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  1. Fire Department
  2. Safety Tips

In a typical home fire, smoke, heat and toxic gases build up rapidly. When the smoke detector sounds get out of the building immediately before your escape route is blocked. To survive a fire: install and maintain smoke detectors and practice an escape plan.

Here are some Safety Tips:

Smoke Detectors

  • Install smoke detectors on every level and outside each sleeping area.
  • Test them monthly.
  • Replace the battery twice a year.
  • Never disable your detector.

 

Cooking Safety

  • Put a lid on a grease fire to smother it then turn off the heat. Baking soda will also work.
  • Wear tight-fitting 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 Iying around.
  • Never give a lighter to a child as a toy.

 

Home Escape Plan

 

  • Practice your home escape plan with the whole family twice a year.
  • Plan 2 ways out of each room. The easy way out is probably the door and the second way out might be a window.
  • If you plan for a child or a senior to exit a window, make sure they can open it easily.
  • If you canʼt get out, close your door and go to the window and signal for help.
  • Teach children never to hide under beds or in closets.
  • If you must go through smoke, crawl low. The coolest, cleanest air will be about 18 inches off the ground.
  • Have a meeting place outside where everyone will meet.
  • Be able to tell the fire department if everyone is out safely.
  • Stay out; donʼt go back into a burning building for anything.
  • Telephone the fire department from a neighborʼs house or use the fire alarm emergency box.
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