October 9-15, 2011 is FIRE PREVENTION WEEK!

That's right; now is the time to start planning for your annual Fire Prevention Week (FPW) activities! The 2011 FPW campaign is aptly themed "Protect Your Family from Fire!" The Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) is joining with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) to promote awareness and education about fire safety during the week of October 9-15, 2011.

ESFI believes that knowledge and awareness are the keys to preventing fires. We urge you to adopt a proactive approach to fire safety by learning about potential fire hazards and the latest fire safety technologies.  ESFI's Fire Prevention Week Toolkit includes a Home Safety Checklist to help identify fire hazards; safety tips for the proper installation, use, and maintenance of smoke alarms; and Fact Sheets with important information about Arc Fault Circuit Interrupters (AFCIs) and Fire Safety Planning. We encourage you to use these resources to promote Fire Prevention Week in your family, workplace, school, and community. 

Don't forget that learning about fire safety can be fun and engaging. Find out if you have what it takes to safely escape from a fire (from the safety of your own computer) with ESFI's Virtual Fire Drill. This interactive, videogame-like simulation first educates players on proper fire escape procedures and then allows them to test their newly acquired knowledge by "escaping" from a virtual fire. Extensive resources are available at the conclusion of the simulation to help players develop effective fire escape plans for their own families. The Virtual Fire Drill is also available in a Spanish language version.

Find all of ESFI'sFire Prevention Week Resources on our website at www.electrical-safety.org. More information about Fire Prevention Week is also available from NFPA at www.firepreventionweek.org.   

ESFI Mexico continues to take great strides in the name of electrical safety. They have recently produced new and updated materials teeming with important information about electrical products, their use and misuse, and the safety hazards associated with them.

The pamphlet entitled "Electricidad en Exteriores: Verificación de Seguridad," which is a translation of an existing ESFI pamphlet, contains detailed information advising readers on the proper procedures for the maintenance and installation of outdoor electrical devices from spas and pools to ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs).

ESFI Mexico has also begun distribution of "Comisión de Seguridad Eléctrica: Caname-ANCE-ESFI México," which outlines the goals and history of the coalition these three organizations formed in 2007 to further the promotion of electrical safety for Mexican  consumers and to prevent injuries and fatalities related to the use of electricity in homes, schools, and the workplace.  More information can be found on their Spanish-language website at http://www.seguridadelectricamexico.com.