Fire Prevention Strategies
Never leave candles burning!!
Keep candles at least 12 inches away from anything flammable.
Use flashlights instead for emergency lighting.
Don't leave the stove unattended.
Never leave the oven on.
Keep anything that can catch fire away from the stove.
Keep an oven mitt and lid handy. If stove fires start, you can put the mitt on and smother them with the lid.
Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home.
Install carbon monoxide alarms, usually near the furnace area.
Keep anything that can burn at least three (3) feet away from any heating area.
Hire a qualified professional to clean and inspect your chimneys and heating equipment once a year.
Keep portable heating equipment turned off when no one is in the room.
Use a qualified electrician to check wiring and install additional circuits or receptacles.
Do not use extension chords for more than a temporary purpose.
If you are blowing fuses or tripping breakers, your wiring needs to be checked.
Test smoke detectors once a month, replace once every 10 years.
Replace batteries (in electrician installed smokes) once very 6 months.
Have a fire escape plan: make sure everyone hears the alarms, they get out and stay out, and they meet in a designated area outside.
Building or remodeling? Consider a sprinkler system.
Do you smoke? Smoke outside. If inside, use deep ashtrays.
Keep matches and lighters higher than a child's reach and keep them locked up.
