Firefighter Dan Phillips with Sparky the Fire Safety Dog

These SAFETY TIPS are to help prevent fires in your home and keep your family safe.  Please review this with your entire family.

FACTS ON FIRE

• The United States has one of the highest fire death rates in the industrialized world.

• The National Fire Protection Association did a study that showed there were 3,900 fire fatalities in the United States in 2004 and most (82%) of these fatalities were in the home.

• Fire kills more Americans each year than all natural disasters combined.

• About 100 firefighters are killed each year in duty-related incidents.   

• Property loss due to fires in 2004 was estimated at $9.8 billion dollars.

• Midnight to 4 a.m. accounts for the largest number of fire deaths.

• Cooking is the leading cause of home fires in the US and over 25% of fires originate in the kitchen.

 

SMOKE DETECTORS, CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTORS & FIRE EXTINGUISHERS

Install and maintain at least one smoke detector on each level of your home, including the basement.  For extra safety, install smoke detectors both inside and outside sleeping areas.  Check them once a month and change the batteries at least once a year.  Keep dust and debris from collecting on them.  Smoke detectors more than double your chances of surviving a fire.  Install smoke detectors on the ceiling or 6 to 8 inches below the ceiling on side walls.  Avoid placing them close into corners as smoke may not initially collect in this area.  Purchase new detectors every 8-10 years.  Purchase smoke detectors that are UL listed.  Carbon monoxide detectors should be installed on any level of the home were there is a sleeping area.  There are numerous kinds of carbon monoxide detectors which can be battery powered or AC electric powered.  The detectors can be installed on the ceiling or on the wall, depending upon detector style.

***CHECK OUT THE M.F.D. SMOKE DETECTOR INSTALLATION PROGRAM***

Fire extinguishers can be very effective in controlling and extinguishing small fires in the home.  Install A-B-C type extinguishers in your home and teach family members how to use them based on the manufacturers instructions.  As noted above, kitchens are common places for fires to start.  Avoid mounting extinguishers above the stove area as they may become unreachable during a fire on the stove.  Replace old extinguishers as recommended by the manufacturer. 

 

 DEVELOP AN ESCAPE PLAN 

Once a fire has started, there’s no time to plan how to get out.  Sit down with your family today and make a step-by-step plan for escaping a fire.  Draw a floor plan of your home, marking two ways out of every room – especially sleeping areas.  Discuss the escape routes with every member of your household.  Agree on a meeting place outside the house where every member will gather after escaping a fire.  This will allow you to count heads and inform the fire department if anyone is missing or trapped inside the home.

Practice your escape plan at least twice a year.  Have a fire drill in your home.  Appoint someone to be a monitor, and have everyone participate.  A fire drill is not a race.  Get out quickly, but carefully.  Make your drills realistic by pretending some exits are blocked by fire, and practice alternate escape routes.  Pretend that the lights are out and that some escape routes are filling with smoke.  Practice alerting other household members.

 Make sure everyone in the household can unlock all windows and doors quickly, even in the dark.  Close doors behind you as you exit the house if possible.  Windows or doors with security bars should be equipped with quick-release devices, and everyone in the household should know how to use them.  If you live in an apartment building, use stairways to escape.  Never use an elevator during a fire. 

If you live in a multi-story house and you must escape from an upper level window, be sure there is a safe way to reach the ground, such as a fire-resistant fire escape ladder.  Make special arrangements for children, older adults, and people with disabilities.  People who have difficulty moving should have a phone in their room and, if possible, should sleep on the ground floor. 

Test doors before opening them.  While kneeling or crouching at the door, reach up as high as you can and with the back of your hand touch the door, the knob, and the crack between the door and its frame.  If there is smoke coming in from around the door or it feels warm, use another escape route.  If there is no smoke and the door feels cool, open it with caution.  Be prepared to slam the door shut if there is smoke or fire on the other side.  Close doors behind you as make your way out of the house.   

If you are trapped, close all doors between you and the fire.  Stuff the cracks around the doors to keep out smoke.  Open a window for fresh air and to signal for help with a flash light or light colored cloth.  If there’s a phone in the room, call the fire department and report exactly where you are in the building.

 In case of fire, get out as quickly and safely as possible.  Do not stop to try and rescue possessions or pets.  Go directly to your meeting place, and then call the fire department from a portable phone, neighbor’s phone, or alarm box.  Every member of your household should know how to call the fire department.

 When evacuating, crawl low under the smoke.  Smoke contains deadly gases and heat rises.  If possible, cover your mouth with a cloth to reduce inhaling smoke and gases.  If you must exit through smoke, crawl on your hands and knees keeping as low as possible.  Visibility should be increased low to the ground. 

 Once you are out of the your home, do not return for any reason.  If people are trapped, firefighters have the best chance of rescuing them.  The heat and smoke of a fire are overpowering.  Firefighters have the training, experience, and protective equipment needed to enter burning buildings.   

 

STOP, DROP, & ROLL

If your clothing catches fire, DO NOT RUN, as running will fans the flames.  STOP where you are, DROP to the ground, and ROLL over and over to smother the flames.  Cover your face with your hands to protect it, as well as your throat and lungs, from burns.  If someone else’s clothes are on fire, push them to the ground and roll them over and over.  Smother the flames with a blanket, rug, or other available materials. 

    

OTHER SAFETY TIPS

Smoke detectors should always be in good working condition.  They provide the extra time needed to escape a fire.

Children account for over 35% of all burn injuries and deaths each year.  Because their skin is thinner, children sustain burns at lower temperatures and in less time than adults. 

Never wear loose, long sleeve clothing while cooking as it can easily catch fire over a stove.

Do not lift heavy pots and pans from the stove when they are hot.  You can drop them and get burned.

Turn all pot handles toward the back of the stove to prevent spilling or knocking the pot off of the stove.  This is especially important if small children are present.

Do not use towels as pot holders.  They can easily catch fire when they come in close contact with heat or flame.

Never leave cooking unattended.  Make certain that all burners are off when you are finished cooking.

Do not allow cords from appliances, such as coffee pots to dangle from counter tops.  They can become entangled or pulled down by children.

Try to avoid placing hot liquids on place mats, or using tablecloths with young children.  Children tend to pull on these items and can cause hot liquids to spill down on the child and cause a burn.  Set hot liquids away from the edge of tables and counters.

Establish a “safe area” in front of the stove.  Teach children why it is unsafe and identify this location as a place they can’t play, walk or run in the kitchen.

Know how hot your water temperature is.  Thousands of adults and children are burned every year due to tap water being too hot.  Check your water heater to be certain that it is not set too high.  Refer to your water heater manual and set your water tank temperature at a safe level.  If your water heater is set at 160 degrees Fahrenheit, it takes one second to get a 3rd degree burn.  At 120 degrees, it takes 30 seconds.  Lower your water heater temperature to 120 degrees or less.  Always check the temperature of bath water before placing children in the bathtub.

Teach children that matches and lighter are tools, not toys.  They are to only be used by adults to light campfires, candles, and fire in the fireplace.  Keep matches and lighters away from children and out of their reach.  Store matches in a safe location.  Place in a dry location away from heat and out of the reach of children.    

Place safety covers on all unused electrical outlets.  Unplug appliances not being used.  Children can bite into electrical cords and sustain a serious burn.  Teach children to stay away from all electrical wires both inside and outside the home.  If they see a dangling wire, teach them to tell an adult and stay clear of the area.