As part of Fire Prevention Week, October 6-12, the Illinois State Fire Marshal is offering safety tips to keep your family safe.

In other news, the Illinois State Police is warning residents about a telephone scam.

And also during the week, the Illinois State Lottery announced that the profits from a new lottery instant ticket will go to help fund homelessness prevention and assistance program grants.

Fire Prevention Week is October 6-12

The theme for Fire Prevention Week this year is Not Every Hero Wears A Cape. The Office of the State Fire Marshal is encouraging residents to learn, prepare, and practice for emergencies. Local firefighters will be visiting schools during the week to talk to students about the importance of fire safety and what they can do to help.

Families are encouraged to have an escape plan for their homes that includes multiple exits and paths to safety. According to the State Fire Marshal, there were more than 15,500 residential fires last year in Illinois. To help families with an escape plan, the National Fire Protection Association recommends the following tips:

• Draw a map of your home that clearly identifies pathways to two exits.
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• Practice your home fire drill twice a year, once at night and once during the day, with everyone in the family.
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• Teach children how to escape on their own in case you can’t help them.
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• Clearly mark your home so fire departments and first responders can find it easily.
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• Close doors behind you as you leave to slow the spread of smoke and fire.
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• Once you get outside, stay outside. Never go back inside a burning building.
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For more information about National Fire Prevention Week, visit the NFPA website at https://www.nfpa.org/.

Illinois State Police warning of telephone scam

The Illinois State Police (ISP) is warning the public of a phone scam that is currently circulating throughout the country. A number of residents have reported to the ISP that they have received a call with a voice indicating the person’s grandson has been arrested or is in trouble. While the caller ID shows that the ISP is calling, ISP wants to make sure the public knows these calls are not coming from them.  

Citizens should be aware of this scam, and remember that the Illinois State Police does not ask for personal information and will never call to solicit money on behalf of the Department or ask you to send money for any reason. Citizens are advised to hang up immediately and cautioned to not provide any personal information.

The Illinois State Police encourages those that believe they have been the victim of this phone scam to call them at 217-782-7980, or report information on this scam or different types of phone scams to the Illinois Attorney General’s office at www.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/about/contacts.html.

New Illinois State Lottery game to fund homelessness prevention

Illinois Lottery officials have introduced a new instant ticket with the profits going to the Homeless Prevention Revenue Fund administered by the Illinois Department of Human Services. The Fund provides rent and utility assistance to those in need.

The new scratch-off ticket, “Easy as 1-2-3,” started September 3 and is the first-ever Illinois Lottery game that addresses homeless. The ticket costs $2 and a player with a winning ticket could receive up to $20,000.