Important

• Practice escape plans every month.
• Plan two ways out of each room.
• Immediately leave your home when a fire occurs.
• Never open doors that are hot to the touch.
• Designate a meeting location away from your home.
• Once you’re out, stay out!

How to Use: Draw a basic diagram of your home, marking all windows and doors, and plan two routes of escape out of each room. Consider various fire scenarios when creating your plan and develop actions for a safe escape in each case.

Important

Having working smoke alarms installed on every level of your home dramatically increases your chances of survival. Smoke alarm batteries need to be tested every month and changed with new ones at least once a year. Also, consider replacing the entire smoke alarm every ten years, or as the manufacturer guidelines recommend.

Practice Fire Safety

More than 4,000 Americans die each year in fires and approximately 20,000 are injured. An overwhelming number of fires occur in the home. There are time-tested ways to prevent and survive a fire. It’s not a question of luck. It’s a matter of practicing and planning ahead.

Kitchen Fire safety

• Keep an eye on your cooking and stay in the kitchen. Unattended cooking is the leading cause of cooking fires.
• Wear short or close-fitting sleeves. Loose clothing can catch fire.
• Watch children closely. When old enough, teach children to cook safely.
• Clean cooking surfaces to prevent food and grease build-up.
• Keep curtains, towels and pot holders away from hot surfaces and store solvents and flammable cleaners away from heat sources. Never keep gasoline in the house.
• Turn pan handles inward to prevent food spills.

To Put Out a Cooking Fire in Your Kitchen

• Call the fire department immediately. In many cases, dialing 911 will give you Emergency Services.
• Slide a pan lid over flames to smother a grease or oil fire, then turn off the heat and leave the lid in place until the pan cools. Never carry the pan outside.
• Extinguish other food fires with baking soda. Never use water or flour on cooking fires.
• Keep the oven door shut and turn off the heat to smother an oven or broiler fire.
• Keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen. Make sure you have the right type and training.
• Keep a working smoke alarm in your home and test in monthly.

Safety Tips for Using Turkey Fryers

• Never place the fryer on a wooden deck or porch or in a garage or carport.
• Leave at least 2 feet between the fryer and the propane tank.
• Use the right amount of oil.
• More »

For More Information:

• Behavioral Mitigation of Cooking Fires
• Consumer Product Safety Commission Household Safety Publications
• Recipe for Safer Cooking

Electrical Safety

The Problem

During a typical year, home electrical problems account for 67,800 fires, 485 deaths, and $868 million in property losses. Home electrical wiring causes twice as many fires as electrical appliances.

The Facts

December is the most dangerous month for electrical fires. Fire deaths are highest in winter months which call for more indoor activities and increase in lighting, heating, and appliance use. Most electrical wiring fires start in the bedroom.

The Causes

Electrical Wiring

Most electrical fires result from problems with “fixed wiring” such as faulty electrical outlets and old wiring. Problems with cords and plugs, such as extension and appliance cords, also cause many home electrical fires.

In urban areas, faulty wiring accounts for 33% of residential electrical fires.

Many avoidable electrical fires can be traced to misuse of electric cords, such as overloading circuits, poor maintenance and running the cords under rugs or in high traffic areas.

Home Appliances

The home appliances most often involved in electrical fires are electric stoves and ovens, dryers, central heating units, televisions, radios and record players.

Safety Precautions

• Routinely check your electrical appliances and wiring.
• Frayed wires can cause fires. Replace all worn, old or damaged appliance cords immediately.
• Use electrical extension cords wisely and don’t overload them.
• Keep electrical appliances away from wet floors and counters; pay special care to electrical appliances in the bathroom and kitchen.
• When buying electrical appliances look for products which meet the Underwriter’s Laboratory (UL) standard for safety.
• Don’t allow children to play with or around electrical appliances like space heaters, irons and hair dryers.
• Keep clothes, curtains and other potentially combustible items at least three feet from all heaters.
• If an appliance has a three-prong plug, use it only in a three-slot outlet. Never force it to fit into a two-slot outlet or extension cord.
• Never overload extension cords or wall sockets. Immediately shut off, then professionally replace, light switches that are hot to the touch and lights that flicker. Use safety closures to “child-proof” electrical outlets.
• Check your electrical tools regularly for signs of wear. If the cords are frayed or cracked, replace them. Replace any tool if it causes even small electrical shocks, overheats, shorts out or gives off smoke or sparks.

Finally, having a working smoke alarm dramatically increases your chances of surviving a fire. And remember to practice a home escape plan frequently with your family.

 Winter fire safety

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. Fireplaces are burning wood and man made logs. All these methods of heating may be acceptable. They are however, a major contributing factor in residential fires.

Many of these fires can be prevented. You can prevent the loss of life and property resulting from heating fires by being able to identify potential hazards and following these safety tips.

Wood Stoves

Wood stoves cause over 4,000 residential fires every year. Carefully follow the manufacturer’s installation and maintenance instructions. Look for solid construction, such as plate steel or cast iron metal. Check for cracks and inspect legs, hinges and door seals for smooth joints and seams. Use only seasoned wood for fuel, not green wood, artificial logs, or trash. Inspect and clean your pipes and chimneys annually and check monthly for damage or obstructions. Be sure to keep combustible objects at least three feet away from your wood stove.

Electric Space Heaters

Buy only heaters with the Underwriter’s Laboratory (UL) safety listing. Check to make sure it has a thermostat control mechanism, and will switch off automatically if the heater falls over. Heaters are not dryers or tables; don’t dry clothes or store objects on top of your heater. Space heaters need space; keep combustibles at least three feet away from each heater. Always unplug your electric space heater when not in use.

Kerosene Heaters

Buy only UL-approved heaters and check with your local fire department on the legality of kerosene heater use in your community. Never fill your heater with gasoline or camp stove fuel; both flare-up easily. Only use crystal clear K-1 kerosene. Never overfill any portable heater. Use the kerosene heater in a well ventilated room.

Fireplaces

Fireplaces regularly build up creosote in their chimneys. They need to be cleaned out frequently and chimneys should be inspected for obstructions and cracks to prevent deadly chimney and roof fires. Check to make sure the damper is open before starting any fire. Never burn trash, paper or green wood in your fireplace. These materials cause heavy creosote buildup and are difficult to control. Use a screen heavy enough to stop rolling logs and big enough to cover the entire opening of the fireplace to catch flying sparks. Don’t wear loose-fitting clothes near any open flame. Make sure the fire is completely out before leaving the house or going to bed. Store cooled ashes in a tightly sealed metal container outside the home.

Finally, having a working smoke alarm dramatically increases your chances of surviving a fire. And remember to practice a home escape plan frequently with your family.

Rural Fire Safety and Prevention

Fire Facts about Rural Living

• Once a fire starts outdoors in a rural area, it is often hard to control. Wildland firefighters are trained to protect natural resources, not homes and buildings.
• Many homes are located far from fire stations. The result is longer emergency response times. Within a matter of minutes, an entire home may be destroyed by fire.
• Limited water supply in rural areas can make fire suppression difficult.
• Homes may be secluded and surrounded by woods, dense brush and combustible vegetation that fuel fires.

Tips for Making Your Property Fire Resistant

• Keep lawns trimmed, leaves raked, and the roof and rain-gutters free from debris such as dead limbs and leaves.
• Stack firewood at least 30 feet away from your home.
• Store flammable materials, liquids and solvents in metal containers outside the home at least 30 feet away from structures and wooden fences.
• Create defensible space by thinning trees and brush within 30 feet around your home.
• Landscape your property with fire resistant plants and vegetation to prevent fire from spreading quickly.
• Post home address signs that are clearly visible from the road.
• Provide emergency vehicle access with properly constructed driveways and roadways, at least 12 feet wide with adequate turnaround space.
• Make sure water sources, such as hydrants and ponds, are accessible to the fire department.
• Burning yard waste is a fire hazard. Check with your local fire agency on a non-emergency number for fire permit requirements and restricted burning times.

Protect Your Home

• Use fire resistant, protective roofing and materials like stone, brick and metal to protect your home. Avoid using wood materials that offer the least fire protection.
• Cover all exterior vents, attics and eaves with metal mesh screens no larger than 6 millimeters.
• Install multipane windows, tempered safety glass or fireproof shutters to protect large windows from radiant heat.
• Use fire-resistant draperies for added window protection.
• Have chimneys, wood stoves and all home heating systems inspected and cleaned annually by a certified specialist.

Prepare Your Family

• Know how to contact fire emergency services in your area.
• Plan ahead. Make sure you and your family are prepared for a fire emergency.
• Develop and practice escape and evacuation plans with your family.
• Install smoke alarms on every level of your home. Test them monthly and change the batteries at least once a year. Consider installing the new long-life smoke alarms.