WHY WORRY?

Why Worry
A message from Heather Langley, Maryland State Firemen's Association Miss Fire Prevention 1996-97

Why worry? 40% will never happen - anxiety is the result of a tired mind.
30% concerns old settlements which cannot be altered.
12% centers in criticisms, mostly untrue, made by people who feel inferior
10% is related to my health, which worsens while I worry, and only
8% is legitimate.

So why worry about fire prevention? Do we really need smoke detectors? Do we really need to conduct those monotonous fire drills? Let us consider the facts:

Every year fires in the United States kill thousands of people; and over one-half of these fires are caused by carelessness or lack of common sense.
Consider a modern-day household in which its residents are not concerned with fire prevention. Smoke detectors in this household are either absent or non-functioning; therefore, this family will not be alerted by the alarm when the careless smoker falls asleep and sets the bed sheets on fire.
The small children of this household are not aware of the dangers of fire. Thus, the curtains are set ablaze as they experiment with matches.
Unnecessary overloading of an electrical outlet will cause a fire that will rage through this family's living room. The following examples display how carelessness can cause fires in the home:
Fires can occur by placing a wastebasket too near a stove, or by turning your back on a heated iron.
Some people may not be aware that spontaneous combustion can set closet-kept rags or mops on fire; or that flashback fires can result from cleaning fluid fumes that travel down the stairs and reach the furnace.
There are many other dangerous habits that people may not be aware of that cause fires in the home. Poor ventilation in an attic, hot ashes dropped by a careless smoker, and the storage of paint cans in a warm basement are among these.

So, how do we motivate people to be more concerned with fire prevention? I was taught very early that I would have to depend entirely upon myself, that my future lay in my own hands.

Everyone needs to make fire prevention a conscious practice in their lives. Everyone is urged to examine their homes both inside and out. During this examination, adequate fire escapes, functioning fire extinguishers, and working smoke detectors should be noted.

Rubbish should not be left lying about, nor should any oily or paint-soaked cloths be kept in an attic or closet. These must be thoroughly cleaned, destroyed, or kept in an air-tight container.

Electrical appliances must be unplugged after each use so as not to overload and short-circuit an outlet.

Public education has brought about great improvement in fire prevention for many years. I believe that education is the main key to maintaining and advancing this improvement. Group organizations, schools, and governments should continue to enact and update their educational programs so that people can acquire more knowledge of fire prevention and take precautions against fire.

At the beginning of this article I asked, 'Why Worry?" Fire prevention is a topic that we all need to be worried about. If we all develop suitable fire prevention habits, then the needless loss of life and property will be spared.

This article was originally published in the "Siren Silencer", an official publication of the Ladies Auxiliary to the Maryland State Firemen's Association's Fire Prevention Committee, Peggy Webb, editor.

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Why worry?	40% will never happen - anxiety is the result of a tired mind.
	30% concerns old settlements which cannot be altered.
	12% centers in criticisms, mostly untrue, made by people who feel inferior
	10% is related to my health, which worsens while I worry, and only
	8% is legitimate.

	Every year fires in the United States kill thousands of people; and over one-half of these fires are caused by carelessness or lack of common sense.
	Consider a modern-day household in which its residents are not concerned with fire prevention. Smoke detectors in this household are either absent or non-functioning; therefore, this family will not be alerted by the alarm when the careless smoker falls asleep and sets the bed sheets on fire.
	The small children of this household are not aware of the dangers of fire. Thus, the curtains are set ablaze as they experiment with matches.
	Unnecessary overloading of an electrical outlet will cause a fire that will rage through this family's living room. The following examples display how carelessness can cause fires in the home:
	Fires can occur by placing a wastebasket too near a stove, or by turning your back on a heated iron.
	Some people may not be aware that spontaneous combustion can set closet-kept rags or mops on fire; or that flashback fires can result from cleaning fluid fumes that travel down the stairs and reach the furnace.
	There are many other dangerous habits that people may not be aware of that cause fires in the home. Poor ventilation in an attic, hot ashes dropped by a careless smoker, and the storage of paint cans in a warm basement are among these.