Gainesville's version of National Fire Prevention Week kicked off Sunday as a way to show people how to keep homes safe and avoid burns.
The Alachua County Department of Public Safety and Gainesville Fire Rescue will host activities this week to urge residents to "Stay Fire Smart! Don't Get Burned."
The goal of the project, which is in its third year for Gainesville, aims to make residents more aware of potentially dangerous situations arising from fires and burns that occur during the fall season, said Carol Davis, public information officer for the Department of Public Safety.
"Our whole goal is to try to prevent fires as we get into the colder season," Davis said. "People tend to use more space heaters, fireplaces, and they tend to turn on heaters after they have been off for a while. All of these are reasons why more things go wrong in the colder months."
Davis said that in warmer months, brush fires are the major culprits. Although Davis said fires are more likely in the cooler months, there is not one group or demographic that is responsible for the outbreak of the fires that do start.
"Last fall, there was a fire in a student apartment, in a residential area and in an office for Peaceful Paths. It is not general to one population," Davis said. "Fire is not discriminatory. It doesn't just affect one particular group."
Davis offered examples of how anyone can stay safe from fires.
"Be careful while cooking, and don't let your sleeves hang over burners," she said.
Davis said the most important tip is installing smoke alarms.
As a part of National Fire Prevention Week, the Alachua County Department of Public Safety will install fire alarms in the homes of those who cannot afford them.
"It's been a years-long program. Lowe's usually donates smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors once a year," Davis said.
Activities for the week include an open house today at Fire Station 21 in the City of Alachua, a Fire Safety Expo in Hawthorne on Tuesday and a Family Fun Night at the McDonald's at Hunters Crossing, 5110 NW 43rd St., on Thursday. There will be fire safety information and children's activities at all events.
Also joining forces in this year's National Fire Prevention Week is the Florida Division of Forestry.
Ludie Bond, wildfire mitigation specialist for the division, added that as the fall season begins, there will be more chances for fires to spread because of less humidity and rain.
But fall is not as big of a concern as winter and spring, Bond said. Fires start more easily then because grasses are even drier.
"Even though humidity levels have been down lately, we don't have dusty winds; and we aren't dry," Bond said. "It's not time to be alarmed just yet. We're just starting to raise awareness with the general public."
Bond said the most important tips for staying fire-safe are to be aware of the weather on the days that residents are outside and not to burn anything when it is windy or humidity levels are low.
According to Bond, it is illegal for an individual to set a fire in Gainesville. A group of people, for example, is not allowed to have a bonfire inside Gainesville's city limits. She said that if residents have questions about whether burning is legal, they should contact the local fire department or the Division of Forestry to find out.
Typically, National Fire Prevention Week focuses on how to keep structures like houses safe. The wildfire agencies also like to take the opportunity to put out wildfire prevention messages as the end of the year approaches, Bond said.
"We're moving into the time of the year where people will want to be outside and start fires with cooler weather and with that comes the concern for wildfires," Bond said.
Each year, Gainesville Fire Rescue responds to more than 15,000 calls including building fires and brush fires, according to a department report.
According to Smoke Signals, Gainesville Fire Rescue's newsletter, in June 2009, 10 percent of all calls were fire-related. In July 2009, 5 percent of all calls were fire-related.
According to the 2008 Annual Report, Gainesville Fire Rescue employed 66 firefighters and 33 driver operators to help keep the city safe.
