Home Fire Safety

Home Fire Safety

• Make a written or videotaped inventory of household possessions and store in a safe place.
• Install smoke detectors, replace batteries every 6 months.
• Install a working fire extinguisher in the kitchen.
• All family members need to know what to do in case of a fire. Make and practice an escape plan.
• An escape plan should include at least two ways of escaping every room.
• Choose a safe meeting place outside the house.
• Practice ways to alert each household member in case of fire.
• Practice fire safety techniques such as staying low to the ground. When escaping, feel all doors before opening them. If the door is hot, get out another way.
• Learn to stop, drop to the ground, and roll if your clothes catch fire.
• Post emergency numbers near telephones to quickly be able to call for help should you have the time to safely call before the fire becomes too threatening.

Check Electrical Wiring

• Replace frayed or cracked wiring.
• Make sure wiring is not under rugs, over nails, or in high traffic areas.
• Do not overload outlets or extension cords or try to bypass a circuit breaker. Outlets need to have cover plates so there is no exposed wiring.
• All appliances and electrical devices should be labeled UL or FM laboratory approved.
• Use safety plugs in electrical outlets if you have small children.
• Avoid overloading electrical outlets. Avoid running electrical cords under carpet and furniture.

Smoke Detectors

• Install smoke detectors on every level, near bedrooms, in the garage and away from air vents.
• Test the batteries monthly and replace them every six months.

Portable Heaters

• Anything that could get hot and catch fire such as blankets, clothing, curtains, and furniture needs to be kept away from portable heaters.
• Heaters should be plugged directly into the wall socket and unplugged when they are not in use.

Safe Cooking

Cooking is the leading cause of fires in the home!

• Keep items away from the stove that could catch fire, such as towels, clothing, and curtains
• Keep an operable fire extinguisher in the kitchen and know how to use it.