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 

       sleeping areas, another outside furnace room. 

• 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 

        while cooking 

• 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

        the water will splatter hot oil 

• 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