Fire Prevention Week runs Oct. 4-10, and the American Red Cross of South Carolina is urging households to practice escape plans and check smoke alarms as cooler weather returns.
Susan Everitt, regional executive for the Red Cross of South Carolina, said disaster teams in the state have responded to more than 400 fires since the beginning of 2026. Nationwide, the Red Cross responds to more than 60,000 disasters a year, most of them home fires.
Families should know two ways out of every room, pick an outside meeting place, and practice until everyone can get out quickly. Smoke alarms belong on every level and inside and outside sleeping areas; test them monthly and replace units that are 10 years or older.
As heating season begins, the Red Cross says never use a cooking range or oven to warm a home. Space heaters should sit on a hard, nonflammable surface away from rugs, bedding and drapes, plugged directly into an outlet, and kept away from children and pets.
