Pacific Beach Middle School student Neelu Namati recently won a contest promoting planned escape routes for fire emergencies. She received her cash award at an Oct. 8 school ceremony.
In 2017, U.S. fire departments responded to 357,000 home structure fires, which caused 2,630 deaths and 10,600 injuries. Seven people died every day in a house fire nationally from 2012 to 2016.
Nonprofit San Diego Regional Fire Foundation, in conjunction with the National Fire Protection Association, launched a campaign recently titled “Not Every Hero Wears a Cape. Plan and Practice Your Escape.” The campaign was launched to promote Fire Prevention Week Oct. 6-12.
To help prevent tragedies and as part of the campaign, the fire foundation sponsored a contest encouraging residents to develop and practice their own home fire escape plan.