Home Fire Prevention
Avoiding Disaster, Protecting Lives
Look carefully through your house for fire hazards you may have overlooked. It only takes a bit of organization to get rid of many of these hazards. Others require a small expense. Whatever the cost or effort, preventing a fire in your home is worth it.
Unsafe cooking is the leading cause of home fire and burn injuries------Keep cooking surfaces clean, cook with the lowest effective heat, never leave cooking unattended, supervise children at all times, and unplug appliances when not in use.
Careless habits can cause tragedies------Empty ashtrays, avoid extension cords, burn only dry wood in chimneys and use a fire screen. Inspect space heaters for wear and tear, and keep combustibles, children, and pets at least 3 feet away from heat sources.
Out of sight, out of mind? Take a closer look------keep flammable liquids far from heat..etc.
Half of house fire deaths are caused by fires that begin between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.------Never smoke in bed, install smoke alarms, consider escape ladders for second floor bedroom windows.
Heating and electrical fires are common------Do not overload electrical outlets or extension cords! Check cords and plugs for wear before using...etc.
Remember to designate a place to meet family members once out of the house!, i.e. mailbox or tree.
Smoke Detector Locations
A smoke detector in every room would provide the fastest detection times. However, this may not be economically feasible for many residents. What should be strongly recommended is the placement of a smoke detector in every bedroom and at every level of the living unit. When providing this "every level" detection, the user should consider locations such as hallways, stairways, and normal exit routes. As a minimum, users should install a smoke detector in the hallway outside each sleeping area and between the sleeping area and other rooms in the house. The detectors should be close enough to the bedrooms so that the alarm can be heard when the bedroom door is closed. It is most desirable to mount the detectors on the ceiling. However, if the ceiling mount is not possible, position them as high on the walls as possible, but not within a dead air space (Essentials 673-674).
Test Your Smoke Detectors
Nearly four thousand Americans die every year in residential fires. Most of these deaths are not from heat or flames but from inhaling smoke and toxic fumes. Smoke is actually particles of combustion generated by what is burning-paper, wood, chemicals, plastics, upholstery or other fuel.
Smoke Detectors buy time to get out of the house fast, before toxic fumes accumulate to lethal levels.
Place as many smoke detectors as needed to protect your entire home.
Test your smoke detectors at least once a month by pressing the test button.
Replace weak or worn out batteries at once
Never borrow smoke detector batteries for other uses
Keep extra batteries on hand
Change batteries at least once a year
Dust and vacuum smoke detectors at least twice a year
Make sure smoke detectors are working when you return home after an extended absense
What is Carbon Monoxide (CO)?
Carbon Monoxide is a colorless, odorless, extremely poisonous and explosive gas which causes 1,500 accidental deaths and more than 10,000 injuries each year.
CO is slightly lighter than air and mixes throughout the atmosphere. It is a by-product of incomplete combustion, produced when fuels such as natural gas, propane, heating oil, kerosene, coal, charcoal, gasoline or wood are burned with insufficient air.
MILD EXPOSURE: Flu-like symptoms including slight headache, nausea, vomiting, and fatigue
MEDIUM EXPOSURE: Severe headache, drowsiness, confusion, and a fast heart rate. Prolonged exposure to medium levels of CO can result in death.
EXTREME EXPOSURE: Loss of consciousness, convulsions, heart and lung failure, possible brain damage and death.
** Install and maintain carbon monoxide detectors**
"Committed to Service"
International Fire Service Training Association. Essentials of Fire Fighting. 4th Ed. Fire Protection Publications, 1998.
Pictures Provided By: Essentials of Fire Fighting. 5th Ed. Fire Protection Publications, 2008.