Fire Safety Tips

Every home should have at least one working smoke alarm.

Buy a smoke alarm at any hardware or discount store.  It's inexpensive protection for you and your family.  Install a smoke alarm on every level of your home.  A working smoke alarm can double your chances of survival. Test it monthly, keep it free of dust and replace the battery twice a year when you change your clocks for daylight savings time.  Smoke alarms themselves should be replaced after five years of service, or as recommended by the manufacturer.

Burn Notice

• Remind grown-ups to keep hot foods and liquids away from tables and counter edges so they cannot be pulled or knocked over.
• Grown-ups should always be careful when using things that get hot such as curling irons, oven, irons, lamps, heaters.
• Hot things can hurt you. Stay away from hot things.

Just Right?

• Remind grown-ups to test the water before placing children or themselves in the tub.

Cool a Burn

• Treat a burn right away. Put it in cool water for 3-5 minutes. Cover with a clean, dry cloth.
• Remind grown-ups that if the burn is bigger than your fist, or if you have any questions, to get medical help right away.

Safety in the Kitchen

• Remind grown-ups to stay in the kitchen when cooking. Keep things that can burn (potholders, towels, and paper) away from the stove.
• Stay three feet away from the stove when a grown-up is cooking.

Electrical check-up

• Help grown-ups check electrical cords to make sure they are not damaged.

Heating Reminders

• Remind grown-ups to keep space heaters 3 feet from anything that can burn.
• Grown-ups should always turn off space heaters every time they leave the room and before going to bed.
• Remind grown-ups never to use an oven to heat your home.

Match and Lighter Safety

• Tell a grown-up if you find matches or lighters
• Grown-ups should keep matches and lighters up high in a locked cabinet.

Candle Caution

• Remind grown-ups to put out lit candles when they leave a room.
• Stay three feet away from burning candles.

Safety Smart Grown-up Reminders

• Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, inside each bedroom and outside each sleeping area.
• Test smoke alarms once a month.
• Replace smoke alarms every 10 years.
• Make a home fire escape plan with your family.
• Find two ways out of every room and an outside meeting place.
• Know the emergency number for your fire department.
• Practice your escape plan twice a year.
• When the smoke alarm sounds, get outside and stay outside!

Never overload circuits or extension cords
Do not place cords and wires under rugs, over nails or in high traffic areas.  Immediately shut off and unplug appliances that sputter, spark or emit an unusual smell.  Have them professionally repaired or replaced. 

Use appliances wisely
When using appliances follow the manufacturer's safety precautions.  Overheating, unusual smells, shorts and sparks are all warning signs that appliances need to be shut off, then replaced or repaired.  Unplug appliances when not in use.  Use safety caps to cover all unused outlets, especially if there are small children in the home.

Alternative Heaters
Portable heaters need their space.  Keep anything combustible at least three feet away.  Keep fire in the fireplace.  Use fire screens and have your chimney cleaned annually.  The creosote build-up can ignite a chimney fire that could easily spread.  Kerosene heaters should be used only where approved by authorities.  NEVER use gasoline or camp-stove fuel.  Refuel outside and only after the heater has cooled.  NEVER use charcoal for cooking or heating indoors.

Residential Fire Sprinklers
When home fire sprinklers are used with working smoke alarms, your chances of surviving a fire are greatly increased.  Sprinklers are affordable - they can increase property value and lower insurance rates.  

Plan Your Escape
Practice an escape plan from every room in the house.  Caution everyone to stay low to the floor when escaping from fire and never to open doors that are hot.  Select a location where everyone can meet after escaping the house.  Get out of the house first then call for help.

Children
Children under five are naturally curious about fire.  Many play with matches and lighters.  Tragically, children set over 20,000 house fires every year.  Take the mystery out of fire play by teaching your children that fire is a tool, not a toy.

Seniors
Every year over 1,200 senior citizens die in fires.  Many of these fire deaths could have been prevented.  Seniors are especially vulnerable because many live alone and can't respond quickly.

Source: US Fire Administration / Fire Prevention Bureau