FIRE PREVENTION
HOME SAFETY FROM NFPA
Know the Facts
>On an average, there are 91,700 reported home fires each year associated with cooking equipment, killing 327 people and injuring 4,607.
>Cooking fires are the number-one cause of home fires and home fire
injuries.
>Unattended cooking is the leading cause of home cooking fires.
>Three in every 10 reported home fires start in the kitchen, that is
more than any other place in the home.
Safety Advice
>Never leave food cooking on the stovetop unattended, and keep
a close eye on food cooking inside the oven.
>Keep cooking areas clean and clear of combustibles suck as
potholders, towels, rags, drapes, and food packaging.
>Keep children and pets away from cooking areas by creating a three feet "kids free zone" around the stove.
>Turn pot handles inward so they cannot be bumped and children cannot grab them.
>Wear short, close fitting, or tightly rolled sleeves when cooking. Loose clothing can dangle onto stove burners and catch fire.
>Never use a wet oven mitt, as it presents a scald danger if the moisture in the mitt is heated.
>Food cooked in a microwave can be dangerously hot. Remove the lids or other coverings from microwaved food carefully to prevent steam burns.
Grease Fires: Always keep a potholder, oven mitt and lid handy. If a small grease fire starts in a pan put on an oven mitt and smother the flames by careful sliding the lid over the pan. Turn off the burner. Do not remove the lid until it is completely cool. Never pour water on a grease fire and never discharge a fire extinguisher onto a pan fire, as it can spray or shoot burning grease around the kitchen, actually spreading the fire.
Oven fires: Turn off the heat and keep the door closed to prevent flames from burning you and your clothing. Call the local fire department for assistance.
Microwave fires: Keep the door closed and unplug the microwave. Call the fire department and make sure to have the oven serviced before you use it again.
ELECTRICAL SAFETY FROM NFPA
Know the facts
>On average, there are 38,400 home fires per year associated with wiring, switches, outlets, cords and plugs, fuse and circuit breaker boxes, and other equipment involved in distributing electricity around the home. These electrical service equipment fires kill 352 people and injure 1,343 annually.
>Fixed wiring causes one-third of home electrical distribution fires.
>Cords and plugs cause one-sixth of home electrical distribution fires and one-third of related deaths. In many cases, people can easily check and fix cords, if necessary, without a licensed electrician.
>Each year, electrical shock (not resulting in a fire) causes hundreds of burn deaths and thousands of burn injuries.
>Nearly two-thirds of electrical burn injuries among children ages 12 and under are associated with household electrical cords and extension cords.
Safety Advice
>Replace or repair any electrical device with a loose or frayed cord.
>Avoid running extension cords across doorways or under carpets.
>In homes with small children, receptacle outlets should have plastic safety covers.
>Follow the manufacturer's instructions for plugging an appliance into a receptacle outlet. Most receptacle outlets contain two receptacles. As an added precaution, consider plugging only one high wattage appliance into each receptacle outlet.
>Avoid the use of "cube taps" and other devices that allow the connection of multiple appliances into a single receptacle.
>In the kitchen, push back cords for counter-top appliances to keep young children from pulling hem off the counter.
>Place lamps on level surfaces, away from things that can burn.
>Use bulbs that match the lamp's recommended wattage.
>GFCI's (ground fault circuit interrupters) can greatly reduce the risk of shock by shutting off faulty electrical circuits and equipment faster than conventional fuses or circuit breakers can. GFCIs are inexpensive; professional electricians can hard-wire them into your home electrical system.
SAFETY AT HOME: THE BASICS
Know the Facts
>In the U.S., a home fire is reported to a fire department roughly every 85 seconds.
>In Canada, a home fire is reported to a fire department every 25-30 minutes.
>In both the U.S. and Canada, 4 out of 5 fire deaths occur in the home.
>In the U.S. someone is killed in a home fire every three hours.
>On average, Canada loses one person a day to a home fire.
>Smoke alarms are the most effective early warning device available. Having a smoke alarm in your cuts your chance of dying in a fire nearly in half!
Safety Advice
>Install at least one smoke alarm on each level of your home and in or near all sleeping areas. Smoke alarms should be tested once a month and batteries replaced once a year or when the alarm "chirps" warning that the battery is low.
>Every household should develop and practice a home fire escape plan that includes two ways out of every room and an outside meeting place.
>Consider installing an automatic sprinkler system if you are building a new home, or retrofitting your existing home.
Home Safety Tips:
Check your Smoke Detector each month and change the battery when you change your clock.
Have a fire extinguisher in your home and auto. Know where it is, and how to use it.
Have a designated meeting place outside your home if you should have a fire and need to evacuate.
Teach your children their phone number, home address, and directions to your home.
Teach your children to dial 911 when they need emergency help. Fire, EMS, and Police.
Assure that all window and doors open freely for emergency escape. Close doors as you exit a burning building, this slows the fire spread.
Never go back into the burning building once you have escaped.
Have a designated meeting place away from your home in the event of a disaster in your area.
Store your important documents and items in a fire resistant container. Make copies of special photos and leave with a relative or friend.
Dial 911 to report your fire before trying to fight it yourself. Never attempt to fight a structure fire unless you are sure you can do so safely, and only when you have an exit nearby. If you have time close all doors as you exit, this slows the spread of fire.
When using fuel fired portable heaters, never refill indoors and always wait for the heater to cool. Store fuel only in suitable container and properly label as to its contents. Maintain a safe distance between the heater and combustibles such as furniture and curtins.
Clean your clothes dryer lint filter often to prevent over heating.
