Prevent Home Fires

12/11/2017 (Permalink)

Fire Prevention Tips

Home fires are preventable! The following are simple steps that everyone can take to prevent a home fire disaster.

Cooking

• Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, or broiling food. If you leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove.
• Wear short, close-fitting or tightly rolled sleeves when cooking.
• Keep children away from cooking areas by enforcing a "kid-free zone" of 3 feet around the stove.
• Position barbecue grills at least 10 feet away from siding and deck railings, and out from under eaves and overhanging branches.

Electrical and Appliance Safety

• Frayed wires can cause fires. Replace all worn, old or damaged appliance cords immediately and do not run cords under rugs or furniture.
• If an appliance has a three-prong plug, use it only in a three-slot outlet. Never force it to fit into a two-slot outlet or extension cord.
• Immediately shut off, then professionally replace, light switches that are hot to the touch and lights that flicker.

Portable Space Heaters

• Keep combustible objects at least three feet away from portable heating devices.
• Buy only heaters evaluated by a nationally recognized laboratory, such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL).
• Check to make the portable heater has a thermostat control mechanism, and will switch off automatically if the heater falls over.
• Only use crystal clear K-1 kerosene in kerosene heaters. Never overfill it. Use the heater in a well-ventilated room.

Woodstoves and Fireplaces

• Inspect and clean woodstove pipes and chimneys annually and check monthly for damage or obstructions.
• Use a fireplace screen heavy enough to stop rolling logs and big enough to cover the entire opening of the fireplace to catch flying sparks.
• Make sure the fire is completely out before leaving the house or going to bed.
• Do not put any decorations near the fireplace.

Source Ready.gov