Fire Safety and Loss Prevention
PROTECT YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR HOME BY PREVENTING LIFE THREATENING FIRES
Smoke Detectors
- Provide an early warning.
- Prevent injuries and save lives.
- Place at least one working detector on every floor of your home and in every area where people sleep.
- Change batteries every six months or when you change your clocks.
- Test smoke detectors at least once a month to make sure batteries and smoke detectors are in good working order.
- Replace any smoke detectors that are over ten years old.
MAJOR CAUSES OF HOME FIRES
Cooking
- If a fire starts in a stove-top pan, cover it with a lid and turn off the heat.
- If a fire is burning in your oven, keep the door closed.
- Never leave food, especially grease, unattended on the stove.
- Turn pot handles inward so children won't pull them down from the stove.
- Keep a fire extinguisher near the stove - one that can be used for grease or electrical fires.
Electrical
- Have a professional electrician check wiring, particularly in an older home.
- Avoid overloading electrical outlets and excessive use of extension cords.
- Destroy frayed extension cords and never run cords under carpets.
- Use the proper amp fuses for the specific wiring in your home.
- Replace all fuses with type "S" fuses to prevent overfusing.
Space Heaters
- Keep flammables such as bedding and draperies 3 feet from space heaters.
- Place space heaters on protective mats. Be sure they are level so they won't tip.
- Plug space heaters directly into wall sockets and unplug when not in use.
- Never add fuel to a space heater that's turned on or still hot.
- Keep children away from space heaters.
Smoking & Matches
- Never smoke in bed or when drowsy.
- Never throw lit smoking materials in trash can.
- Never smoke or light matches near combustible materials.
- Teach children the danger of playing with matches and lighters and keep them away from children.