KTIV NewsChannel 4 Sioux City IA: News, Weather and SportsFire Prevention Week starting off with a blaze

Fire Prevention Week starting off with a blaze

"It's a time we talk about the common leading causes of fire. Eighty percent of all fires are in the home, where people feel the safest," said Chuck Hirsch, Sioux City Fire Marshall

Sunday kicks off fire prevention week all across Sioux City, its purpose is teaching people about fire safety.  To do this, for the first time ever in Sioux City, the fire department held a demonstration with two different rooms, one with and one without a sprinkler, and set them both a blaze.

"It shows people how quickly a fire spreads and how it gets out of control. Two to three minutes your whole living room can be fully involved in flames. That's not a lot of time," said Joe Rodriguez, Sioux City Fire Department.

In fact, in only a minute and a half, the room without a sprinkler burned up, reaching 1100 degrees, destroying the entire structure. The sprinkler saved the other after only ten seconds.

"I learned that if you don't have a sprinkler in your house it will burn faster," said Caleb Crum, Sioux City.

"The fire gets put out faster, so you have more of a chance at living," said Jon Walker, Sioux City. 

"If your clothes are on fire, stop what you're doing, drop and roll."

A lesson fueled through hands on activities, like spraying a fire hose, touring a fire truck and even dressing up like a firefighter.