Are Montanans Ready For This Disaster? The Top 3 Things To Know.

A fire is one of the greatest fears for many parents, homeowners, and renters. They can be devastating in multiple ways; losing a loved one and/or all of your belongings would be one of the most challenging moments in most people's lives.

This week was Fire Prevention Week in Bozeman and the Bozeman Fire Department will be going around to all of the schools this month to teach about fire safety.

I recently had a chance to talk with Fire Chief Josh Waldo from the Bozeman Fire Department and the Chief told me that the kids often educate the parents when it comes to fire safety. That was certainly the case when I was a kid. I have fond memories of when the Fire Department would come with the trucks and teach us all about the things that we needed to know in case of a house fire.

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Chief Waldo says that there are 3 things we all need to know when it comes to house fires.

1) Smoke Detectors

Every home or apartment needs to have working smoke detectors installed. According to Chief Waldo, when there is a house fire, you have less than 4 minutes to get out. Working smoke detectors are an absolute must when it comes to fire safety.

2) Have A Plan

Make sure that you have a plan, which includes an escape route. Having a plan to enact in case of a fire is important, as every second counts, and if you already have a plan in place and have practiced the plan, it gives you an extreme advantage.

3) Sleep With Your Doors Closed

I'll be honest, this was new for me: according to Chief Waldo, sleeping with your doors closed can give you extra minutes to escape a fire. Plus, it helps keeps the smoke out of the room and allows extra time for the firefighters to get to you.

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Of course, there are other ways to be prepared for a fire and it never hurts to have a fire extinguisher in the home. Take the time to make sure you have everything you need in place. Hopefully, you'll never have to be in that situation, but it's much better to be prepared if you are.

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