ORFD has fire demonstration Tuesday for Fire Prevention Month

The Oak Ridge Fire Department will have a fire demonstration Tuesday as part of Fire Prevention and Public Education Program month.

The demonstration is at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Fire Station No. 3, located at 333 Tuskegee Drive.

It’s the official kick off for remembering the Great Chicago Fire, which burned from Sunday, Oct. 8, to early Tuesday, Oct. 10, 1871, killing hundreds and destroying thousands of acres of property and buildings, a press release said.

The program will began with the Oak Ridge Fire Department conducting a live fire demonstration of a typical living room fire. This will allow attendees to watch the fire progression from the start to flashover at 1,150 degrees. The live fire demonstration will also illustrate the need for smoke alarms and exit drills. The burn cells to be used are constructed specifically for these type demonstrations. The cells were built under a partnership agreement with the University of Tennessee National Forensic Academy and the Oak Ridge Fire Department as a teaching tool for fire development studies.

Tennessee is in the top 5 states in the nation in fire deaths. State Fire Marshal Gary West said there are more than 98,000 homes in Tennessee without working smoke alarms. The State Fire Marshal’s office, in conjunction with fire departments across Tennessee, has installed more than 35,000 smoke alarms free of charge since November 2012. The Oak Ridge Fire Department will install and inspect smoke alarms free of charge and assist residents with developing a home escape plan.

The press release said the Oak Ridge Fire Department will distribute more than 3,000 DVDs illustrating the need for Home Escape Plans to students from kindergarten through fifth grade in Oak Ridge this month. The DVD was produced by the Oak Ridge Fire Department and can be viewed at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiASKeU5sk8.

“Everyone needs two ways out of their home,” the release said. “ORFD encourages citizens to develop and practice home escape plans.”

Oak Ridge residents may call (865) 425-3520 to schedule an installation or inspection of smoke alarms in their home. ORFD will also provide and change your smoke alarm battery free of charge.

For additional information or a copy of the new video, contact Fire Chief Darryl Kerley at (865) 755-5364 or Assistant Fire Chief Josh Waldo at (865) 382-7267.