Fire Protection

Fire Prevention In The Home

The dangers of fire can never be over stated. They are responsible for many deaths and injuries throughout the United States and many of these deaths are avoidable. Fires have many causes and for this reason there are many different preventive measures one can take to reduce risks associated with fires. We have listed for your reference by category recommendations for reducing your risks and protecting your home and family from fire.

Smoke Detectors

Smoke detectors can be a great defense against smoke related deaths and injuries. However, it is critically important that your smoke detectors be working properly for you to receive their benefits. Here are some recommendations to insure that you receive these benefits:

• Test every detector at least once a month. [See your instruction book for the location of the test button.]
• Maintain your smoke detectors in a dust free manner.
• If your smoke detector is wired into your electrical system, regularly check to see that the signal light is blinking as this will verify that the alarm is active.
• Make sure that you have installed smoke detectors on every level of your home and outside of areas where residents sleep.
• Be sure to replace the batteries in your smoke detector with new batteries at least once a year, or sooner if the detector makes a chirping sound to alert you that the batteries need to be replaced.

Smoking Activities

Aside from the apparent health threats, smoking also presents serious potential danger in terms of home fires. The following are recommendations to follow if you or a member of your household is a smoker to prevent fires resulting from smoking related activities:

• Do not smoke while you are in bed
• Be sure to empty your ashtrays on a regular basis
• Do not smoke when you are exhausted as you may be careless about fully extinguishing your cigarette
• Do not smoke when you have been drinking as you may be careless about fully extinguishing your cigarette
• Be careful not to discard your ashtray into the trash without first wetting down the contents

Clothes Dryer

Clothes dryers present potential fire dangers due to their potential to build up dangerous heat levels under certain circumstances. We offer the following suggestions to reduce the risk associated with your clothes dryer:

• Dryers must be vented to the outside so that he heat may escape rather than into a wall or attic.
• Be certain to clean the lint screen frequently.
• Never put synthetic fabrics, plastic, rubber, or foam into your dryer because they retain heat.
• Do not leave your home with your clothes dryer running.

Fire Extinguishers

The following are recommendations for fire extinguishers:

• Fire extinguishers should be mounted in the kitchen and the garage.
• An ABC type extinguisher is recommended as it will extinguish all types of fires.
• Call 911 for large fires. Extinguishers are not intended to handle large fires.
• Educate yourself on the use of your fire extinguisher before you need to use it in an emergency.

Children

Special preventative efforts must be taken where children are concerned as children are particularly vulnerable to the dangers of fire. The following are recommendations to reduce the risks of fires where children are concerned.

• To the maximum degree possible, make sure that the children who reside with you or who spend the night in your home are familiar with escape routes from your home in the event of a fire.
• Keep lighters and matches where they are not accessible to children.
• Make certain that if there are fire or space heaters being operated in a room where children are present, that children are not left unattended.
• If a child appears to have a disproportionate fascination with fire, seek professional help immediately.

Furnace / Space Heaters

Space heaters can be extraordinarily dangerous and must be used with extreme care in your home. We offer the following recommendations:

• Be sure to have your furnace inspected by a professional prior to the start of every heating season .
• If you leave the room where the space heater is, then turn the space heater off.
• Keep space heaters at least three feet away from anything that might burn, including the wall.
• Do not use extension cords with electrical space heaters because the high amount of current they require could melt the cord and start a fire.
• When lighting a gas space heater, strike your match first before turning on the gas.
• Do not use a gas range as a substitute for a furnace or space heater.
• Do not use combustible materials near a furnace, hot water heater, space heater, etc. such as newspapers, rags, etc.

Fireplace

It is essential that you use caution when using your fireplace and we provide you with the following recommendations to reduce the risks associated with such use:

• Do not store flammable materials such as newspapers or matches near the fireplace. Also, do not have an exposed rug or wooden floor in front of the fireplace.
• Arrange for the professional inspection and cleaning of your chimney at the beginning of the winter season so that combustible creosote build-up may be removed if necessary.
• Install a chimney spark arrester to prevent roof fires.
• When lighting a gas fireplace, strike your match first before turning on the gas.
  Use a fireplace screen to prevent sparks from flying.

Kitchen And Cooking Activities

There are particular fire related risks related to the kitchen and the following suggestions are offered to reduce these risks:

• Do not leave your cooking activities unattended
• Keep a fire extinguisher near your kitchen and preferably ten feet away from the stove on the exit side of the kitchen.
• Never pour water on a grease fire.
• Turn off the stove and cover the pan with a lid, or close the oven door.
• Keep pot handles on the stove pointing to the back.
• Do not store items on the stove top as they could catch fire.
• Turn off and disconnect kitchen appliances.
• Do not overload kitchen electrical outlets.
• Do not use appliances with frayed or cracked wires.
• Do not wear loose fitting clothing such as bathrobes or clothing with loose sleeves as they can catch fire.
• Do not place your stove in an area near where curtains are hanging.
• Clean the exhaust hood and duct over the stove regularly. and wipe up spilled grease as soon as the surface of the stove is cool.
• Operate your microwave only when there is food in it.

Electrical Hazards

The following are some general recommendations regarding reducing electrical hazard risks.

• Try not to use extension cords.
• If you have to use extension cords, do not use one that frayed or worn.
• Do not run cords under a rug.
• Never overload an electrical socket.
• Do not use light bulb wattage which is higher than the specified wattage.
• Check regularly for loose wires, or loose lighting fixtures.
• Make sure there is sufficient air space around your television, stereo, etc. to prevent overheating.
• If you experience frequent fuse blows, immediately cut down on the number of appliances on that line.
• Be sure all electrical equipment bears the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) label.

Creating An Exit Plan

Creating an exit plan in the event of a fire is essential. Here are some suggestions:

• Check stairways to make sure they are free of obstructions and combustibles.
• Remove unnecessary items from the attic, basement, garage, and closets.
• It is better to sleep with your door closed because if there is a fire, having the door closed, it helps to hold back heat and smoke. If the door feels hot, do not open it; escape through another door or window.
• Consider purchasing a window escape ladder.
• Prepare a floor plan of your home showing two escape routes from every room.
• Stay with family members away from the danger. Call 911 from another location and make sure that nobody goes back inside the burning building.