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October 3rd-9e, 2021 is “National Fire Prevention Week” and the City of New Orleans has always made fire prevention and education a priority when it comes to the safety of our residents and visitors. The city of New Orleans maintains a Class 1 fire protection rating from the Property Insurance Association of Louisiana (PIAL). Our Class 1 fire protection rating is the result of evaluating the performance of previous years, ranking the effectiveness and efficiency of three municipal agencies, the New Orleans Fire Department (NOFD), the New Orleans Water and Sewer Authority and Orléans Parish Communication District. This achievement for the city of New Orleans provides everyone with the peace of mind of knowing that they are receiving the best possible service when it comes to fire protection. This achievement also benefits residents and businesses in our community through lower fire insurance costs.
In partnership with the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) and the Louisiana State Fire Marshal (LSFM), the NOFD and the City of New Orleans celebrate National Fire Prevention Week October 3-9. This year’s theme, “Learn the sounds of fire safety”, strives to educate everyone about the various sounds emitted by smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors alerting us to emergencies or maintenance issues. We need to make sure everyone in the house understands the sounds of smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and knows how to respond.
What is your alarm telling you?
Smoke alarms:
Carbon monoxide (CO) alarms
- A continuous set of four loud beeps means carbon monoxide is present in your home. Get out, stay outside and call 911.
- A single “beep” every 30 to 60 seconds means the battery is low and needs to be changed
- CO alarms also have “end of life” sounds which vary by manufacturer. This means it is time to get a new CO alarm.
- Continuous beeping after battery replacement means the alarm has reached the end of its life and needs to be replaced
As a Class 1 fire service, the NOFD promotes fire prevention and awareness throughout the year. As always, we would like to remind citizens that the safest and most effective way to protect your home and loved ones from a residential fire is to have working smoke detectors. NOFD WILL PROVIDE AND INSTALL SMOKE DETECTORS 10 YEARS FREE OF CHARGE for any inhabitant of the parish of Orleans in need. Please contact the NOFD at 504-658-4714 or make your request online at https://www.nola.gov/nofd/citizen-services/free-smoke-detector-installation/ if you or someone you know needs this potentially life-saving service. This year, while supplies last, the NOFD will be distributing carbon monoxide (CO) alarms. The NOFD will organize a Fire Safety table in the hall of the Town Hall on Tuesday, October 5e from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Residents are encouraged to pick up a free CO alarm or they can call 504-658-4713 to make arrangements to drop by NOFD headquarters and pick up a CO alarm, while supplies last.
Since 2012, the New Orleans Fire Department has been conducting its “Save lives, install Dat” Smoke Detector Installer. With this program, NOFD service personnel in uniform come to your home, assess your fire safety needs and install 10 year lithium battery smoke detectors (Free) or replace the 9 volt batteries in hardwired smoke detector systems for any Resident of the parish of Orléans in need.
The NOFD is also proud to be able to offer this same potentially life-saving service to deaf and hard of hearing members of our community. The NOFD incorporated “bed shaker” and “strobe light” components (which work in conjunction with our 10 year audible alarms) designed specifically for the deaf and hard of hearing. The NOFD smoke alarm system for deaf citizens is also “FREE”. Our only condition is that the NOFD personnel in uniform on duty are authorized to carry out the installation. We encourage anyone who knows a deaf or hard of hearing citizen who needs it FREE SMOKE DETECTOR system to contact the NOFD.
In addition, the NOFD performs annual fire inspections at business premises all year round, which is the industry standard for maximum safety and reduced risk. These inspections allow the ministry to identify the dangers and structural deficiencies that endanger the safety of our citizens, visitors and firefighters. Additionally, all commercial properties must be inspected annually to help maintain our Property Insurance Association of Louisiana (PIAL) Class 1 fire protection rating. This classification results in better insurance rates for the community.
There is a direct cost to our community that is associated with the fires and is reflected in the loss of structural and personal property; but there is also a significant effect of indirect costs which are reflected in firefighter injuries, reduced property values, the tax base, community scourge and increased property insurance rates. The ultimate goal is to maximize the efforts of the NOFD to fulfill its mission “to reduce loss of life and property”. The NOFD inspection program helps achieve this goal and helps save lives while serving as a prudent method of keeping businesses in business. It is an effective tool that serves to ensure the health, well-being, prosperity and security of life of the whole city.
To learn more about our community awareness and fire safety programs and activities or to request a Smoke alarm system for deaf citizens or 10 year smoke alarm via our “Save lives, install Dat” Smoke Detector Program “ please contact the New Orleans Fire Department at 504-658-4714 or visit our website at www.nola.gov/nofd. To learn more about food safety and this year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign, “Learn the sounds of fire safety“, visit the NFPA website at www.fpw.org as well as the Louisiana State Fire Marshal’s webpage at http://lasfm.org/.
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