Burn Institute reminds families of importance of smoke detectors

SAN DIEGO COUNTY – In light of the recent Mt. Hope fire, the Burn Institute urges individuals and families to take precautionary measures to prevent devastating fire tragedies from occurring. Residential fires claim the lives of more than 3,000 people each year and injure tens of thousands more. Being prepared is the key to survival.

When a home fire strikes, there is no time for mistakes. It can take merely two minutes for smoke and toxic fumes to overcome a child or an adult. Parents are advised to sit down with their family, including young children, and make a step-by-step fire escape plan. All family members should know two ways out of every room and the most direct route to outside safety.

Families should also agree on a meeting place out in front of their home, where everyone will congregate once they have escaped. The Burn Institute encourages families to implement and practice these escape plans, as they can be the tool that saves a person’s life.

Having a working smoke alarm in a home cuts the occupants chance of perishing in a house fire by 50 percent. Smoke alarms should be installed in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every floor of a home.

"In a fire, seconds count," said Susan Day, Burn Institute executive director. "Roughly half of home fire deaths result from fires reported at night between 11p.m. and 7 a.m. when most people are asleep. Home smoke alarms can alert people to a fire before it spreads, giving everyone enough time to get out."

Families who are in need of smoke alarms can contact the Burn Institute at (858) 541-2277 to find out if they qualify for a free instillation.

In the event of a fire, the Burn Institute is poised and ready to support those who have been affected and understands that when a burn survivor is first admitted to the hospital for their injuries, it is a devastating time for all involved. This damaging experience is all the more challenging for low-income families, who struggle to meet the additional financial responsibilities.

For these individuals, the Burn Institute raises funds to provide emergency housing, transportation to and from the UC San Diego Burn Center, food vouchers, and parking passes to families and loved ones of burn patients. The goal of this funding is to ensure that families can stay together, in order to provide their survivor with the love and support they so desperately need throughout recovery.

Although the Burn Institute is the local agency dedicated to aiding a burn survivor’s lifelong emotional and physical journey to recovery, their intention is to prevent fire and burn injuries from happening altogether.