ABC 7 Chicago, the Chicago Fire Department, Kidde (a global leader in fire and safety products), and Home Depot are proud to present "Operation Save-A-Life," a public awareness campaign targeting fire safety and prevention. Fire fatalities can be prevented with working smoke alarms and the education of how "simple fire safety steps can help save lives." These messages will be the focal point of ABC 7's Operation Save-A-Life campaign, kicking off its 9th consecutive year on the station's 5:00 am news, Tuesday, February 7.
This year's campaign will underscore the importance of testing smoke and carbon monoxide alarms monthly, and considering the use of new sealed battery smoke alarms that last 10 years before losing their effectiveness. Missing or old, non-functioning batteries are to blame for a great majority of home fire fatalities.
"The Operation Save-A-Life campaign, created to help reduce fire fatalities in the Chicago area, has become an integral part of our station identity over these past eight years. We are grateful to our outstanding partners who have made the commitment to work together for fire safety once again," said Emily Barr, President and General Manager, ABC 7 Chicago.
Airing through March, ABC 7 will feature a series of 30-second public service vignettes promoting simple fire safety steps that help save lives. During the vignettes, ABC 7's Morning News Team of Hosea Sanders, Judy Hsu, Tracy Butler and Roz Varon, will touch on carbon monoxide safety, high rise fires, children and elderly left home alone, the dangers of space heaters, and the importance of CPR and smoke alarms.
For the 9th consecutive year, the ABC 7 Morning News Team will join the Chicago Fire Department for other outreach programs in the community providing life-saving tips, useful statistics and information on what to do in case of a fire. Operation-Save-Life will target two vulnerable segments of the population, senior citizens and children. To reach those groups, the Morning News Team will visit Chicago schools and senior centers to personally talk with students and seniors alike about fire safety.
Kidde once again will support the campaign by donating 15,000 smoke detectors that the Chicago Fire Department will distribute to disadvantaged Chicago communities during these outreach programs. Kidde has participated in ABC 7's Operation Save-A-Life campaign since 2003 and has donated 149,000 smoke detectors to people in need during that time.
As part of Operation Save-A-Life, The Chicago Fire Department Encourages You To Take Simple Steps To Help Save Lives:
- Test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms monthly
- Develop and practice a fire escape plan
- Take the proper precautions while using space heaters and make sure heaters
are at least 3 feet away from all combustibles
- Never leave the stove unattended when cooking
- Use surge protectors properly in your home to help prevent common electrical fires
Fire Commissioner Robert Hoff said, "The partnership between the Chicago Fire Department and ABC 7's Operation Save-A-Life campaign has proven to be very successful. Combined with the generous donation of smoke alarms from Kidde, we have been able to supply thousands of homes with working smoke alarms. The Operation Save -A-Life message is "Simple Steps Help Save Lives." The support of ABC 7 makes it possible for these very important fire safety awareness messages to reach the people in the City and the Chicagoland area."
Fire Facts:
-- *In 2011 there was a total of 23 fire fatalities, the second lowest number since the Chicago Fire Department began recording those statistics.
-- *More than half of home fires are reported in buildings where there are no working smoke alarms due to old or missing batteries. The Chicago Fire Department encourages you to test alarms monthly.
-- *Less than 25 percent of Americans have developed and practiced a fire escape plan.
-- ** Smoke detectors are in 92% of American homes, but nearly one-third don't work because of missing or old batteries.
* Provided by the Chicago Fire Department.
**Provided by the National Fire Protection Association.
