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Fire Safety

General Fire Safety Information
Prepare and practice your fire escape plan twice a year with everyone in your household, including children and people with disabilities. It's also a good idea to practice your plan with overnight guests. Some tips to consider when preparing your escape plan include:
  • Draw a map of each level of your home and show all doors and windows. Have two ways out of each room. Make sure all doors and windows that lead outside open easily.
  • Only purchase collapsible escape ladders evaluated by a recognized testing laboratory. Use the ladder only in a real emergency.
  • Teach children how to escape on their own in case you cannot help them.
  • Have a plan for everyone in your home who has a disability.
  • Practice your fire escape plan at night and during the daytime.
Some facts you may or may not be aware of:
  • Most fire fatalities and injuries in the United States occur in the victim's own home.
  • Two-thirds of all home fire victims die of smoke inhalation, poisonous gases, or lack of oxygen; not severe burns.
  • Careless use of smoking materials is the leading cause of residential fires that result in death.
  • Cooking and heating equipment are the top two causes of residential fires.
In case of a fire:
  • Having an escape plan in place and practicing it on a regular basis is great preparation.
  • Sleep with bedroom doors closed. Closed doors provide good initial protection against heat and smoke.
  • Always check doors for heat before opening them. A person can be easily overcome by heat, smoke, and/or flames if you were to open a door to an area where fire had spread.
  • Always know two ways out from everywhere in your home. Windows serve has a great second option.
  • If your clothes catch fire you: Stop, Drop, Cover your face, and Roll.
  • Stay low (crawl). In a fire, super-heated air and toxic gases fill a room from the top down.
Holiday and Christmas Tree Fire Safety

Many people enjoy decorating homes and businesses around the holiday season. Sometimes, these decorations may increase your chances of fire. Following a few simple fire safety tips can keep electric lights, candles, and Christmas trees safe.

  • Don’t put your live Christmas tree up too early or leave it up for longer than two weeks.
  • Place trees away from heat sources, including fireplaces or heat vents. The heat will dry out the tree, potentially causing it to be more easily ignited by heat, flames, or sparks.
  • Keep the live tree stand filled with water at all times.
  • Use only nonflammable decorations.
  • Only link the number of light strands indicated in the directions. Connect strings of lights to an extension cord before plugging the cord into the outlet.
  • Avoid using lit candles; consider using battery-operated flameless candles, which can look, smell and feel like real candles
  • Ensure that Christmas trees and other holiday decorations don’t block an exit way. 
Carbon Monoxide (CO)

Each year in America, approximately 150 people die from accidental non-fire related CO poisoning associated with consumer products. These products include faulty, improperly-used, or incorrectly-vented fuel-burning appliances such as furnaces, stoves, water heaters, and fireplaces. For more information, please visit the U.S. Fire Administration's Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention page. 

Severe Weather Fire Safety

Alternative heating devices, downed power lines, portable generators, and damaged appliances are all potential hazards during and after severe weather. You can use the following safety tips to help protect yourself, your family, and your home from the potential threat of fire during or after severe weather:

  • Alternative heaters need their space. Keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet away.
  • Never refuel a space heater while it is operating or still hot.
  • If there is a fire hydrant near your home, keep it clear of snow and debris for easy access by the fire department.
  • Always use a flashlight - not a candle - for emergency lighting.
  • Do not use the kitchen oven or range to heat your home. In addition to being a fire hazard, it can be a source of toxic fumes.
Fire Safety for Older Adults

Focus on Fire Safety The facts speak for themselves: the relative risk of Americans over the age of 65 dying in a fire is 2.6 times greater than that of the general population. The risk worsens as age increases. People age 85 and older die in fires at a rate 4.4 times higher than the rest of the population. The leading cause of fire deaths in older adults is smoking and the leading cause of fire injuries in older adults is cooking. There are a number of precautionary steps older Americans can take to dramatically reduce their chances of becoming a fire casualty, including:

  • Don’t leave smoking materials unattended and never smoke in bed.
  • Never leave cooking unattended. Use a timer to remind you that you are cooking.
  • Keep anything that can burn at least three feet away from heat sources, like portable space heaters, wood burning stoves, and fireplaces.
  • Place a smoke alarm on every level of your home, including the basement, and both inside and outside bedrooms.
  • Know at least two exits from every room. Make sure all doors and windows that lead outside open easily.