Fire Safety At Home

Protect yourself and your family withthese simple fire safety tips:

• Test Your SmokeDetector at least once a week. Replace old batteries with fresh,high-quality alkaline batteries to keep your smoke detector going all year long. Ifyou don't have a smoke detector in your home, get one today! Install at leastone smoke detector on every level of your home, including the basement andfamily room and, most important, outside all bedrooms. Install your smokedetectors according to the manufacturer's instructions. A smoke detector mayvery well be the only thing that will wake you up in time to escape a fire inyour home.

• Make An EscapePlan Of Your Home. Draw the floor plan on a piece of paper andmake sure all members of the household understand it. Indicate the exits withan arrow going out the doors and windows. Make sure you show the meeting placeoutside a safe distance from the home, and that everyone in your householdknows to meet there if there is a fire in your home. Make sure you have twoexits for each room.

• Practice Your Escape Plan.Sit down with other members of your household and study the escape plan. Aftereveryone is familiar with the plan, hold a fire drill. Have everyone lay downon their beds and push the test button of the smoke detector. Remember to feelthe door for heat before opening. Everyone crawl low and exit the home and meetat the meeting place outside. Children are at double the risk of dying in ahome fire because they often become scared or confused during fires. Make surechildren understand that a smoke detector signals fire and that they shouldrecognize its alarm. While this exercise may seem silly to older persons,children love it and actual practice will pay off if you ever have anemergency.

• Matches, Lighters, Flints, Candles, and Torches Are NotToys for children. Keep these items out of childrens reach.

• Be Careful AroundElectricity. Never stand in water or damp surfaces while operating anelectrical appliance. Don't use appliances or extension cords that are damaged,have them repaired or throw them away. If you suspect that your electricalsystem in your home is defective, you should seek professional help with thesystem. Do-It-Yourselfers like to save money but don't attempt to save when it comes to the the electrical wiring. Wires can short circuit in the wall and fire can spread through the walls virtually undetected, until very little time is left for escape.

• Install A FireExtinguisher on the wall in plain view in an exit way or next toan exit (near the kitchen is recommended). The recommended size is a2-A:10-B.C. rated extinguisher. Secondly, know how to use it.If you have questions, please call us, we would be happy to instruct you in the proper use of an extinguisher.

• Never Leave CookingUnattended. Monitor hot oil carefully and heat slowly. If you mustleave the cooking area, turn off the heat. If you have a grease fire on top ofthe stove, slide a lid over the pan to smother the flames. You may also use afire extinguisher or sprinkle baking soda in the pan. Never use water, flour,or salt to extinguish a grease fire.

• Store Gasoline In ApprovedContainers, and don't keep more than a couple gallons on hand at any time.Containers must be vapor tight and stored in a cabinet in the garage or outsideof the home well away from any source of ignition. Never keep gasoline insideof your home. Also, keep gasoline out of the reach of children.

• Heating Equipment Is The Number OneCause Of Home Fires in America. Make sure combustible material is atleast 3 feet away from space heaters, fire places, wood burning stoves andfurnaces. When you leave the room, turn off space heaters, don't leave them unattended.Inspect and clean your wood stove and chimney annually. Spark arresters screen the chimney with a 1/2 inch, noncombustible, wire mesh. Should a spark escape a neglected, or improperly attached arrester, fire may ignite your home, or a neighbor's.

• The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire.Tree limbs are a threat, when they are too close to a chimney and roof. Dead limbs may ignite and then spread over the house. Trim living limbs at least ten (10) feet away from your home, and remove dead limbs completely.Keep rain gutters clear of dead leaves and needles, and other debris... especially in the summer.
• Storage of flammables.Materials which are combustible should be stored in containers with airtight lids. Keep the containers out of the garage and away from the home. Flammable materials such as gas cans, mowers full of fuel, rags soaked (or dried) with kerosene, gasoline, paint removers, and even firewood should be stored in safe locations.
• Mark your location.If the fire department and rescue crew can not find your street number, they will not be there in your time of need. Clearly mark your home with the street number, so that it is visible from the street. In the case of a long driveway, clearly mark the house number at the end of the driveway.
• Did you put that out?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. If grease catches fire, carefully slide a lid over the pan to smother the flames, then turn off the burner.
• Stop, Drop and Roll.Everyone should know this rule: If your clothes catch fire, don't run!! Stop where you are, drop to the floor, cover your face with your hands to protect your face and lungs, and roll over and over.
• Crawl Low Under Fire.Smoke is dangerous! If you encounter smoke, use an alternate escape route. If you must exit through smoke, the cleanest air will be several inches off the floor. Crawl on your hands and knees to the nearest exit.

Fire safety in the workplace

• Building Exits
• Fire Extinguishers
• Evacuation Planning
• Preventing Fires

Building Exits - The workplaceshould have two means of escape remote from each other to be used in case of afire emergency. Doors must not be locked or blocked to prevent emergency usewhile employees are in the building. Exit routes must be clear and free ofobstructions and properly marked with signs designating EXIT from thebuilding.

Fire Extinguishers - Fireextinguishers must be in place for the type of fire hazards present in theworkplace. Know how to operate the fire extinguisher.

Evacuation Planning - Knowyour workplace evacuation plan. An emergency plan describing the routes used toevacuate the building and procedures accounting for all employees must beimplemented. Be prepared in case of a fire emergency.

Preventing Fires - Stoppingunwanted fires from occurring is the most efficient way to handle them.Procedures for controlling workplace ignition sources such as smoking, weldingand burning must be addressed. Heat producing equipment such as burners,boilers, ovens, stoves, fryers, etc., must be properly maintained and keptclean of accumulation of flammable residues.

Fire Safety Checklist

• RUBBISH - Dispose of daily;do not allow unnecessary accumulation.
• FLAMMABLES - Store safely inproper containers; no breaks, or spills.
• HOUSEKEEPING - Keep the workarea neat and clean.
• WIRING - Report or repairunsafe conditions.
• MACHINERY - Keep clean and ingood working order.
• COMBUSTIBLES - Keep well awayfrom sources of heat (at least 3 feet).
• SMOKING - Designate a safearea, and safe disposal.
• VENTILATION - Ventilate wasteand high-fume areas.
• EXTINGUISHERS - Keep in placethe proper ones and mark them well if out of sight.
• EXITS, PASSAGEWAYS - Keepclear, unobstructed and unlocked!
• EVACUATION ALARM - Recognizeit!
• EVACUATION PROCEDURES -Practice and make sure everyone knows the procedures.
• ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT - Keepat a minimum clearance of at least 3 feet . Do not overload circuits.