This week was Fire Prevention Week, a time to recognize the need for fire safety and the importance of local fire crews.

Fire departments host open houses, visit schools and do other public awareness projects, all aimed at keeping everyone mindful of the need to practice fire safety basics.

They emphasize prevention with steps like smoke detectors and furnace checks. They also teach people what to do if a fire occurs. People are encouraged to practice an evacuation plan and to know safety measures such as the stop, drop, and roll.

I enjoyed Fire Prevention Week activities as a child, but I later developed a fear of fire as a teenager after my family experiences a chimney fire in 1981.

We cleaned our chimney regularly, but it still caught fire. I remember my dad calling for help. I recall getting out of the house, looking up at the chimney, and seeing sparks coming out of the top like a blast furnace.

Firefighters responded quickly. The fire was contained within the chimney, so it could have been much worse. My fear developed from learning that the house might have burned down if the fireplace had been in the middle of the floor plan.

While I was in high school I much preferred a calm lazy fire in the fireplace to a big roaring one. I didn’t attend bonfires.

One of the things that helped me to overcome my fear after college was my work at the Independent. I never had the main coverage responsibility for fires, accidents, crime or courts, but everyone on the staff needed to be ready to cover that type of news if necessary.

I responded one afternoon to a fire report in the Marshall industrial park. Some pallets caught fire behind a business.

The fire crew quickly brought the blaze under control. I was allowed to go right up to the firemen while there were still flames and got some good photos. It showed me that a controlled fire isn’t dangerous as long as everyone uses good sense.

A few months after that there was a fire at my parents’ neighbors house. An electrical fire started in their other neighbors’ minivan and spread to their attic.

Firemen saved the house, but the roof had to be replaced. It demonstrated for me once again the importance of fire crews.

They’re totally dedicated to keeping residents of their communities as safe as possible. They put their lives on the line. They do it every time they hurry to the fire hall, put on their gear and climb aboard a fire truck bound for a fire call.

Earlier this week I saw a fire truck parked outside one of our Marshall schools. Even though I haven’t covered a fire in more than 10 years, my reporting instincts were activated.

I wondered what might be happening. It was only one truck and I didn’t see any smoke, but thought for a moment that maybe I should check it out in case there was some type of emergency.

Then I remembered. It was Fire Prevention Week. Fire department members were at the school to educate, to show people how to reduce fire risks. They gave the students information that they could take home and talk about with their parents.

With busy routines in the 21st century, it’s easy to let things slide when it comes to fire safety. It’s important to avoid doing that.

People should take part in their local Fire Prevention Week activities. They should practice fire safety every week of the year. If they’re pretty sure they smell smoke, it’s best to call and let the experts check it out.

It’s better to respond to situations that prove to be harmless instead of ignoring warning signs and having a huge blaze.

Simple safety steps can help to protect life and property. We never know when they might be needed. We’re fortunate that it’s a simple and inexpensive process, something that anyone can accomplish in a short amount of time. It might make a world of difference.

— Jim Muchlinski is a longtime reporter and contributor to the Marshall Independent