10
Tips For Fire Safety
Install Smoke Detectors
WORKING SMOKE DETECTORS can alert you to a
fire in your home in time for you to escape, even if you
are sleeping. Install smoke detectors on every level of
your home, including the basement, and outside each sleeping
area. If you sleep with the door closed, install one inside
your sleeping area as well.
Test detectors every month, following the manufacturer's
directions, and replace batteries once a year, or whenever
a detector "chirps" to signal low battery power.
Never "borrow" a smoke detector's battery for
another use - a disabled detector can't save your life.
Replace detectors that are more than 10 years old.
Plan Your Escape From Fire
IF A FIRE BREAKS OUT in your home, you have
to get out fast. Prepare for a fire emergency by sitting
down with your family and agreeing on an escape plan. Be
sure that everyone knows at least two unobstructed exits
- doors and windows - from every room. (If you live in an
apartment building, do not include elevators in your escape
plan.) Decide on a meeting place outside where everyone
will meet after they escape. Have your entire household
practice your escape plan at least twice a year.
Keep An Eye On Smokers
Careless smoking is the leading cause of fire
deaths in North America. Smoking in bed or when you are
drowsy could be deadly. Provide smokers with large, deep
non-tip ashtrays and soak butts with water before discarding
them. Before going to bed or leaving home after someone
has been smoking, check under and around cushions and upholstered
furniture for smoldering cigarettes.
Cook Carefully
Never leave cooking unattended. Keep cooking
areas clear of combustibles and wear clothes with short,
rolled-up or tight-fitting sleeves when you cook. Turn pot
handles inward on the stove where you can't bump them and
children can't grab them. Enforce a "Kid-Free Zone"
three feet (one meter) around your kitchen stove. If grease
catches fire in a pan, slide a lid over the pan to smother
the flames and turn off the heat. Leave the lid on until
cool.
Give Space Heaters Space
Keep portable heaters and space heaters at
least three feet (one meter) from anything that can burn.
Keep children and pets away from heaters, and never leave
heaters on when you leave home or go to bed.
Remember: Matches And Lighters Are Tools,
Not Toys
In a child's hand, matches and lighters can
be deadly. Use only child-resistant lighters and store all
matches and lighters up high, where small children can't
see or reach them, preferably in a locked cabinet. Teach
your children that matches and lighters are tools, not toys,
and should be used only by adults or with adult supervision.
Teach young children to tell a grown-up if they find matches
or lighters; older children should bring matches or lighters
to an adult immediately.
Cool A Burn
Run cool water over a burn for 10 to 15 minutes.
Never put butter or any grease on a burn. If the burned
skin blisters or is charred, see a doctor immediately. Never
use ice.
Use Electricity Safely
If an electrical appliance smokes or has an
unusual smell, unplug it immediately, then have it serviced
before using it again. Replace any electrical cord that
is cracked or frayed. Don't overload extension cords or
run them under rugs. Dont' tamper with your fuse box or
use improper-size fuses.
Crawl Low Under Smoke
During a fire, smoke and poisonous gases rise
with the heat. The air is cleaner near the floor. If you
encounter smoke while you are escaping from a fire, use
an alternate escape route.
Stop, Drop And Roll
If your clothes catch fire, don't run. Stop
where you are, drop to the ground, cover your face with
your hands, and roll over and over to smother the flames.
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