Emergency Preparedness

FIRE SAFETY MONTH!!! FIRE SAFETY MONTH!!!

OCTOBER: FIRE PREVENTION/FIRE SAFETY CHECKLIST

PLEASE CHECK YOUR SMOKE DETECTOR BATTERIES. THEY CAN, AND DO, SAVE LIVES IF THEY ARE WORKING!!

House numbers visible from street

Electrical outlets, electrical strips properly loaded, not overloaded

Do not use electrical extension cords as permanent wiring. Do not wrap extension cords or electrical cords of appliances around furniture or other objects, and do not run cords under carpet. Fix frayed, cut, or otherwise bad cords on electrical appliances

Keep combustible materials away from heat sources such as furnaces, hot water heaters, fireplaces, space heaters, gas/electric stove top, etc.

Use appropriate light bulbs so they don’t overheat. Keep lampshades free of flammable material.

Only burn candles when you are in that room where they are burning, and don’t leave candles, matches, or lighters out for children to play with. Keep them out of reach!

Never leave cooking unattended. Keep pot/pan handles turned in and away from a child’s reach. Heating oil too quickly can easily start a fire. Never leave hot oil unattended. Keep cooking areas clean of debris (i.e.grease build up). Do not store any flammable objects near the stove (hot pads, dish towels, paper products, etc.)

Is your washer/dryer properly grounded? Do you keep the dryer’s lint screen AND the dryer vent to the outside clean and free for airflow? Do you allow these to run when you are not home? All electrical appliances are subject to malfunctioning. Remember that. Best to use only when at home and alert (not asleep).

Ensure fireplace/woodstove has proper screen and hearth, ashes are properly and regularly disposed of, and chimney is cleaned regularly.

Have a CO detector. Change batteries once a year and test regularly.

Have smoke detectors on every floor of the home and in or near each sleeping area. Place them within 6-8 inches of the ceiling, if not right on the ceiling. Change batteries once a year and test regularly.

Good general housekeeping in all areas of living space, esp the garage, basement and other work areas. Store flammables and oily rags appropriately. 

Attached garage is sheetrocked properly to prevent spread of fire to house. Man door from garage to living area is solid core, not hollow.

Fire exit plan, which includes a meeting place away from the home, is practiced. Include special needs and pet plans, if you have them.

Do you have an extinguisher? Do you know where it is? Do you know how to use it? Do you know how old it is- is it operable?

Do you have a fire blanket or a tightly woven wool blanket, and do you know what they can be used for in a small fire, or if someone is on fire?

Do you have rechargeable batteries? How and where are you storing them? Obviously many are inside the home. Something to think about is some of these e-toys are self imploding, the batteries. Maybe store them away from the home, if possible, i.e. a shed. Otherwise, if in the garage, it would be very wise to make sure your smoke detector is up to date in the garage. This is an unpredictable addition to fire safety in the homes.