Fire Safety Tips

IN AN EMERGENCY CALL

• In case of fire go to your neighbor's home to call.
• Teach your children how to get emergency help.

PROTECT YOUR HOME FROM WILDFIRE

• Create a safety zone around your home by cleaning flammable vegetation.
• Keep your roof clear of leaves and needles.
• Discuss community fire safety with your neighbors.

STORE ONLY A SMALL AMOUNT OF GASOLINE IN AN APPROVED SAFETY CONTAINER OUTSIDE THE HOME

• Use it as a motor fuel only, not for cleaning.

CRAWL LOW UNDER SMOKE

• If you encounter smoke on your way out of a fire, use your second way out instead.
• If you must escape through smoke, crawl low under the smoke to your exit.

FIRE WON'T WAIT, PLAN YOUR ESCAPE

• Have an escape plan that includes two ways out of each room and a meeting place outside the home.
• Practice it with the whole family at least twice a year.

COOL A BURN

• If someone gets burned, place the wound in cool water for 10 - 15 minutes.
• If the burn blisters or chars, see a doctor immediately. Set the temperature of your hot water heater to 120 degrees F (49c) or below.

WORKING SMOKE DETECTORS SAVE LIVES

• Install them on every level of your home and outside each sleeping area.
• Test them monthly and install new batteries.
• Replace the battery twice a year.
• Never disable your detector.

FIREWORKS ARE DANGEROUS!

• Even sparklers, which burn as hot as 1200 degrees F (649 C), cause thousands of injuries to children each year.
• Attend professional displays and leave fireworks to the technicians who are trained to use them.

USE ELECTRICITY SAFELY

• Don't overload extension cords or run them under rugs.
• Replace any cord that is cracked or frayed. If an appliance smokes or has an unusual smell, unplug it and have it repaired by a professional.
• Use the proper size fuses in your fuse box.

ENJOY A SAFE HOLIDAY

• Water your christmas tree daily and be sure it is placed away from exits and heat sources.
• Make sure holiday lights are labeled by an approved testing laboratory and in good condition.

SECURITY BARS ON WINDOWS CAN TRAP YOU IN A FIRE

• Use bars which have a quick release mechanism, that everyone in the family can operate.

STOP, DROP, AND ROLL

• If your clothes catch on fire, stop where you are, drop to the ground, cover your face with your hands and roll over and over to smother the flame.

SPACE HEATERS NEED SPACE

• Keep portable and space heaters at least 3 feet (1m) from anything that can burn.
• Never leave heaters on when you leave home or go to bed and keep children and pets away from them.

MATCHES OR LIGHTERS CAN BE DEADLY IN THE HANDS OF A CHILD

• Use child resistant lighters.
• Store all matches and lighters up high, preferably in a locked cabinet.

COOKING SAFETY

• Put a lid on a grease fire to smother it then turn off the heat. Baking soda will also work.
• Wear tightfitting sleeves when cooking. Loose sleeves easily catch fire.
• Never throw water on a grease fire. Water will only spread the fire around.
• Never move a burning pan. You can too easily ignite your clothes or spill the fire onto someone or something else.
• Stand by your pan! Never leave cooking unattended.

SAFE SMOKING

• Try to quit again.
• For health and fire safety reasons, permit smoking outside only.
• Never smoke in bed.
• Use large ashtrays with center rests so cigarettes fall into the ashtray not on the floor.
• Smokers should keep lighters on their person, not on the table or in a purse where children can find them.
• Never smoke in homes where oxygen is in use.

MATCH AND LIGHTER SAFETY

• Purchase child resistant lighters.
• Keep all matches and lighters out of reach and sight of children. A high, locked cabinet is recommended.
• Teach children that matches and lighters are not toys, they are tools for grownups.
• Teach young children to tell a grown-up when they see matches or lighters lying around.
• Never give a lighter to a child as a toy.