Fire Safety Checklist
Baseboard and portable heaters are away from anything that can
burn; furniture, curtains, papers, clothing, etc.
The fireplace is equipped with a sturdy metal screen. The
chimney is checked before each heating season and repairs are made as
necessary.
Extension cords and multi-plug adapters are used as little as
possible. Extension cords are not tacked to walls, under rugs or through
doorways.
Cooking food is never left unattended while on the stove or in
the oven. If you have to leave the kitchen for a short time while cooking, set
a timer or take something with you to remind you that the stove or oven is
on.
The stove and oven are kept clean of grease and spilt food. In
the event of a fire, you know that the best response is to put a lid over the
flames.
Matches, lighters and other smoking materials are kept out of
the reach of children, preferably in a locked cabinet.
Always place candles in non-tip candleholders before you light
them. Keep them out of the reach of children. Extinguish candles before you
leave a room or go to bed, as unattended candles start many fires each
year.
No smoking in bed is a rule in your home. Drowsy or medicated
people may forget lit materials and start a fire.
Be sure Smoke alarms are installed on a ceiling or high on a
wall outside of the bedroom(s) on each level of your home.
No smoking in bed is a rule in your home. Drowsy or medicated
people may forget lit materials and start a fire.
Once a year you install new batteries in your smoke alarms and
you test them once each month.
Be sure your family knows what to do if there is a fire. Prepare
and have a Home Fire Drill so your family can practice their
escape.
Discussing how to respond to an emergency can help
reduce fear. It is critical that everyone recognizes the sound of the smoke
alarms and knows two safe ways out of each room. When the smoke alarm sounds,
every second counts.
Do you have a disaster kit?
The department's pervention goal is to minimize the injuries,
loss of life, and damage to property by educating the public about safe
practices and enforcing the state fire code.
Carbon Monoxide
Dangers
Each year, hundreds of people experience what they
think are symptoms of the flu: headaches, fatigue, nausea and dizziness.
Some recover; some die.
WHERE
DOES IT COME FROM?
Carbon monoxide (CO) is produced from
burning any fuel. Any fuel-burning appliance in your home is a possible source
of CO. Your car is a source of CO, too.
When appliances and their vents
are in good working order, there is little danger from CO. When they don't
operate properly, fatal CO concentrations can be produced. Running a car in a
garage or using charcoal indoors can also cause CO poisoning.
WHAT DOES IT DO?
Carbon monoxide
displaces the body's essential oxygen. Besides flu-like symptoms, it can also
cause vomiting, loss of conciousness, brain damage and eventually, death.
Unborn babies, infants, senior citizens and people with heart problems or
breathing difficulties are especially at risk.
IF
YOU FEEL BETTER ...
If symptoms disappear and you feel better
when you go outside your home, but symptoms reappear when you go back inside,
you may have CO poisoning.
DO'S and DON'TS:
- Install CO detectors in your home; at least one near
- Make sure manufacturer's instructions and local
building codes are followed when installing fuel-burning appliances. - Have your heating system inspected and serviced
annually. - Follow the manufacturer's instructions for safe
operation. - Inspect chimneys and vents regularly for improper
connections, rust or stains. - Be aware of any indications that an appliance is not
operating properly. - If your CO detector activates, open windows, get
everyone out and call for help. - Never burn charcoal indoors or in a garage.
- Never use a gas oven for heating.
- Never leave a car running in a garage.
- Never operate unvented fuel-burning appliances
in a closed room.
Burn Prevention Tips
Burns are probably the worst
injury the human body can receive, and endure. Bad burns over most of the body
can cause death. The elderly and very young are more suseptible to burn
injuries because their skin is thinner than older children and adults.
The best course of action of course, is the prevention of burns:
- Keep hot liquids away from table and counter edges
- Keep children out of the kitchen while you are cooking
- Keep the handles of pots and pans on the stove top
pointed inwards, not out over the edges where they can be accidently tipped or
caught on clothing, etc.
- Keep clothing and curling irons out of childrens reach
- Keep matches and lighters out of childrens reach, and
locked up if necessary
- Use extreme caution with flammable liquids such as
gasoline
Children
- Keep matches and lighters in a safe, childproof place.
Treat matches and lighters as you would any dangerous item. Teach children that
matches and lighters are tools, not toys
- Install working smoke alarms in children's bedrooms to
act as an early wanrning of dangerous fire play and early warning of a fire in
the room
- Insert childproof outlet caps in unused outlets
- Teach children about fire safety whenever you use open
flames in their presence
- Use sunscreen on children whenever they are subject to
sunburn
- Teach children about hot items (irons, grills, wood
stoves)
Hot Liquids
- Turn your water heater thermostat down to 120 degrees
F, or set the thermostat between low and medium
- Install anti-scald device in faucets and shower heads
- Test the bath water temperature by sweeping your hand
with fingers extended slowly through the water prior to bathing
- When preparing for a bath or shower, always turn on
the cold-water faucet first, and then add hot water. Turn the hot water off
first
- Never hold an infant in your arms or lap while pouring
or drinking hot liquids
- Always use oven mitts when removing hot liquids from a
microwave oven
- Avoid using tablecloths or place mats that can easily
be pulled off the table taking along items such as a hot cup of coffee, when
young children are around. Keep all hot items near the center of the table to
prevent a young child from reaching them.
Cooking
- Turn pot handles toward the back of the range
- Keep long cord appliances toward the back of the
counter
- Always use cooking mitts when handling cooking
containers, especially dishes used in microwave ovens where the dish may be
cool but the contents very hot
- Test food that has been microwaved before serving.
Never heat baby bottles in a microwave oven because of uneven heating that can
cause scalds
- Avoid wearing loose, long sleeve clothing when cooking
- Keep children at a safe distance from cooking
appliances such as the range or crock-pots, Establish a safe zone for children - If a pan of food catches fire, carefully slide a lid
over the pan and turn off the burner.
- Never use water to extinguish a grease or electrical
fire
- Don't leave metal stirring utensils in pots and pans
- Remove lids and pan covers carefully to allow the
steam to vent away from you to prevent a steam burn. Steam is hotter than
boiling water
- Don't toss wet food into deep-fat fryers or frying pan
containing hot grease or oil. The violent reaction between the hot liquid and
- Keep children away from ovens when using the
self-clean cycle. The surface temperature of the glass in the oven door can
become extremely hot
Electrical Appliances
- Replace worn or frayed electrical cords and plugs
- Never overload electrical outlets, power strips, or
extension cords
- Do not run electrical cods through doorways or under
rugs
- Keep electrical appliances away from water
- Never defeat the grounding feature of applianc cods by
disconnecting or removing the grounding prong
- Unplug appliances when not in use
- Avoid touching electrical appliances while touching a
water source
- Use ground fault circuit interrupters for outdoor
circuits and circuits near water sources
- Look for the "UL Listed" mark before purchasing
appliances. Read and follow directions when using electrical appliances
Heating
- Wear leather gloves when loading wood into a wood
stove. If you fall against the stove while squatting down to load wood, leather
gloves prevent a hand burn
- Never add fuel to a kerosene heater when it is hot,
and never refuel a kerosene heater inside. Also be careful not to use gasoline
as a substitute fuel. It could explode
- Avoid using portable electric heaters within reach of
young children. The hot surface can result in immediate serious burns. Never
use portable electric heaters in bathrooms
Camping
- Before purchasing or using a tent, be sure the label
states it is flame resistant
- Keep campfires and grills at least ten feet from your
tent
- Do not use open flames of any type, such as camp
stoves or candles, inside a tent
- Fill lanterns and stoves a safe distance from
fireplaces, grills, or other open flames
- Use water to extinguish campfires. If dirt is placed
on a campfire, the coals may stay hot and cause the dirt to become hot enough
to burn the feet of anyone that steps on it, even after many hours