes/hhi)
U.S. Fire Administration Resources
USFA Smoke Alarm Outreach Materials
(www.usfa.fema.gov/prevention/outreach/smoke_alarms.html)
USFA HomeEscape Planning Outreach Materials
(www.usfa.fema.gov/prevention/outreach/escape.html)
USFA Outreach Materials for Older Adults
(www.usfa.fema.gov/prevention/outreach/older_adults.html)
USFA Cooking Flyer
(www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/publications/kitchen_fires_flyer.pdf)
USFA Publications
(www.apps.usfa.fema.gov/publications/)
USFA Statistics
(www.usfa.fema.gov/data/statistics/)
USFA Photographs
(www.usfa.fema.gov/prevention/outreach/media/photos.html)
USFA-Working With The Media
(www.usfa.fema.gov/prevention/working_with_the_media/
Vision 20/20 Resources
Free Training Course on Program Evaluation
(www.strategicfire.org/page.cfm/go/Performance-Measurement-&-Evaluation)
Community Risk Reduction Data Collection Form
(homesafetyvisit.strategicfire.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/CRR-Home-Safety-Questionnaire.docx)
Advocacy Toolkit: Creating Demand for Prevention
(www.strategicfire.org/advocacytoolkit/a-detailed-guide.html)
Model Forms for Data Collection
(www.strategicfire.org/advocacytoolkit/national-data.html)
Communicating Via the Internet and Social Media
(www.strategicfire.org/advocacytoolkit/social-media.html)
Advocacy Toolkit: Partnering with Others
(www.strategicfire.org/advocacytoolkit/comprehensive-advocacy.html)
Advocacy Toolkit: Creating SMART Objectives
(www.strategicfire.org/advocacytoolkit/setting-your-objectives.html)
Advocacy Toolkit
The Tucson (AZ) Fire Department teamed up with the Sonora Environmental Research Institute to provide culturally sensitive fire safety information and smoke alarm installations in 2,000 homes.
(www.strategicfire.org/advocacytoolkit/comprehensive-advocacy2.html)
Symposium: Mississippi State Fire Marshal’s Smoke Alarm Installation Project
(www.strategicfire.org/page.cfm/go/V2020-2014-symposium)
