Fire prevention is a year-round concern

October is fire prevention month, and as it draws to a close, UNC Charlotte’s Environmental Health and Safety Department and the National Fire Protection Association offer a reminder that a fire emergency can happen anywhere, anytime.

Follow these three basic steps to reduce the risk of a fire emergency and learn to escape safely in the event of one:

• “LOOK” for places a fire could start. Use the building safety inspection checklist to identify potential fire hazards and the actions necessary to correct them.
• “LISTEN” for the sound of the smoke alarm. Potentially there are only minutes to escape safely once the smoke alarm sounds. Evacuate in a safe and orderly fashion. Go to the designated exterior assembly location, which should be a safe distance from an office building or home.
• “LEARN” two ways out of every building and make sure all doors leading outside open easily and are free of clutter. Complete the building emergency evacuation training and review the Building Evacuation Plan.