Simple Steps Can Make a Big Impact on Reducing Risk and Keeping Homes Safer

According to the National Fire Protection Association, the risk of home structure fire fatalities was 55% lower in homes with working smoke alarms. In the sixth episode of 7 Saturdays to a More Fire-Resistant Home, viewers will learn how to check if their smoke detectors are working properly along with other tips to make the inside of their homes more fire-resilient.

“We need to remind our community members that much like they prepare their homes for wildfire season by creating defensible space and home hardening, there are also simple tasks that can be done in the home that take minimal effort but can yield significant impact on reducing risk and keeping homes safer,” said Joe Nordlinger, Vice President of Grants for The Napa Communities Firewise Foundation.

With nearly 250,000 total views, today the 7 Saturdays series is showing Californians what they can do in just a few hours on a Saturday to better protect their homes. You can stream the show on PG&E’s preparedness website, the Safety Action Center, which provides information to help customers keep their families, homes and businesses safe during natural disasters and other emergencies. The show is hosted by Alicia Mason and David Hawks, Senior Public Safety Specialist at PG&E.

Hawks, former CAL FIRE Chief of the Butte Unit, has seen firsthand how simple preparations in the home can make a big difference and keep people safe in an emergency. According to Hawks, “Taking the time to learn how to use a fire extinguisher or turn off your gas in an emergency are critical to protecting yourself and your loved ones. And don’t forget about smoke detectors – they need working batteries and should be replaced after 10 years,” he said.

In this episode, viewers will learn:

• How to test smoke detectors and make sure that they are working.
• The proper way to use a fire extinguisher using the acronym P.A.S.S. (Pull, Aim, Squeeze and Sweep).
• How to turn off gas if you suspect a leak.

You can watch the sixth episode now on the Safety Action Center (safetyactioncenter.pge.com). New episodes will launch every week, for seven weeks.

About PG&E

Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is a combined natural gas and electric utility serving more than 16 million people across 70,000 square miles in Northern and Central California. For more information, visit pge.com and pge.com/news.

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