Mail Tribune News - Ashland fire drill planned

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Ashland fire drill planned ASHLAND -- Firefighters will be on the streets tonight, but they are not planning to look for fires. Fire Chief Keith Woodley says they will be on the lookout for families practicing their escapes from potential residential fires and gathering outside their homes. It's Ashland's part in tonight's Great North American Fire Drill, which the National Fire Prevention Association is sponsoring as part of National Fire Prevention Week. Woodley said if crews spot families practicing escape drills between 7 and 8 p.m., family members will receive free T-shirts with the "Great Escape" logo. Woodley said the home fire-escape drills are timely in the aftermath of a Sept. 18 fire that destroyed a home on Meade Street. "One of the residents would have been a fatality had the other person not heard the smoke detector and helped him get out through a bedroom window," Woodley said. "So, smoke detectors work -- and I think this comes at an appropriate time." Woodley said firefighters are showing the remnants of the smoke detector from the Meade Street fire at fire prevention programs in Ashland schools this week. A program and fire drill will be conducted at 1:15 p.m. today at Helman School. Mail Tribune Copyright �  The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA