| Install
and maintain smoke alarms |
Remember
to test your detector once a month and change the battery
when you change your clock to and from daylight savings
time. Install a smoke alarm on every level of your home,
and both inside and outside sleeping areas. In new homes
we suggest upgrading to 110v with battery back up interconnected
in each bedroom, and in hallways outside bedrooms. |
| Sleep
with bedroom doors closed |
Closed
doors provide protection against heat and smoke. Even
a lightweight hollow-core door delays a fire and toxic
smoke. Slowing the spread of fire to sleeping areas
gives everyone more time to escape. |
| Plan
and practice two ways out |
Fire
escape routes must not include elevators, which might
take you right to the fire. Choose a meeting place outside
where everyone will gather. Once you’re out, stay
out! At least twice a year, have the whole family practice
the escape plan. |
| Test
doors before you open them |
While
kneeling or crouching at the door, reach up as high
as you can and touch the door, the knob and the space
between the door and its frame with the back of our
hand. If the door is hot, use another escape route.
If the door is cool, open it with caution. |
| Crawl
low under smoke |
Smoke
is dangerous! If you encounter smoke, use an alternate
escape route. If you must exit through smoke, the cleaner
air will be several inches off the floor. Crawl on your
hands and knees to the nearest safe exit. |
| If
you are trapped, close the doors between you and the fire |
Stuff
the cracks around the doors to keep smoke out. Wait
at a window and signal for help with light-colored cloth
or a flashlight. If there’s a phone in the room,
call the Fire Department and tell them exactly where
you are. |
| Once
you’re out, stay out! |
If
a fire starts, don’t wait for anything. Just get
outside. Go to your family’s meeting place. Then
someone can call the Fire Department from a neighbor’s
phone. Do not go back into your home for any reason,
until authorized fire personnel says it’s safe. |
| Stop,
Drop and Roll |
Everyone
should know this rule: If your clothes catch on fire,
don’t run! Stop where you are, drop to the ground,
cover your face with your hands to protect your face
and lungs, and roll over and over to smother the flames. |
| Space
heaters need space |
Keep
portable and space heaters at 3 feet (1 meter) from
anything that can burn. Never leave heaters on when
you leave home or go to bed and keep children and pets
well away from them. |
| Smokers
need watchers |
Carelessly
discarded cigarettes are the leading cause of fire deaths
in the United States. Never smoke in bed or when you
are drowsy! Provide large, deep ashtrays for smokers
and put water on butts before discarding them. Before
going to bed, check under and around sofa cushions for
smoldering cigarettes. |
| Be
careful cooking |
Never
leave cooking unattended. Keep cooking areas clear of
combustibles, and wear short or tight-fitting sleeves
when you cook. Keep the handles of your pots turned
inward so the pots can’t be knocked or pulled
over. If grease catches fire, carefully slide a lid
over the pan to smother the flames, then turn off the
burner. Never put foil or other metals in a microwave
oven. |
| Matches
and lighters are tools, not toys |
In
the hands of a child, matches and lighters are deadly.
Store them up high where kids can’t reach them,
preferably in a locked cabinet. And teach your children
from the start that matches and lighters are tools for
adults, not toys for kids. If children find matches
or lighters, they should tell a grown-up immediately. |
| Use
electricity safely |
If
an appliance smokes or has an unusual smell, unplug
it immediately and have it repaired. Replace any electrical
cord that is cracked or frayed. Don’t overload
extension cords or run them under rugs. Don’t
tamper with the fuse box or use fuses of an improper
size. |
| Cool
a burn |
If
someone gets burned, immediately place the wound in
cool water for 10 to 15 minutes. If the burn blisters
or chars, see a doctor immediately. |
