Fire Prevention Week kicked off in Rochester at an open house on Hudson Avenue hosted by the Rochester Fire Department.
The theme for this year is "Don’t Wait, Check the Date,” referencing the importance of replacing smoke alarms every 10 years.
While bigger fires on High Street and Park Avenue have raised fire safety concerns in recent weeks, Fire Marshal for the City of Rochester and Deputy Chief Christine Schryver said fire safety is something that should always be on our minds.
"I think we want to keep the message out that it’s always urgent. Because you never know when it’s going to happen to you, and we're all at risk."
Schryver said having 2 ways out of your home is another key message they want to get across this week.
"You always have to plan 2 ways out. Because you might say, I’m going to go down the stairs and then that way isn’t an option, so what’s plan b?"
It’s important to bring the community into the firehouses with these open houses, Schryver says, especially for younger children who might find full fire suits intimidating.
Plus, they might get some kids interested in a possible career path.
"There aren’t as many women in the fire service still. It’s getting better but, we also always want to expose to the young women out there, hey, don’t rule this out."
Schryver reminded residents to continue to check their smoke alarm batteries once a month.
If you are a city resident and do not have a working smoke alarm, you can call 311, and firefighters in your neighborhood will come and install one.
Fire Prevention Week runs October 9th through the 15th.