Ten Fire Safety Tips
Here are 10 fire safety tips that will help keep you and
your family safe from fire, please read through them and discuss them with
your family.
1. Install and test 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 near each
sleeping area, it is best if you install one inside your sleeping area
as well.
Test detectors every month (always follow 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.
2. 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 ways out - including 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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. Don't tamper with your fuse box or use improper-size fuses.
9. Crawl Low Under Smoke
During a fire, smoke and poisonous gases rise with the heat. The air is
cleaner and cooler near the floor. If you encounter smoke while you are
escaping from a fire, use an alternate escape route.
10. 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.
Using prevention techniques will greatly improve
your chances of never having to escape from a fire. Don't be fooled though,
you never know when or where a fire will break out--always be ready!
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(August 1, 2000)