Volunteer Firefighters from the Center Moriches Fire Department spent the day at Our Lady Queen of Apostles School and the Clayton Huey Elementary School teaching the children of our community the importance of fire safety.

This year's theme was “HEAR THE BEEP WHERE YOU SLEEP: EVERY BEDROOM NEEDS A WORKING SMOKE ALARM”

Fire Prevention Week 2015 focuses on making sure each home has a smoke alarm in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home.

Important facts about smoke alarms:

• Three out of five home fire deaths in 2007-2011 were caused by fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.
• Working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in reported home fires in half.
• In fires considered large enough to activate the smoke alarm, hardwired alarms operated 93% of the time, while battery powered alarms operated only 79% of the time.
• When smoke alarms fail to operate, it is usually because batteries are missing, disconnected, or dead.
• An ionization smoke alarm is generally more responsive to flaming fires and a photoelectric smoke alarm is generally more responsive to smoldering fires. For the best protection, or where extra time is needed, to awaken or assist others, both types of alarms, or combination ionization and photoelectric alarms are recommended.

Following today’s trophy presentation students were given tours of the fire apparatus that was on display at the schools.

All residents are reminded to frequently discuss fire safety with their children and remember to test your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms once a month and change your batteries when you change your clocks.

The Center Moriches Fire Department would like to extend our sincere thanks to all the participants of our fire prevention poster contest for an outstanding job ! And to all of our Volunteer firefighters who donate their time each year to teach the children.

Important Links:

Center Moriches Fire Department Just For Kids Links:
http://www.centermorichesfd.com/content/kids/

National Fire Protection Association Link:
http://www.firepreventionweek.org

Center Moriches School District:
http://www.cmschools.org/

Our Lady Queen of Apostles, Regional Catholic School:
http://www.olqany.org/