Most fatal home fires occur at night and can be a terrifying and confusing experience. Adults as well as children can make poor decisions waking up to the sound of the smoke detector.Having an evacuation plan and practicing it, will make sure everyone knows what to do, and where to go.

Here are some safety tips:

• Plan your escape. Draw a floor plan of your home.
• Plan two ways out of every room.
• Discuss the escape routes with your children.
• Agree on a meeting place outside the front of your home.
• Practice your plan at least twice a year.
• Set a good example for your children by taking fire safety seriously.

• Smoke detectors can give you precious minutes to escape safely. Install them on every level of your home, especially outside of sleeping areas. Test and vacuum out detectors once a month, and change the batteries when you change your clock in the spring and fall. The life you save may be your own!

What To Do If You Have A Fire

• Get out immediately, don’t try and grab your possessions they can be replaced, you can’t.
• Have a predetermined place to meet all the occupants of the residence so everyone can be accounted for.
• Call 911. Don’t assume someone else has.
• Give any information you can to the fire department regarding the location of the fire and what is burning.

Kitchen Fire Saftey

• All electrical appliances and tools should have a testing agency label.
• Have appliances repaired if they aren’t working right.
• Don’t overload the outlets.
• Water and electricity don’t mix. Have dry hands; don’t stand in water. If an appliance gets wet, have it serviced.
• Don’t store things over the stove. It is easy to get burned when reaching over the stove.
• Turn pot handles so children can’t pull them down.
• Wear short sleeve or tight fitting sleeves when cooking. Loose-fitting garments can catch fire.

Living of Family Room Fire Saftey

• If you or someone in your home smokes, use large ashtrays that aren’t likely to tip over.
• If you have a smoker in the house, check under cushions for smoldering cigarettes before going to bed.
• Put matches and lighters out of children’s reach.
• Use a metal fireplace screen.
• Have the chimney checked and cleaned regularly.
• Allow air space around the TV and stereo to prevent overheating. If the TV doesn’t work right it could be a fire danger.
• Keep portable heaters at least three feet from people and combustables.
• Use special outlet covers on any unused outlets to keep children’s fingers and other objects out.

Bedroom Fire Saftey

• Buy a smoke detector and install it outside each bedroom.
• Plan two escapes from each bedroom.
• Don’t smoke in bed.
• Don’t overload electrical outlets.
• If you are hearing impaired or sleep with your bedroom door closed, consider putting a smoke detector in your room.

Basement, Garage, Storage Area Fire Saftey

• Store gasoline and other flamables in tight metal containers.
• Don’t use flamable liquids near heat, a pilot light or while smoking.
• Have heating equipment checked yearly.
• Clean up workareas.
• If a fuse blows, find the cause (replace with a fuse of the correct size.)
• Sort and remove trash. Don’t store things near the furnace or heater.

Fire Saftey Links for KidsSparky’s Fire Saftey
Fire Saftey
Kid’s Saftey Games
Smokey the Bear