Eighth Red Bulb Placed on Fire Safety Wreath

Escambia County Fire Rescue has placed an additional red bulb on the “Keep the Wreath Green” fire safety wreath, bringing the total to eight residential structure fires so far during December. Last year's campaign concluded with 13 red bulbs.

The eighth fire occurred in the 5800 block of Penny Lane on Sunday, Dec. 20. Escambia County Emergency Communications received a call at 3:45 a.m. regarding a multi-family dwelling fire. Upon arrival, ECFR units E7, Sq3, E1, L12, E11, B2, B3, E6 and Pensacola Fire Department's E6, B1, L16 discovered a single-story duplex with fire in 50 percent of the structure. Units performed an aggressive interior attack, keeping the fire from spreading to the adjoining apartment. The incident was brought under control by 4:17 a.m. The apartment appears to be a total loss, and the adjoining apartment was vacant but had moderate smoke and water damage. The occupant self-evacuated and was transported by EMS to a local area hospital for further care. No smoke alarms were present. The Florida Bureau of Fire and Arson Investigations will conduct the cause and origin investigation.

If your home does not have a working smoke detector, please call Escambia County Fire Rescue at 850-595-HERO (4376) or 850-436-5200 for city of Pensacola residents.

The “Keep the Wreath Green” fire safety campaign is a collaborative initiative with the city of Pensacola to promote fire safety during the month of December. During the month-long campaign, five-foot wreaths are on display at 21 county fire stations and five city fire stations, as well as Escambia County's Ernie Lee Magaha Government Building downtown, the Escambia County Public Safety Building and Pensacola City Hall. Each time firefighters respond to a residential fire with damage, a green light bulb will be replaced with a red one to remind citizens of the dangers posed by fires in residential home. For more tips on how to stay safe during the holiday season, visit myescambia.com/KeepTheWreathGreen.

Safety Tips: 

Escambia County Fire Rescue encourages everyone to practice fire safety especially during the holiday season. Residents are encouraged to follow these safety tips so everyone can have a safe and happy holiday:

• Make sure to have a working smoke alarm outside of every bedroom and on every level of your house. Make sure to test them monthly and change batteries every time you change your clocks.
• Communicate an escape plan to other members of the household in the event of a fire.
• Never leave cooking food unattended. If you must leave the room, turn the stove off first.
• Have your chimney and fireplace inspected by a professional to make sure they are clean and free of obstructions. Never burn paper or trash in the fireplace.
• Make sure the oven and stovetop are clean, free of grease and are in good working order.

For fire safety tips and other updates from Escambia County Fire Rescue, like Escambia County Fire Rescue on Facebook.