43 Forum: Fire Safety - 19 Action News|Cleveland, OH|News, Weather, Sports

My guests, retiring Cleveland Fire Chief Paul Stubbs and Larry Gray, spokesman for the CFD and I talked about the safety measures one can take to reduce the number of deaths by fire. 

We covered having an escape plan for families, not leaving food cooking on the stove, not overloading outlets and electrical cords and having working smoke alarms. 

We encouraged Cleveland residents to call and get free smoke alarms with free installation. We talked about the fact that on Chief Stubbs' watch death by fire went from an average close to 50 a year down to its lowest level in recorded Cleveland history. 

In 2010 there were only five deaths from fire and 2011 there were only three due to fire. 

We also talked about the alleged abuse of sick leave and overtime by some in the fire department. 

We discussed the need to continue to educate children, their parents and the elderly about fire safety. 

Children oftentimes will encourage their parents to do a better job of fire safety because kids are learning in school things not to do. 

The elderly often over-medicate and may not be aware of some life-threatening behaviors due to their altered state. 

Chief Paul Stubbs is Cleveland's first African American Fire Chief.