Home Fire Safety Tips

Install Smoke Detectors

• More than half of all fatal home fires happen at night while people are asleep. Smoke detectors sound an alarm when a fire starts, waking people before they are trapped or overcome by smoke. With smoke detectors your risk of dying in a home fire is cut nearly in half.
• Install smoke detectors outside every sleeping area and on every level of your home, including the basement. Follow installation instructions carefully, and test smoke detectors monthly. Change all smoke detector batteries at least once a year. If your detector is more than 10 years old, replace it with a new one.

Fireworks Are For Professionals

• 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.

Protect Your Home From Wildfire

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

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.

Gasoline is Made to Explode

• Use it as a motor fuel only, not for cleaning.
• Store only a small amount in an approved container, OUTSIDE the home.

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 well away.

Matches and Lighters

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