Home Fire Prevention and Safety Tips

Take Me To:

Candles

Carbon Monoxide

Smoke Alarms

Fire Extinguishers

Winter / Holiday Safety

Halloween Safety

Home Fire Prevention

Clothes Dryers

Dryers and washing machines were involved in many home structure fires.
The leading cause of home clothes dryer and washer fires was failure to clean (30%), followed by unclassified mechanical failure or malfunction (19%).
Sixteen percent were caused by some type of electrical failure or short circuit.
Almost one third (31%) of these fires started with the ignition of clothing. In one quarter (24%), dust, fiber, or lint was the first item ignited.
Do not operate the dryer without a lint filter. Clean lint filters before or after each use and remove accumulated lint from around the drum.
Make sure that the dryer is plugged into an outlet suitable for its electrical needs as overloaded electrical outlets can result in blown fuses or tripped circuit breakers.
Turn the dryer off when leaving the home.
Keep the dryer area clear of combustibles (i.e., boxes or clothing).
Dryers should be installed and serviced by a professional.
Have gas-powered dryers inspected by a professional regularly to ensure that the gas line and connection are intact.

Portable Generators

· Portable generators are useful during power outages. However, many homeowners are unaware that the improper use of portable generators can be risky. The most common dangers associated with portable generators are carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning, electrical shock or electrocution, and fire hazards.

· Generators should be operated in well ventilated locations outdoors away from all doors, windows and vent openings

· The generator should be located so that exhaust fumes cannot enter the home through windows, doors or other building openings.

· Install battery-operated CO alarms or plug-in CO alarms with a battery back-up in your home according to the manufacturer’s installations instructions. Should CO enter your home and pose a risk, an alarm will sound to warn you.

· Do not refuel the generator while it is running. Turn the generator off and let it cool down before refueling.

· Never store fuel for your generator in your home. Gasoline and other flammable liquids should be stored outside of living areas in properly-labeled safety containers. They should be stored away from any fuel-burning appliance such as a gas hot water heater.

· Plug appliances directly into the generator or use a heavy duty outdoor-rated extension cord. Make sure the cord is free of cuts or tears and that the plug has all three prongs, especially a grounding pin. Do not try to power the house wiring by plugging the generator into a wall outlet.

· If you must connect the generator to the house wiring to power appliances, have a qualified electrician install a properly rated transfer switch in accordance with the Electrical Safety Codes and all applicable local electrical codes.

Candles

During 2005, an estimated 15,600 home structure fires started by candles were reported to local fire departments in the US. These fires resulted in an estimated 150 civilian deaths, 1,270 civilian injuries and an estimated direct property loss of $539 million. Homes include dwellings, duplexes, manufactured housing and apartments.
The top five days for home candle fires were Christmas, Christmas Eve, New Year’s Day, New Year’s Eve, and Halloween.
More than half of all candle fires started when something that could burn, such as furniture, mattresses or bedding, curtains, or decorations, was too close to the candle.
Keep candles at least 12 inches from anything that can burn.
Use sturdy, safe candleholders.
Never leave a burning candle unattended. Extinguish candles when you leave a room.
Be careful not to splatter wax when extinguishing a candle.
Avoid using candles in bedrooms and sleeping areas.
Always use a flashlight, not a candle, for emergency lighting.
Consider using battery-operated flameless candles.

Carbon Monoxide

Carbon monoxide detector

Although the popularity of carbon monoxide (CO) alarms has been growing in recent years, it cannot be assumed that everyone is familiar with the hazards of carbon monoxide poisoning in the home.
Often called the silent killer, carbon monoxide is an invisible, odorless, colorless gas created when fuels (such as gasoline, wood, coal, natural gas, propane, oil, and methane) burn incompletely. In the home, heating and cooking equipment that burn fuel are potential sources of carbon monoxide. Vehicles or generators running in an attached garage can also produce dangerous levels of carbon monoxide.
The dangers of CO exposure depend on a number of variables, including the victim's health and activity level. Infants, pregnant women, and people with physical conditions that limit their body's ability to use oxygen (i.e. emphysema, asthma, heart disease) can be more severely affected by lower concentrations of CO than healthy adults would be.
A person can be poisoned by a small amount of CO over a longer period of time or by a large amount of CO over a shorter amount of time.

Symptoms of CO poisoning
CO enters the body through breathing. CO poisoning can be confused with flu symptoms, food poisoning and other illnesses. Some symptoms include shortness of breath, nausea, dizziness, light headedness or headaches. High levels of CO can be fatal, causing death within minutes.

The concentration of CO, measured in parts per million (ppm) is a determining factor in the symptoms for an average, healthy adult.

50 ppm: No adverse effects with 8 hours of exposure.
200 ppm: Mild headache after 2-3 hours of exposure.
400 ppm: Headache and nausea after 1-2 hours of exposure.
800 ppm: Headache, nausea, and dizziness after 45 minutes; collapse and unconsciousness after 1 hour of exposure.
1,000 ppm: Loss of consciousness after 1 hour of exposure.
1,600 ppm: Headache, nausea, and dizziness after 20 minutes of exposure.
3,200 ppm: Headache, nausea, and dizziness after 5-10 minutes; collapse and unconsciousness after 30 minutes of exposure.
6,400 ppm: Headache and dizziness after 1-2 minutes; unconsciousness and danger of death after 10-15 minutes of exposure.
12,800 ppm: Immediate physiological effects, unconsciousness and danger of death after 1-3 minutes of exposure.

Inside the home
Install CO alarms (labeled by a recognized laboratory) inside your home to provide early warning of accumulating CO.CO alarms should be installed in a central location outside each separate sleeping area. If bedrooms are spaced apart, each area will need a CO alarm.
Call your local fire department's non-emergency number to find out what number to call if the CO alarm sounds. Post that number by your telephone(s). Make sure everyone in the household knows the difference between the fire emergency and CO emergency numbers (if there is a difference).
Test CO alarms at least once a month and replace CO alarms according to the manufacturer's instructions.
CO alarms are not substitutes for smoke alarms. Know the difference between the sound of smoke alarms and CO alarms.
Have fuel-burning heating equipment (fireplaces, furnaces, water heaters, wood and coal stoves, space or portable heaters) and chimneys inspected by a professional every year before cold weather sets in.
When purchasing new heating and cooking equipment, select products tested and labeled by a recognized testing laboratory.
When using a fireplace, open the flue for adequate ventilation.
Never use your oven to heat your home.
Outside the home
if you need to warm a vehicle, remove it from the garage immediately after starting it. Do not run a vehicle, generator, or other fueled engine or motor indoors, even if garage doors are open. Make sure the exhaust pipe of a running vehicle is not covered with snow.
Generators should be operated in well-ventilated locations outdoors away from all doors, windows and vent openings.
During and after a snowstorm, make sure vents for the dryer, furnace, stove, and fireplace are clear of snow build-up.
Only use barbecue grills – which can produce CO – outside. Never use them in the home, garage or near building openings.
When camping, remember to use battery-powered lights in tents trailers, and motor homes.
If your CO alarm sounds Immediately move to a fresh air location outdoors or by an open window or door, and call for help. Remain at the fresh air location until emergency personnel say it is ok.
If the audible trouble signal sounds, check for low batteries or other trouble indicators.
Call a qualified technician to determine the source of the CO. Have equipment serviced immediately.

Smoke alarms

· Smoke alarms play a vital role in reducing deaths and injuries from fire and have contributed to the almost 50% decrease in fire deaths since the late 1970s. It is estimated that 95% of U.S homes have at least one smoke alarm. Sixty-five percent of reported home fire deaths occurred in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms. Properly installed and maintained smoke alarms save lives and protect against injury and loss due to fire.

· Test your smoke alarms once a month, following the manufacturer's instructions.

· Replace the batteries in your smoke alarm once a year, or as soon as the alarm "chirps" warning that the battery is low. Hint: schedule battery replacements for the same day you change your clocks from daylight savings time to standard time in the fall.

· Never "borrow" a battery from a smoke alarm. Smoke alarms can't warn you of fire if their batteries are missing or have been disconnected.

· Don't disable smoke alarms even temporarily. If your smoke alarm is sounding "nuisance alarms," try relocating it farther from kitchens or bathrooms, where cooking fumes and steam can cause the alarm to sound.

· Regularly vacuuming or dusting your smoke alarms, following the manufacturer's instructions, can keep them working properly.

· Smoke alarms don't last forever. Replace yours once every 10 years. If you can't remember how old the alarm is, then it's probably time for a new one.

· Those who are deaf or hard-of-hearing cannot depend on the sound of the regular alarm to alert them to a fire.

· Plan regular fire drills to ensure that everyone knows exactly what to do when the smoke alarm sounds. Hold a drill at night to make sure that sleeping family members awaken at the sound of the alarm. Some studies have shown that some children may not awaken to the sound of the smoke alarm. Know what your child will do before a fire occurs.

· If you are building a new home or remodelling your existing home, consider installing an automatic home fire sprinkler system. Sprinklers and smoke alarms together cut your risk of dying in a home fire 82 percent relative to having neither – a savings of thousands of lives a year.

Every home fire escape plan is different, and every family should know who will – and who won't – awaken at the sound of the smoke alarm so that it can accommodate any special needs. Parents should make sure their smoke alarms can rouse their children, even from a deep sleep. If someone doesn't wake up when the alarm sounds during a drill, suggest installing additional hard-wired, interconnected alarms inside every bedroom. And if this doesn't work, the family should design an escape plan that assigns a grown-up who is easily awakened by the alarm to wake the sleepers, perhaps by yelling "FIRE," pounding on the wall or door, or blowing a whistle.

React quickly to ther alarm, get out of the building as fast as possible, and stay out until the fire department says it's all right to return.

Sensing systems
Most smoke alarms use one of two common sensing systems for detecting a fire.

Ionization-type smoke alarms have a small amount of radioactive material between two electrically charged plates, which ionizes the air and causes current to flow between the plates. When smoke enters the chamber, it disrupts the flow of ions, thus reducing the flow of current and activating the alarm.
Photoelectric-type alarms aim a light source into a sensing chamber at an angle away from the sensor. Smoke enters the chamber, reflecting light onto the light sensor; triggering the alarm.
Ionization smoke detection is generally more responsive to flaming fires and photoelectric smoke detection is generally more responsive to smoldering fires. Both types of technologies have improved home fire safety.

Installation and maintenance tips

Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, including the basement, making sure that there is an alarm outside every separate sleeping area. New homes are required to have a smoke alarm in every sleeping room and all smoke alarms must be interconnected.
Hard-wired smoke alarms operate on your household electrical current. They can be interconnected so that every alarm sounds regardless of the fire's location. This is an advantage in early warning, because it gives occupants extra time to escape if they are in one part of the home and a fire breaks out in another part. Alarms that are hard-wired should have battery backups in case of a power outage, and should be installed by a qualified electrician.
If you sleep with bedroom doors closed, have a qualified electrician install interconnected smoke alarms in each room so that when one alarm sounds, they all sound.
If you, or someone in your home is deaf or hard of hearing, consider installing an alarm that combines flashing lights, vibration and/or sound.
Mount smoke alarms high on walls or ceilings (remember, smoke rises). Ceiling mounted alarms should be installed at least four inches away from the nearest wall; wall-mounted alarms should be installed four to 12 inches away from the ceiling.
If you have ceilings that are pitched, install the alarm near the ceiling's highest point.
Don't install smoke alarms near windows, doors, or ducts where drafts might interfere with their operation.
Never paint smoke alarms. Paint, stickers, or other decorations could keep the alarms from working.

Fire Extinguishers

· A portable fire extinguisher can save lives and property by putting out a small fire or containing it until the fire department arrives; but portable extinguishers have limitations. Because fire grows and spreads so rapidly, the number one priority for residents is to get out safely.

Safety tips:

Use a portable fire extinguisher when the fire is confined to a small area, such as a wastebasket, and is not growing; everyone has exited the building; the fire department has been called or is being called; and the room is not filled with smoke.
To operate a fire extinguisher, remember the word PASS:
- Pull the pin. Hold the extinguisher with the nozzle
pointing away from you, and release the locking
mechanism.
- Aim low. Point the extinguisher at the base of the fire.
- Squeeze the lever slowly and evenly.
- Sweep the nozzle from side-to-side.
For the home, select a multi-purpose extinguisher (can be used on all types of home fires) that is large enough to put out a small fire, but not so heavy as to be difficult to handle.
Choose a fire extinguisher that carries the label of an independent testing laboratory.
Read the instructions that come with the fire extinguisher and become familiar with its parts and operation before a fire breaks out. Local fire departments or fire equipment distributors often offer hands-on fire extinguisher trainings.
Install fire extinguishers close to an exit and keep your back to a clear exit when you use the device so you can make an easy escape if the fire cannot be controlled. If the room fills with smoke, leave immediately.
Know when to go. Fire extinguishers are one element of a fire response plan, but the primary element is safe escape. Every household should have a home fire escape planand working smoke alarms.

Winter/holiday safety

The winter holidays are a time for celebration, and that means more cooking, home decorating, entertaining, and an increased risk of fire due to heating equipment.

Holiday decorating

· Use caution with holiday decorations and whenever possible, choose those made with flame-resistant, flame-retardant or non-combustible materials.

· Keep candles away from decorations and other combustible materials, and do not use candles to decorate Christmas trees.

· Purchase only lights and electrical decorations bearing the name of an independent testing lab, and follow the manufacturer's instructions for installation and maintenance.

· Carefully inspect new and previously used light strings and replace damaged items before plugging lights in. Do not overload extension cords.

· Check your strands of lights to determine the number of strands that may be connected. Connect no more than three strands of push-in bulbs and a maximum of 50 bulbs for screw-in bulbs.

· Always unplug lights before replacing light bulbs or fuses.

· Don't mount lights in any way that can damage the cord's wire insulation (i.e., using clips, not nails).

· Keep children and pets away from light strings and electrical decorations.

· Turn off all light strings and decorations before leaving home or going to bed.

Holiday entertaining

· Unattended cooking is the leading cause of home fires in the U.S. When cooking for holiday visitors, remember to keep an eye on the range.

· Wherever you smoke, provide plenty of large, deep sturdy ashtrays and check them frequently. Cigarette butts can smoulder in the trash and cause a fire, so completely douse cigarette butts with water before discarding.

· After a party, always check on, between and under upholstery and cushions and inside trash cans for cigarette butts that may be smouldering.

· Keep matches and lighters up high, out of sight and reach of children (preferably in a locked cabinet). When smokers visit your home, ask them to keep their smoking materials with them so young children do not touch them.

· Test your smoke alarms, and let guests know what your fire escape plan is.

Halloween safety

Ghost and pumpkin Planning ahead can help make this Halloween a fire-safe one. Taking simple fire safety precautions, like making sure fabrics for costumes and decorative materials are flame-resistant, can prevent fires.

· Purchase only costumes, wigs and props labeled flame-resistant or flame-retardant. When creating a costume, choose material that won't easily ignite if it comes in contact with heat or flame. Avoid billowing or long trailing features.

· Provide children with lightweight flashlights to carry for lighting or as part of their costume

· Dried flowers, cornstalks and crepe paper are highly flammable. Keep these and other decorations well away from all open flames and heat sources, including light bulbs, heaters, etc.

· Use the proper grade of the proper fuel for your liquid-fueled space heater, and never use gasoline in any heater not approved for gasoline use. Refuel only in a well-ventilated area and when the equipment is cool.

· Use flashlights or battery-operated candles when illuminating Jack-o-lanterns. Use extreme caution when decorating with candle lit Jack-O-Lanterns, and supervise children at all times when candles are lit. When lighting candles inside Jack-O-Lanterns, use long, fireplace-style matches and be sure to place lit pumpkins well away from anything that can burn including doorsteps, walkways and yards.

· Remember to keep exits clear of decorations, ensuring nothing blocks escape routes.

· Use flashlights as alternatives to candles or torch lights when decorating walkways and yards. They are much safer for trick-or-treaters, whose costumes may brush against the lighting.

· Instruct children to stay away from open flames or other heat sources. Be sure children know how to stop, drop and roll in the event their clothing catches fire. (Stop immediately, drop to the ground, covering your face with your hands, and roll over and over to extinguish flames.) Cool the burn.

· Make sure fuel-burning equipment is vented to the outside, that the venting is kept clear and unobstructed, and that the exit point is properly sealed around the vent, all of which is to make sure deadly carbon monoxide does not build up in the home.

· Instruct children who are attending parties at others' homes to locate the exits and plan how they would get out in an emergency.