By George Esbensen
I just received my “preview” copy of the Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s report on fires in Minnesota for 2007. The usual leading causes have not changed in quite some time, in rank order they are: Cooking, heating, with open flame and arson tied for third. Notice that natural causes are not on the list, meaning that all of these potentially tragic events are 100 percent preventable.
As a society we are generally getting better at preventing fires, but amongst industrialized nations in the world our record is poor at best. We need to be more focused on what causes fire in our dwellings and change our behaviors so we quit having fires. So far this year 22 people in our state have perished in fires, not bad considering where we have been in the past, but every one of those fatal fires was preventable. In a large percentage of homes that the Eden Prairie Fire Department encounters on a weekly basis, smoke detectors are not present or not operational. Who would have guessed that to be the case here?
I urge each and every one of Eden Prairie’s residents to redouble their efforts to prevent fires in their homes and places of work. Look around your house for places where combustible materials come into contact with heat and open flame. Think about distractions that happen when you or a family member is cooking. How secure from combustibles is your ashtray? What do you do with your fireplace ashes? These are just a few of the questions you should be asking yourself.
Just in case fire strikes, I urge each and every resident to be sure they have a working smoke detector in every area of their homes used for sleeping, and continue to test those devices to be sure they are working properly. Let us work together to make Eden Prairie the place in this country that values fire prevention behaviors and we can then lead the way to a safer place to live, work and dream. If you have any questions about making your home or place of business fire safe just give me a call or send an e-mail. The Eden Prairie Fire Department’s Fire Prevention Bureau is always willing and ready to meet with you to discuss your fire prevention needs.

Fire Chief George Esbensen’s commentary appears monthly in this newspaper.