Fire Preventioh Week

Fire Preventioh Week

Shenandoah National Park will press home the lessons of Fire Prevention Week with exhibits and other fire safety activities designed to build up recognition of the yearlong need for fighting the menace of fire to life and property. In announcing the Park’s anti fire program. Superintendent R. Taylor Hoskins pointed out that it carries out the directive to Federal agencies in President Kennedy's proclamation setting aside Oct. 6-12, 1963, as a week of national effort devoted to reducing fatalities, injuries, and losses due to fire. The Park's, program includes fire drills at all Park and concession units, followup building fire hazard inspections, fire extinguisher inspections, testing of fire alarms and specialized equip ment and a fire prevention display at the Big Meadows Wayside. Fire prevention posters keyed to the attack on fire have been placed on bulletin boards throughout the Park. In 1962, fire took the lives of 11,800 people in the United States and caused $1.5 billion in losses. To combat these alarming figures, Superintendent Hoskins urges every fam ily to prepare-and rehearsea careful plan for escape. Here are pointers to follow: 1. Figure out at least two routes to the outside from every room hi the house, especially bedrooms. Allow for blocking of stairways or hall by fire. 2. Particularly for nighttime fires, remember that closed bedroom doors will hold back flame and smoke, allow extra time for escape. 3. For upper floor escape, use any available porch and garage roofs, ladders or trees as ways down to safety. Be sure exit windows work easily and especially that they are low and large enough to get through. 4. Pick an'outside assembly point where the family will meet, and be sure everyone understands the rule "once out--stay out.” 5. Know how to call the fire department, by street box or i neighbor’s phone, and do this lye, qu&kly >as the house is Hear 0T jfccfrle. 6. Always remember that it's people, not possessions, which are of prime concern. Concentrate on getting everybody out of the house quickly; don’t waste precious time trying to save valuables.

There is a line on the ocean .where you lose a day when you cross over it. There’s a line on most highways where you can do even better.