PAGE 8 ; ~'~E PERt(iNS JO~NAL, PERKINS, OKLAHOMA THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1962
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Fire Fatalities
Hit 11,700 Total
By Lawrence James Collins
Student in Fire Protection
Oklahoma State university
The National Fire Protection
Association recently reported that
fatalities due to fire totaled 11,700
in 1961. Nearly 1,000 people died
by fire each month in America's
homes, schools, churches or busi-
nesses. Of these dead, more ~l:a:~.
6,000 died in fires in their own
homes.=Of these, nearly 30 per
cent, o~,800~v~ children.
Fire deaths continue to rise
annually. 1961 was no exception,
as the death rate jumped 350 over
that of 1960. Yet the feeling that
"It can't happen to me, I'm care-
ful around fire!" still prevails.
It is the fire that is still undiscov-
ered that will take its grim toll
of lives this year.
It is an accepted fact that many
of the potentially dangerous, if
not fatal, fires could be prevent-
ed. As an example, smoking and
matches cause an estimated 25
per cent of all fires. The misuse
of electricity is a major cause
with 12 per cent of all fires of,
electrical origin. These two causes
deserve consideration in persona,
fire prevention in every home.
A discarded cigarette with ash
at the end burns at 300 degrees,
while without the ash it burns at
up to 600 degrees. The head of a
match burns at 2000 degrees and
the stick at 1200 degrees. Stop
and think what ~ cigarette or
match can do to your home when
improperly handled. The" most
costly fire in history was caused
by a c~garette tossed into a coil
of: rope in Bombay, India, taking
1500 lives and a loss of $1,600,000,
000.
Many causes of electrical fires
are fairly obvious, frayed wiring
to a lamp or appliance, Oversized
fuses, improper wiring, extension
cords beneath rugs or through
doorways, and of course overload-
ing wires with multiple sockets
in outlets. All appliances should
be of the type approved by the
Underwriter's Laboratory with
their seal or marking on it.
Fire Prevention in the home is
a full time job. There is more to
it than being careful with cigar-
ettes and matches, and looking at
the wiring occassionally. Accum-
ulations of paper or boxes give
fire a place to start. The heating
system is another weak point at
this time of year. Faulty install-
ation or poor maintenence will be
evident when smoke fills the
house. Much of home fire pre-
vention is good old common sense.
Remember, it can happen to
you! It happened to nearly 12,000
people ifi 1961. and it can happen
to you in 1962. Stop the fire be-
fore is starts through a periodic
check of your home and constant
awareness of the danger of fire.
6th Grade Party
Mr'and Mrs Harvey Brixey en-
tertained the 6th grade class with
a wiener roast Friday evening
after school in honor of their
daughter, Marilyn's 12th birthday.
Those atending were Jane Butt,
Linda Ward, Cathy 'Rushmore,
Lanny Jacobs. R.L. Westfall, Roy
Wall, Danny Kastl, Randy Hall,
Randy Jarvis, Tommy Irvin, Ruth
Burrows, Ruth Evans, Vavia
Watts Victor Roubldeax, Patty
Gray, Betty Hamilton, Karen and
Debbie Bostian, Jan and Libby
Wampler, Gayle Cochran, Alverta
Hardy and Glen Mullens.
M-~ E'-'~ F.lqott of Tu~¢a ancJ
Mr and Mrs Ralph Grimm spent
Sunday in Oklahoma City visiting
Mr and Mrs Lilburn Grimm and
family. Afternoon guests of the
Grtmms were Mr and Mrs H.T.
Henderson of Ft. Gibson, Carroll
Wayne Husted and Mr and Mrs
Estel Husted and son of Oklahoma
City.
EXTENSION SERVICE CITES
STATE 4-H ALUMNI HONORS
Four Oklahoma residents county as a youngster, and has
have been honored as"outstand- held several local and county
ing former members ofd-H 4-H posts in recent years.
Clubs" in the 1961 national 4-H Mrs. Tefft, a homemaker, is a
alumni recognition program Sunday school teacher and has
conducted by the Cooperative been active in the Red Cross at
Extension Service. the national and state lovels.
,, She is a leader in the Parent-
i;~' '~ ~1Teachers AssOciati0n in her
community and a charter mem-
~i..~,~ ber of the Alpha Tri child study
club in Enid.
Mrs. Tefft has three daughters
active in 4-H, and has been a
leader in the Carrier club since
19s .
W;nchesfer Mrs. Tefff of radio station WKY and
WKY-TV, has spent 25 years in
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