Safety and fire prevention tips
Candle fires
Careless smoking
Cooking Safety Tips
Practice wildfire safety
Smoke alarms
Seasonal tips
Winter - Trees and decorations
Summer
- Install a smoke alarm on every level of your home. Test smoke alarm batteries every month and change them at least once a year. Consider installing a 10-year lithium battery-powered smoke alarm, which is sealed so it cannot be tampered with or opened.
- Never smoke in bed. Replace mattresses made prior to the 1973 Federal Mattress Flammability Standard.
Don’t put ashtrays on the arms of sofas or chairs.
Use deep ashtrays and soak ashes in water before disposal.- Don’t leave cigarettes, cigars or pipes unattended. Put out all smoking materials before you walk away.
If you begin to feel drowsy while watching television or reading, extinguish your cigarette or cigar.- Close a matchbook before striking and hold it away from your body. Set your lighter on “low” flame.
- If smokers have visited, be sure to check the floor and around chair cushions for ashes that may have dropped accidentally.
Source: Department of Homeland Security
Cooking Safety Tips
"Cooking fires remain one of the toughest problems we face," said NFPA’s John Hall. In six out of seven incidents, ignition occurred while the cook was out of the kitchen. Due to the danger of cooking fires frequently associated with the devices, NFPA discourages the use of turkey fryers.
- Always monitor what you are cooking.
- If you are frying, grilling, or broiling food, stay in the kitchen.
- Turn off the stove if you need to leave the kitchen for any reason.
- If you are simmering, boiling, or baking food, remember to check it regularly.
- Never leave your home when the stove or oven is on.
- Keep any item that can burn at least three feet away from the stove top. This includes but is not limited to dishtowels, oven mitts and pot holders, paper or plastic bags, and curtains.
- Keep your stovetop and burners clean - remove any grease or food remnants.
- Keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen. Make sure you know how to use it and what type of fire extinguisher will put out common kitchen fires, such as grease fires.
- Plug microwaves directly into an outlet. Plugging a microwave into an extension cord can overload the circuit and cause a fire.
- The number of home fires caused by candles is at a 20-year high.
- Place candles in sturdy, nonflammable holders (metal, glass, ceramic) that are large enough to collect dripping wax.
- Always keep candles out of the reach of children and pets.
- Always attend burning candles. Extinguish all candles before leaving the room or going to sleep.
- Do not carry a lit candle during a power outage; use a flashlight instead.
- Keep candle wicks trimmed to ¼ inch and extinguish when the flame gets too high. Once the candle cools down, re-trim the wick to ¼ inch. This keeps the candle burning slower and with less smoke.
- Consider using flameless candles. This alternative to traditional candles allows you to enjoy the glow of a real candle without the hazards of smoke, melting wax, or fire. Battery-powered flameless candles can be practically indistinguishable from real candles to the casual observer, with options including real wax, flickering glow, and a variety of pleasing scents.
Source: National Fire Protection Association
- Place a smoke alarm on every level of your home and outside bedrooms. If you keep your bedroom doors closed, place a smoke alarm in each bedroom.
- Check smoke alarms monthly by pushing the test button. If you cannot reach the button easily, use a broom handle.
- Change the batteries in your alarms at least once a year – perhaps when you change your clocks for Daylight Savings Time.
- Teach children what the smoke alarm sounds like and what to do – leave the building immediately by crawling low under the smoke – when they hear it sound.
- If cooking smoke sets off the alarm, do not disable it. Turn on the range fan, open a window, or wave a towel near the alarm.
- Do not remove the batteries to put in other appliances such as personal stereos or games.
- Smoke alarms wear out over time. Replace yours if it is 10 years old or more.
- Keep smoke alarms clean. Dust and debris can interfere with their operation. Vacuum over and around your smoke alarm regularly.
- Consider installing a 10-year lithium battery-powered smoke alarm, which is sealed so it cannot be tampered with or opened.
- Hard-wired smoke alarms with battery back-ups need to be tested monthly and batteries replaced yearly.
Source: Department of Homeland Security
- Do not discard cigarettes from moving vehicles; use ashtrays.
- When pulling off the side of the road, stay off dry grass areas.
- Do not operate all-terrain vehicles on dry vegetation areas.
- Check lawnmowers and farm equipment for properly working spark arresters.
- Properly extinguish fires when cooking outdoors and never leave fires unattended.
- People start most wildfires. Promote and practice fire safety with all members of your family.
- Clearly mark all driveway entrances with name and address.
- Plan several escape routes away from your home both by car and on foot.
Protect your home (outdoors)
- Design and landscape your home with wildfire safety in mind. Allow a 30-foot buffer of non-combustible material around your home.
- Use non-combustible materials on the roof and regularly clean the roof and gutters.
- Teach family members how to use a fire extinguisher. Install and regularly test smoke detectors.
- Inspect chimneys twice a year and clean them once a year.
- Rake leaves and dead limbs and twigs. Clear all flammable vegetation.
- Have a garden hose long enough to reach any area of your home and property.
Protect your home (indoors)
- Use ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) on all outlets near water sources (i.e., sinks and laundry) and on garage and outdoor outlets. GFCIs are the outlets with "test" and "reset" buttons. They automatically cut off the flow of electricity through the outlet’s circuit if there is any variation in the current. Besides protecting people from electrical shocks, GFCIs can prevent or lessen the severity of some electrical fires.
- Never bring gasoline inside your house. Store it in a garage or shed and only use a container approved for gasoline storage.
- Before using your fireplace each year, have your flues and chimneys inspected for leaks and blockage. Never use a fuel such as gasoline or a charcoal lighter to light a fire as the vapors will explode. Do not keep flammable fuels near a fire as the vapors can travel the length of a room and explode. Always use a screen around a fireplace and keep all flammable materials away. Make sure the fire is completely out before you leave the house or go to sleep.
Being prepared
Develop and practice a fire escape plan. In case of a fire, stay low to the ground, beneath the smoke. Get out. Stay out.
When wildfires threaten
- Listen to the media or your NOAA Weather Alert radio for Civil Emergency Messages about where the danger is.
- Prepare your family, pets, and supplies in case you have to evacuate.
- If told to evacuate, DO SO IMMEDIATELY.
- Tell someone you are leaving and where you are going.
- If evacuating, drive a route away from fire hazards and listen to public safety officials.
Seasonal tips
Winter
The high cost of home heating fuels and utilities have caused many Americans to search for alternate sources of home heating. The use of wood burning stoves is growing and space heaters are selling rapidly or coming out of storage. They are, however, a major contributing factor in residential fires. Many of these fires can be prevented. The following fire safety tips can help you maintain a fire safe home this winter.Kerosene heaters
- Be sure your heater is in good working condition.
- Inspect exhaust parts for carbon buildup.
- Be sure the heater has an emergency shut off in case the heater is tipped over.
- Never use fuel-burning appliances without proper room venting. Burning fuel (kerosene, coal or propane, for example) produces deadly fumes.
- Use ONLY the fuel recommended by the heater manufacturer. NEVER introduce a fuel into a unit not designed for that type fuel.
- Keep kerosene or other flammable liquids stored in approved metal containers, in well-ventilated storage areas, outside of the house.
- NEVER fill the heater while it is operating or hot. When refueling an oil or kerosene unit, avoid overfilling. Use caution with cold fuel for it may expand in the tank as it warms up.
- Refueling should be done outside of the home (or outdoors).
- Keep young children safely away from space heaters—especially when they are wearing nightgowns or other loose clothing that can be easily ignited.
- When using a fuel-burning appliance in the bedroom, be sure there is proper ventilation to prevent a buildup of carbon monoxide.
Wood stoves and fireplaces
- Be sure the stove or fireplace is installed properly. Wood stoves should have adequate clearance from combustible surfaces and proper floor support and protection.
- Wood stoves should be of good quality, solid construction and design, and should be UL listed.
- Have the chimney inspected annually and cleaned if necessary, especially if it has not been used for some time.
- Do not use flammable liquids to start or accelerate any fire.
- Keep a glass or metal screen in front of the fireplace opening, to prevent embers or sparks from jumping out, unwanted material from going in, and help prevent the possibility of burns to occupants.
- The stove should be burned hot twice a day for 15-30 minutes to reduce the amount of creosote buildup.
- Don’t use excessive amounts of paper to build roaring fires in fireplaces. It is possible to ignite creosote in the chimney by overbuilding the fire.
- Never burn charcoal indoors. Burning charcoal can give off lethal amounts of carbon monoxide.
- Keep flammable materials away from your mantel. A spark from the fireplace could easily ignite these materials.
- Before you go to sleep, be sure your fireplace fire is out.
- NEVER close your damper with hot ashes in the fireplace. A closed damper will help the fire to heat up again and will force toxic carbon monoxide into the house.
- If synthetic logs are used, follow the directions on the package. Never break a synthetic log apart to quicken the fire or use more than one log at a time. They often burn unevenly, releasing higher levels of carbon monoxide.
Furnace heating
- Have your furnace inspected to insure that it is in god working condition.
- Be sure all furnace controls and emergency shutoffs are in proper working condition.
- Leave furnace repairs to qualified specialists. Do not attempt repairs yourself unless you are qualified.
- Inspect the walls and ceiling near the furnace and along the chimney line. If the wall is hot or discolored, additional pipe insulation or clearance may be required.
- Check the flue pipes and pipe seams. Are they well supported? Free of holes and cracks? Soot along or around seams may be an indicator of a leak.
- Is the chimney solid? No cracks or loose bricks? All unused flue openings should be sealed with solid masonry.
- Keep trash and other combustibles away from the heating system.
Other fire safety tips
- Never discard hot ashes inside or near the home. Place them in a metal container outside and well away from the house.
- Never use a range or an oven as a supplementary heating devise. Not only is it a safety hazard, it can be a source of potentially toxic fumes.
- If you use an electric heater, be sure not to overload the circuit. Only use extension cords that have the necessary rating to carry the amp load.
- Avoid using electric space heaters in bathrooms or other areas where they may come in contact with water.
- Frozen water pipes? Never try to thaw them with a blowtorch or other open flame, (otherwise the pipe could conduct the heat and ignite the wall structure inside the wall space). Use hot water or a UL labeled device such as a hand held dryer for thawing.
- If windows are used as emergency exits in your home, practice using them in the event fire should strike. Be sure that all windows open easily. Home escape ladders are recommended.
Sources: Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Fire Administration
Holiday safety tips:
Tips on using trees and decorations
- Select a fresh Christmas tree that is kept in water at all times. Needles on fresh trees should be green and should not fall off easily. Don't put your tree up too early or leave it up longer than two weeks.
- Place your Christmas tree in a safe place, away from heat sources such as a fireplace or heat vent.
- Inspect your lights before you use them to ensure they don't have frayed wires, gaps in the insulation, broken or cracked sockets or excessive wear. Only use lighting that is listed by an approved testing laboratory and don't leave the lights on when you're not home.
- Avoid overloading electrical outlets. Don't link more than three light strands unless the directions indicate it is safe. Periodically check the wires. They should not be warm to the touch.
- Use only nonflammable decorations that are placed away from heat vents and if you're using an artificial tree, make sure that it's flame retardant.
- Avoiding using candles. If you do use candles, ensure they are in a stable holder and place them where they cannot be easily knocked down. Do not leave lit candles unattended, never put candles on a Christmas tree
and never leave the house with candles burning.- Children will cause close to 60 house fires a day in mid-December, with another sharp increase on New Year's Day. Parents should take precautions to prevent such tragedies."
Staying cool
- Use air conditioners or spend time in air-conditioned locations such as malls and libraries.
- Use portable fans to exhaust hot air from rooms or draw in cooler air. Don't direct the flow of portable electric fans toward yourself when room temperature is hotter than 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Take a cool bath or shower.
- Minimize direct exposure to the sun.
- Stay hydrated – regularly drink water or nonalcoholic fluids.
- Eat light, cool, easy-to-digest foods such as fruit and salads. Don't eat heavy, hot or hard-to-digest foods.
- Wear loose-fitting, light-colored clothes.
- Check on older, sick or frail people who may need help responding to the heat.
- Know the symptoms of excessive heat exposure and the appropriate responses.
- Don't leave children and pets alone in cars for any amount of time.
Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
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