NATIONAL "FIRE PREVENTION WEEK" OCTOBER 5TH-11TH

Its "National Fire Prevention Week" and the Dothan Fire Department has been busy organizing events and promoting this years theme, "When fire strikes, Get out! Stay out!". The fire department will be at Wiregrass Commons Mall on Thursday to announce winners of this week`s poster contests. They will also be at the Northside Super Wal-Mart on Saturday at 10 a.m. to pass out brochures, give out safety tips,etc. Chief Robert Munn has been a member of the Dothan Fire Department for 23 years. "We urge you to take this seriously. Not just October, but all year round," says Munn. One of his goals as Fire Marshall is to educate citizens with important safety tips. "Make sure you have working fire detectors. You should also make sure to have an escape plan and practice them once a month. Have a meeting place outside, that way all members, as well as the firefighters know who is out safely," says Munn. Batteries in smoke detectors should be changed twice a year. A recent report showed a two percent decrease in the number of deaths as a result of home fires. That number may sound small, but any number is big when youre talking about saving lives. JANA JACOBS-REPORTER WDHN 18