October 2022: Fire Prevention Month

WHEREAS, last year, the State Fire Marshal's Office and MI Prevention, a statewide community risk reduction program, reported 107 Michigan residents were killed in 94 residential fires and that fire departments throughout Michigan responded to 12,660 home fires in 2021; and,

WHEREAS, today's fires grow quickly and produce extreme heat and deadly smoke that limits the time occupants have to escape a residential house fire to two minutes; and,

WHEREAS, careless smoking has been identified as the leading cause of fatal fires in Michigan accounting for 51% of fatal fire victims; and

WHEREAS, in Michigan careless smoking was reported as the cause in 100% of the fatal fires where the victim was on home oxygen,

WHEREAS, 77% of the residential fatal fires in Michigan were reported as not having working smoke alarms at the time of the fire; and,

WHEREAS, 65% of the fire deaths in Michigan happen between 6pm and 6am, with those fatal fires most often starting in the living room or bedroom; and,

WHEREAS, the best option for surviving a residential fire is to have a home fire escape plan where every family member is prepared to react quickly and calmly in a real fire situation by establishing two routes out of every room to exit the home within two minutes or less; and,

WHEREAS, by practicing a home fire escape plan at least twice a year that includes a home fire drill during the day, a home fire drill in the dark at night, and closing a bedroom door prior to opening a window to escape, you can increase your chances of surviving a home fire; and,

WHEREAS, having working smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside sleeping areas and on each level of your home with working carbon monoxide detectors on each level, and closing bedroom doors when sleeping can cut a family's risk of dying in a home fire in half; and,

WHEREAS, MI Prevention, Michigan's fire departments, and partnering organizations are dedicated to reducing the occurrence of home fires and home fire injuries through fire prevention education, so residents can take the personal steps to decrease the chance of a residential fire and be true heroes in protecting their homes and families; and, 

WHEREAS, the National Fire Protection Association’s 2022 Fire Prevention Week theme, “Fire won’t wait. Plan your escape.”, encourages Michiganders of all ages to learn about home fire escape planning by practicing escape drills;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Gretchen Whitmer, governor of Michigan, do hereby proclaim October 2022 as Fire Prevention Month in Michigan.