Tips for Fire Prevention

For more info click on the following links:
Division of Fire Safety - Fire Prevention & Safety Tips
Parents' Guide to Fire Safety

The Following Tips have been taken from The Division of Fire Safety.

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO PREVENT A FIRE:

(Tips from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention)

Install smoke detectors outside each separate sleeping area and on every floor of your home, including the basement

• Working smoke detectors can reduce the risk of death in a residential fire by 40-50%.
• The best smoke detectors are those with lithium-powered batteries and hush buttons. A lithium-powered battery can last up to 10 years, and a hush button allows you to quickly stop nuisance alarms that are caused by oven smoke, burnt toast, prolonged cooking, etc.
• If 10-year, long-life smoke detectors are not available, install smoke detectors that use regular batteries, preferably alkaline, and replace the batteries as necessary - and at least once a year. (A useful tip to help you remember: in the fall, when you change your clocks to standard time, change your batteries as well!)
• Test smoke detectors every month to make sure they are in proper working condition.

Prevent a fire from starting in your home

• The most common causes of residential fires are careless cooking and faulty heating equipment. When cooking, never leave food on a stove or in an oven unattended. Avoid wearing clothes with long, loose-fitting sleeves. Have your heating system checked annually, and follow manufacturer's instructions when using portable heaters.
• Smoking is the leading cause of fire deaths and the second most common cause of residential fires. If you are a smoker, do not smoke in bed, never leave burning cigarettes unattended, do not empty smoldering ashes in the trash, and keep ashtrays away from upholstered furniture and curtains
• Keep matches and lighters away from children. Safely store flammable substances used throughout the home. Never leave burning candles unattended.