Louisville Fire stressing safety through Fire Prevention Week

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Louisville Fire kicked off Fire Prevention Week on Monday at the Firefighter Memorial in Jefferson Square Park.

The department is using the event to stress the importance of fire safety.

This year's theme is planning your escape in case the house or building you're in catches on fire.

"We encourage families to work with their kids, to practice their escape plan, to make sure that when those alarms go off, to understand that fire won't wait," said Maj. Bobby Cooper, with the Louisville Fire Department. "You must plan your escape. So when that alarm goes off, making sure the kids know two ways out of every room, home, front door, back door, to have a meeting location, those are all things we stress."

Cooper also stressed the importance of smoke detectors.

During Monday's event, a new name was added to Firefighter Memorial: Louisville Fire Sgt. David Paulie.

And two Zoneton firefighters will be honored Sunday at the National Firefighters Memorial in Maryland.