BE PREPARED FOR FIRE

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• Have an escape plan and practice it.
• Be sure that children know how to open their window (and remove the screen if there is one).
• Have an emergency ladder or other method of escaping from bedroom windows above the first floor.
• Have a family meeting place outside so that all can be accounted for.
• Stay low when there is heat and smoke in the house.

Home Fire Prevention

• Install smoke detectors on every level of the home in rooms, stair landings, and passageways.
• Test them monthly. Change batteries twice a year.
• Consider installing automatic fire sprinklers to spray water on fire in its early stages to reduce or stop damage.
• Put out cigarettes in an ashtray. Never throw them in the trash. Make sure that they are completely out.
• Keep all lighters and matches in locked or high cabinets away from children.
• Use light bulbs with the correct wattage for the fixture.
• Replace all frayed, cracked, or broken electrical cords.
• Check for independent testing lab safety labels (i.e., UL, FM) on all appliances and portable heaters.
• Use outlets safely. Don’t plug too many large appliances into one outlet, overload an extension cord, or plug more than one extension cord into an outlet.
• Make sure there are two escape routes from every room, including basement bedrooms.
• Store and use all cleaning products and aerosol cans away from heat. Don’t burn the containers.
• Do not use electrical appliances or tools when you or the cord is in or near water.
• Keep the stovetop and oven clean to avoid grease fires.
• Remove towels, potholders, plastic bags, newspapers, and other flammable materials around the stovetop.
• Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove.
• Use only microwave-safe dishes in the microwave.
• Wear tight fitting sleeves or roll them up when cooking.
• Clean wood or coal stove and fireplace chimneys before each heating season.
• Burn only dry, seasoned wood in the fireplace or wood stove to reduce the build-up of creosote – which is flammable – in the chimney.
• Close the screen or heat-tempered glass door when the fire place is in use to prevent sparks from igniting furniture, draperies or other items.
• Stack newspapers, wood, matches, and other items that might catch fire away from fireplace or wood or coal stove.
• Install a smoke detector in the hallway near each bedroom. Sleep with the bedroom door closed.
• Buy portable heaters with automatic shutoff safety features. Keep them clean and at least three feet away from draperies, furniture, clothing, bedding, or walls.
• Never smoke cigarettes in bed or an time you are sleepy.
• Use a heating pad for no more than 30 minutes. Unplug when finished.
• Have your furnace checked before each heating season to be sure it is in proper working condition.
• Do not store trash or anything that could catch fire near the furnace.
• Become familiar with your main electrical panel.
• Clean lint from the dryer screen before each use.
• Store gasoline in approved, tightly sealed containers and use only as motor fuel.
• Keep paints and other flammable liquids and chemicals in their original, labeled containers with tight-fitting lids.
• Use and store flammables (e.g., pesticides, fertilizers, paint, gasoline) away from any source of heat or flame. Never smoke near flammable liquids.

Throughout the Home

Kitchen

Living Room

Bedroom

Basement/Utility Room

Garage/Shop