Unattended cooking remains one of the leading cause of U.S. home fires

Leaving an unattended pan or skillet cooking on the stove is a good way to burn your food, not to mention the chance of burning down your house.

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) cooking fires are the #1 cause of home* fires and home fire injuries. Two-thirds (66%) of home cooking fire started with the ignition of food or other cooking materials. Further more according to U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) statistics, almost 30 percent of all reported home fires start in the kitchen, and of those, most involve the range-top.

Basic cooking fire prevention and fire safety mesures are very simple and easy to do and can prevent a cooking situation from becoming a far worse outcome. Just remember, practice and use these Cooking Fire Safety Tips ...

* Always use cooking equipment tested and approved by a recognized testing facility.

* Never leave cooking food on the stovetop unattended, and keep a close eye on food cooking inside the oven.

* Keep cooking areas clean and clear of combustibles (e.g. potholders, towels, rags, drapes and food packaging).

* Keep children and pets away from cooking areas by creating a three-foot (one-meter) "kid–free zone" around the stove.

* Turn pot handles inward so they can't be bumped and children can't grab them.

* Wear short, close fitting or tightly rolled sleeves when cooking. Loose clothing can dangle onto stove burners and catch fire.

* Never use a wet oven mitt, as it presents a scald danger if the moisture in the mitt is heated.

* Always keep a potholder, oven mitt and lid handy. If a small grease fire starts in a pan, put on an oven mitt and smother the flames by carefully sliding the lid over the pan. Turn off the burner.

* Never pour water on a grease fire and never discharge a fire extinguisher onto a pan fire, as it can spray or shoot burning grease around the kitchen, actually spreading the fire.

* If there is an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed to prevent flames from burning you and your clothing.

* There is a microwave fire, keep the door closed and unplug the microwave. Call the fire department and make sure to have the oven serviced before you use it again.

* Food cooked in a microwave can be dangerously hot. Remove the lids or other coverings from microwaved food carefully to prevent steam burns.

Fire can ripped through a home after a unattended cooking fire gets started. Such was the case in Lehigh Acres, Florida when the Lehigh Acres Fire Rescue responded to combat a structure fire at 2706 13th Street SW at 1325 hours on 2/24/12. The cause of the fire was unattended cooking. The family told firefighters that around 1:30 p.m., they left their home after cooking and forgot to turn the stove off. Here's news footage of this fire and video footage of the firefighters fighting the blaze...

Remember, Prevent Fires! It's Your Job!

Colder temperatures draw NFPA warning on fire hazards

NFPA’s simple tips to stay safe and warm this winter

‘Tis the season for rosy cheeks, button-down coats, and cranking up the heat. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), it’s also the time of year when home fires peak, many of which are caused by heating equipment.

“Half of all home heating fires occur during December, January, and February, when we are fully utilizing our heating systems” said Lorraine Carli, vice president of communications for NFPA. “The public can reduce their risk of getting left out in the cold by following NFPA’s safe heating behaviors.”

In NFPA’s report “Home Fires Involving Heating Equipment,” in 2009, heating equipment was involved in an estimated 58,900 reported home structure fires, 480 civilian deaths, 1,520 civilian injuries, and $1.1 billion in direct property damage. Stationary and portable space heaters accounted for one-third (32 percent) of reported home heating fires, but nearly 80 percent of the home heating fire deaths, two-thirds (66 percent) of associated civilian injuries, and half (52 percent) of associated direct property damage.

Overall, fires, injuries and damages from fires involving heating equipment were all lower than in 2008 and fit into a largely level trend over the past few years. The number of deaths from heating equipment was virtually unchanged.

As temperatures begin to drop, here are some safe heating behaviors to follow:

• All heaters need space. Keep anything that can burn at least three feet away from heating equipment, like the furnace, fireplace, wood stove, or portable space heater.
• Have a three-foot “kid-free zone” around open fires and space heaters.
• Never use your oven to heat your home.
• Have a qualified professional install stationary space heating equipment, water heaters or central heating equipment according to the local codes and manufacturer’s instructions.
• Have heating equipment and chimneys cleaned and inspected every year by a qualified professional.
• Remember to turn portable heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed.
• Always use the right kind of fuel, specified by the manufacturer, for fuel-burning space heaters.
• Make sure the fireplace has a sturdy screen to stop sparks from flying into the room. Ashes should be cool before putting them in a metal container. Keep the container a safe distance away from your home.
• Test smoke alarms monthly.

In an effort to reduce winter fires, NFPA is partnering with the U.S. Fire Administration on a special campaign – Put a Freeze on Winter Fires. For more information, visit NFPA’s website at www.nfpa.org/winter.

About the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) NFPA is a worldwide leader in fire, electrical, building, and life safety. The mission of the international nonprofit organization founded in 1896 is to reduce the worldwide burden of fire and other hazards on the quality of life by providing and advocating consensus codes and standards, research, training, and education.

Thanksgiving is peak day for home cooking fires

NFPA urges caution when preparing holiday meals

November 9, 2011 – The number of home cooking fires on Thanksgiving Day was three times the national average of fires per day in 2009, according the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA.) NFPA is urging the public to keep fire safety in mind when preparing holiday meals.

“Thanksgiving can be a whirlwind of cooking and entertaining guests,” said Lorraine Carli, vice president of communications for NFPA. “With so much multitasking taking place, fire hazards around the oven or stovetop can easily be overlooked. Cooks should be conscious of fire safety this Thanksgiving whether the menu is meant to serve two or 20.”

Cooking fires are the number one cause of home fires and related injuries. In 2005-2009, U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated average of 155,400 home fires per year involving cooking equipment. These fires caused an annual average of 390 civilian deaths, 4,800 civilian injuries, and $771 million in direct property damage.

Download NFPA's Thanksgiving safety tips. (PDF, 868 KB)

To reduce the risk of cooking fires this holiday, NFPA recommends the following safety tips:

1. Keep anything that can catch fire such as oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels or curtains away from the stovetop.
2. Always stay in the kitchen while frying, grilling, or broiling food. If you have to leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove.
3. When simmering, baking, roasting, or boiling food, check it regularly, remain in the home while food is cooking, and use a timer to remind you that you are cooking.
4. Stay alert. If you are sleepy or have consumed alcohol, don’t use the stove or stovetop.

If you have a cooking fire…

1. Just get out! When you leave, close the door behind you to help contain the fire.
2. Call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number after you leave.
3. If you try to fight the fire, be sure others are getting out and you have a clear path (to your way out of the home and someone has called the fire department).
4. Keep a lid nearby when cooking to smother small grease fires. Smother the fire by sliding the lid over the pan and turn off the stovetop. Leave the pan covered until it is completely cooled.
5. For an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed.

About the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
NFPA is a worldwide leader in fire, electrical, building, and life safety. The mission of the international nonprofit organization founded in 1896 is to reduce the worldwide burden of fire and other hazards on the quality of life by providing and advocating consensus codes and standards, research, training, and education.

Proper Escape Plan Becomes Essential

The fire prevention saying of “Play it safe, Plan your escape” has a lot of meaning for everyone’s daily routine. It’s usually during the month of October that schools and places of work hold yearly fire evacuation drills.

Usually we walk into a building the way we leave, through the main entrance. “No big deal,” most will say, “we do this when entering any building, even our homes.”

What if, and it has happened, this path of travel through the main entrance is blocked because of a fire? What do you do then?

A proper plan of escape now becomes essential. Preplanning maximizes a safe escape and is part of everyone’s daily fire prevention duties.

It only takes a moment to do a quick survey, upon entering a building, and plan an escape. Knowing two exits out of a building requires nothing more than a glance around. You can also try getting in the habit of taking an exit other than the normal entry.

NFPA Public Service Announcement - Escape Plan from NFPA on Vimeo.

A facility may have the maximum occupancy allowed. If something should happen, most people will head for the main entrance automatically. This action could result in injury or loss of life in a fire situation. Everyone should be aware of an alternate exit out.

In our homes we all have a feeling of security that nothing bad will happen. Seventy percent or so of fatal fires in homes occur between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m.. This fact makes it even more important to have a home escape plan. Exit Drills in the Home, otherwise known as E.D.T.H. plan is a good way to begin.

Have a diagram or floor plan of your home showing locations of all doors and windows. Each family member should know two routes out, from every room. Bedroom doors should always be kept close at night to keep fire away if one should start. In a fire situation, check doors by touching the upper part first. If it’s hot do not open in. Exit out another door to the outside or a window. If the home is a multi-story building, open a window and wait for the fire department’s assistance. It’s a good idea to have smoke detectors installed on every level of the home. Test them monthly and change the batteries each year.

If a fire occurs, all family members should leave the home quickly, closing doors behind them to help confine smoke and fire. Do not stop to take possessions along. Report the fire immediately.

No one should ever go back into the house that’s on fire. People die or are injured because fire intensify and can get worse in a matter of seconds. Have a pre-arrange meeting place outside the home.

Your local fire department can answer questions concerning the establishing a fire escape plan.

Learn Not to Burn, Be fire Safe.

NFPA announces theme for Fire Prevention Week 2011

"Protect Your Family From Fire"

News releases By: National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

May 31, 2011 – The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) announces the theme for Fire Prevention Week - "Protect Your Family From Fire." Fire Prevention Week will be held October 9-15, 2011. NFPA has sponsored the fire prevention campaign since 1922, spreading awareness of the dangers of fires and inspiring individuals to prevent the deaths, injuries, and destruction they cause. This year’s theme focuses on how to protect your family from fire by planning ahead and integrating simple things into your everyday life.

Fires in the home take a great toll on life and property each year. During the five-year-period from 2005-2009, NFPA estimates that U.S. fire departments responded to an average of 373,900 reported home structure fires per year. These fires caused an estimated average of 2,650 civilian deaths, 12,890 civilian injuries, and $7.1 billion in direct property damage per year. Smoking materials remain the leading cause of home fire deaths, while cooking equipment is the leading cause of home structure fires and home fire injuries.

Installing systems such as smoke alarms and residential fire sprinklers, as well as identifying potential hazards, can reduce the risk of home fires and property loss, injury, or death due to fire. Nearly two-thirds of home structure fire deaths occur in homes where there was no smoke alarm, or where smoke alarms were present but failed to operate.

NFPA has taken the lead in public fire safety outreach by serving as the official sponsor of Fire Prevention Week for 89 years. The annual public awareness and safety commemoration, which is proclaimed by the President of the United States each year, is observed by fire departments in the U.S. and Canada to mark the anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. According to the National Archives and Records Administration’s Library Information Center, Fire Prevention Week is the longest running public health and safety observance on record.

Visit the Fire Prevention Week website for safety tips, statistical information, and more. The materials are available for use by fire departments, teachers, families and anyone interested in learning or teaching about fire safety.

About the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
NFPA is a worldwide leader in fire, electrical, building, and life safety. The mission of the international nonprofit organization founded in 1896 is to reduce the worldwide burden of fire and other hazards on the quality of life by providing and advocating consensus codes and standards, research, training, and education.

Overloaded Outlets Cause Fires

One of the leading causes of fire is misuse of electrical appliances.

Many people are under the impression that there is nothing wrong with plugging more than one appliance into a wall socket, using multiple plug adapters.

Electrical circuits in offices and at home are designed to carry a maximum load which is fire safe for the wire size. Fuses that blow and circuit breaker that shut off indicate an overload and perhaps too many appliances being used.

Overloading electrical circuits have resulted in grave consequences, causing fires that could have been prevented. However, preventing a potential fire hazards is as easy as pulling a plug.

Don't overload electrical circuits with "octopus" multiple plug adapters. These adapters can cause electrical wires to overheat, especially if several appliances are being run from the same plug simultaneously.

Replaced frayed, worn, defective or broken cords on electrical appliances and never use electrical equipment around water. Exposed wires can easily set fire to anything flammable that they contact. Or fatal current may leap through your own body, especially around water.

Disconnect electrical appliances which aren't being used, besides by doing so saves money. There is also no chance of an item overheating electrical wiring in the house if it's unplugged.

And always use appliances that carry the Underwriter Laboratory (UL) or equivalent label. These items have been tested and as long as they are maintained and used properly, pose less of a fire hazard

Smoke Detector Information!

Smoke detectors aren't new. The technology has been around since the 1960s. The single-station, battery-powered smoke detector, similar to the one we know today, became available to consumers in the 1970s. NFPA estimates that 93% of U.S. homes have at least one smoke detector. They save so many lives that most states have laws requiring them in residential dwellings.

Still a Major Problem

Although 13 of every 14 homes have at least one smoke detector, almost half of home fires and three-fifths of fire deaths occur in the share of homes with no detectors. Thousands of people still die each year in home fires where smoke detectors aren't present.

In addition, there are now more homes with smoke detectors that don't work than homes without detectors at all. These poorly maintained units create a false sense of security among occupants. Approximately one-third of homes with smoke detectors that experience fires have smoke detectors that aren't working, and hundreds of people die each year in these fires.

Tragically, the grave importance of installing and maintaining smoke detectors has not yet been fully realized. Most people who die in home fires are not in the room where the fire starts; working smoke detectors alert people to fire and give them time to escape in a situation where minutes can mean the difference between life and death.

Working Smoke Detectors Save Lives

Having a smoke detector cuts your chance of dying nearly in half if you have a home fire. By properly placing, regularly testing and maintaining your detectors, you can ensure that they are in fact working and will alert you if a fire breaks out. Make sure you buy only those detectors that bear the mark of an independent testing laboratory. Some detectors operate using an "ionization" sensor while others use a"photoelectric" sensor. An ionization detector uses an extremely small quantity of radioactive material to make the air in the detector chamber conduct electricity. Smoke from a fire interferes with the electrical current and triggers the alarm. A photoelectric detector uses a tiny light source shining on a light sensitive sensor. The alarm is triggered when smoke from a fire interferes with the light. All tested and labeled smoke detectors offer adequate protection if they are properly installed and maintained.

Make Placement a Priority

A recent NFPA report on smoke detectors found that there is a substantial number of households that do not have the devices on every level of the home, as needed. The majority of fire deaths occur at night when people are asleep. NFPA's National Fire Alarm Code (NFPA 72) says homes must have smoke detectors on every level of the home -- including the basement -- and outside each sleeping area. New homes are required to have a smoke detector in each sleeping area as well.

To slow the spread of smoke and fumes if a fire develops, NFPA suggests that you sleep with your bedroom doors closed. If you sleep with your bedroom doors closed, install a smoke detector inside each bedroom. Detectors should also be installed in other areas of your home where people sleep. In new homes, the National Fire Alarm Code requires hard-wired detectors to be interconnected, so that if one detector is activated, all detectors will sound the alarm signal. On floors without bedrooms, smoke detectors should be installed in or near living areas, such as family rooms and living rooms.

Detectors that are hard-wired into the home electrical system should be installed by a qualified electrician. If your detector plugs into a wall socket, make sure it has a restraining device to keep its plug from being pulled out. Never connect a detector to a circuit that could be turned off at a wall switch. Most detectors are battery-powered and can be installed with a screwdriver and drill and by following the manufacturer's instructions.

"Test Your Detectors! Let's Hear it for Fire Safety!":

Since smoke and deadly gases rise, detectors should be placed on the ceiling at least 4 inches from the nearest wall, or high on a wall, 4-12 inches from the ceiling. This 4-inch minimum is important to keep detectors out of possible "dead air" spaces, because hot air is turbulent and may bounce so much it misses spots near a surface. Installing detectors near a window, door or fireplace is not recommended because drafts could detour smoke away from the unit. In rooms where the ceiling has an extremely high point, such as in vaulted ceilings, mount the detector at or near the ceiling's highest point.

Maintenance is a Must

What good are smoke detectors that don't work? No good at all! That's why it is imperative that you keep your smoke detectors fit and in good shape. It's easy. Maintain your smoke detectors by:

• Testing

Whether your detectors are hard-wired or battery-operated, NFPA recommends testing them once a month to make sure they are operating. A working smoke detector greatly reduces your chances of dying in a home fire. Testing is the only way to ensure they are working to protect you. Test each detector by pushing the test button and listening for the alarm. If you can't reach, stand under the detector and push the test button with a broom handle.

• Replacing Batteries

If your smoke detectors are battery operated, replace their batteries according to the manufacturer's instructions. NFPA recommends doing this at least once a year or when the detector chirps, alerting you that the battery power is low. Replace the batteries immediately if you move into a new home. Make sure no one disables your smoke detectors by borrowing batteries for other uses. Everyone you live with should understand how critical it is to have working smoke detectors.

• Cleaning

Just as you clean your home, your smoke detectors need to be cleaned. Make sure you follow the manufacturer's instructions about cleaning. Cobwebs and dust usually can be removed with a vacuum cleaner attachment. If you are going to be doing work nearby that could send dust in the air, cover the detector with a shield. Also, shield the detector if you are painting around it, and never paint on it. Remove the shield promptly after work is completed.

Dealing with Nuisance Alarms

Regularly cleaning your smoke detectors and following the manufacturer's instructions may help stop "nuisance" or false alarms. If this doesn't stop them, install a fresh battery in the detectors giving nuisance alarms. Evaluate where your detectors are placed if the problem still persists. Cooking vapors and steam can set off a smoke detector. If the detector is near the kitchen or bathroom, try moving it farther away. If nuisance alarms continue, install a new smoke detector.

No Substitute for Smoke Detectors

Fire protection in the home must start with smoke detectors. There are many other kinds of detectors which may be designed to detect such factors as high temperatures, rapid changes in temperature, and certain gases produced in fires. However, these detectors are not as effective as smoke detectors in giving the first warning when a fire breaks out. NFPA does not require heat detectors in homes, however, they may be used for optional extra protection in areas like kitchens, attics, and garages, where smoke detectors are susceptible to nuisance alarms.

Tests performed on the speed of warning given by smoke detectors and heat detectors for many types of typical home fires showed smoke detectors consistently give first warning -- often by enough of a margin to make a major difference in your chances of escaping alive. Smoke and deadly gas spread farther and faster than heat.

Contrary to popular belief, the smell of smoke may not wake a sleeping person. Instead, the poisonous gases and smoke produced by a fire can numb the senses and put one into a deeper sleep.

Smoke Detectors Are Cost-Effective

A battery-operated smoke detector for the home retails for less than $10. Smoke detectors with extra features can cost up to $25. Batteries cost $1 to $2, depending on the brand. A smoke detector for a typical hard-wired system costs $14-$18. Smoke detectors for people with hearing impairments cost approximately $100 each. In 1994, home fires caused $481,000 in damage every hour.

Now that you know the importance of installing and maintaining smoke detectors in your home, "Let's Hear it for Fire Safety: Test Your Detectors!"

"Let's Hear it for Fire Safety! Test Your Detectors!"

Fire Prevention: Proper Escape Plan Becomes Essential

The fire prevention saying of “Play it safe, Plan your escape” has a lot of meaning for everyone’s daily routine.

Usually we walk into a building the way we leave, through the main entrance. “No big deal,” most will say, “we do this when entering any building, even our homes.”

What if, and it has happened, this path of travel through the main entrance is blocked because of a fire? What do you do then?

A proper plan of escape now becomes essential. Preplanning maximizes a safe escape and is part of everyone’s daily fire prevention duties.

It only takes a moment to do a quick survey, upon entering a building, and plan an escape. Knowing two exits out of a building requires nothing more than a glance around. You can also try getting in the habit of taking an exit other than the normal entry.

A facility may have the maximum occupancy allowed. If something should happen, most people will head for the main entrance automatically. This action could result in injury or loss of life in a fire situation. Everyone should be aware of an alternate exit out.

In our homes we all have a feeling of security that nothing bad will happen. Seventy percent or so of fatal fires in homes occur between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m.. This fact makes it even more important to have a home escape plan. Exit Drills in the Home, otherwise known as E.D.T.H. plan is a good way to begin.

Have a diagram or floor plan of your home showing locations of all doors and windows. Each family member should know two routes out, from every room. Bedroom doors should always be kept close at night to keep fire away if one should start. In a fire situation, check doors by touching the upper part first. If it’s hot do not open in. Exit out another door to the outside or a window. If the home is a multi-story building, open a window and wait for the fire department’s assistance. It’s a good idea to have smoke detectors installed on every level of the home. Test them monthly and change the batteries each year.

If a fire occurs, all family members should leave the home quickly, closing doors behind them to help confine smoke and fire. Do not stop to take possessions along. Report the fire immediately.

No one should ever go back into the house that’s on fire. People die or are injured because fire intensify and can get worse in a matter of seconds. Have a pre-arrange meeting place outside the home.

Your local fire department can answer questions concerning the establishing a fire escape plan.

Learn Not to Burn, Be fire Safe.

Ten Fire Safety Tips:

Here are 10 fire safety tips that will help keep you and your family safe from fire, please read through them and discuss them with your family.

1. Install and test smoke detectors

Working smoke detectors can alert you to a fire in your home in time for you to escape, even if you are sleeping. Install smoke detectors near each sleeping area, it is best if you install one inside your sleeping area as well. Test detectors every month (always follow the manufacturer's directions) and replace batteries once a year, or whenever a detector "chirps" to signal low battery power. Never "borrow" a smoke detector's battery for another use - a disabled detector can't save your life. Replace detectors that are more than 10 years old.

2. Plan Your Escape From Fire

If a fire breaks out in your home, you have to get out fast. Prepare for a fire emergency by sitting down with your family and agreeing on an escape plan. Be sure that everyone knows at least two ways out - including doors and windows - from every room. (If you live in an apartment building, do not include elevators in your escape plan.) Decide on a meeting place outside where everyone will meet after they escape. Have your entire household practice your escape plan at least twice a year.

3. Keep An Eye On Smokers

Careless smoking is the leading cause of fire deaths in North America. Smoking in bed or when you are drowsy could be deadly. Provide smokers with large, deep non-tip ashtrays and soak butts with water before discarding them. Before going to bed or leaving home after someone has been smoking, check under and around cushions and upholstered furniture for smoldering cigarettes.

4. Cook Carefully

Never leave cooking unattended. Keep cooking areas clear of combustibles and wear clothes with short, rolled-up or tight-fitting sleeves when you cook. Turn pot handles inward on the stove where you can't bump them and children can't grab them. Enforce a "Kid-Free Zone" three feet (one meter) around your kitchen stove. If grease catches fire in a pan, slide a lid over the pan to smother the flames and turn off the heat. Leave the lid on until cool.

5. Give Space Heaters Space

Keep portable heaters and space heaters at least three feet (one meter) from anything that can burn. Keep children and pets away from heaters, and never leave heaters on when you leave home or go to bed.

6. Remember: Matches And Lighters Are Tools, Not Toys

In a child's hand, matches and lighters can be deadly. Use only child-resistant lighters and store all matches and lighters up high, where small children can't see or reach them, preferably in a locked cabinet. Teach your children that matches and lighters are tools, not toys, and should be used only by adults or with adult supervision. Teach young children to tell a grown-up if they find matches or lighters; older children should bring matches or lighters to an adult immediately.

7. Cool A Burn

Run cool water over a burn for 10 to 15 minutes. Never put butter or any grease on a burn. If the burned skin blisters or is charred, see a doctor immediately. Never use ice.

8. Use Electricity Safely

If an electrical appliance smokes or has an unusual smell, unplug it immediately, then have it serviced before using it again. Replace any electrical cord that is cracked or frayed. Don't overload extension cords or run them under rugs. Don't tamper with your fuse box or use improper-size fuses.

9. Crawl Low Under Smoke

During a fire, smoke and poisonous gases rise with the heat. The air is cleaner and cooler near the floor. If you encounter smoke while you are escaping from a fire, use an alternate escape route

10. Stop, Drop And Roll

If your clothes catch fire, don't run. Stop where you are, drop to the ground, cover your face with your hands, and roll over and over to smother the flames.

Using prevention techniques will greatly improve your chances of never having to escape from a fire. Don't be fooled though, you never know when or where a fire will break out--always be ready! Be Fire Safe!

“Beep! Beep! Beep! Smoke Alarms: A sound you can live with.”

This week, Oct. 3-9 is Fire Prevention Week and the 2010 theme is “Beep! Beep! Beep! Smoke Alarms: A sound you can live with.”

There’s nothing more important than to have an early notification of a fire, especially if it’s in the home. This year’s fire prevention & fire safety issue that is being highlighted is the importance of having working, operational smoke detectors.

In 2009, fire departments in the United States responded to an estimated 1,348,500 fires. These fires resulted in 3,010 civilian fire fatalities. About 80 percent of the fatalities occurred in the home between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. There was a civilian fire death every 175 minutes and a civilian fire injury every 31 minutes in 2009. In addition, there were 17,050 civilian fire injuries and an estimated $12,531,000,000 in direct property loss. These statistics are alarming to say the least.

There is a simple list of steps or guidelines that could possibly save you or your loved ones in the event of a fire in the home. By taking a little time out with your family to go over and practice these procedures will ensure that everyone knows what to do if or when a smoke alarm is sounded. The early notification of a fire gives you the needed time to escape with smoke alarms which are credited for saving approximately 8,000 lives each year, Stoll said.

Placement of smoke alarms:

•Should occur in every level of the home, along the exit paths and in the sleeping areas.

Installation of smoke alarm:

•Follow the manufacturer’s guidelines.

•Ceiling mounted alarms should not be installed near air vents or ceiling fans.

•If detectors are wall mounted, install between 2 and 4 inches below the ceiling on the wall to avoid the dead air space.

•Test smoke alarms monthly, and change alkaline batteries twice a year. Lithium batteries may last up to 10 years.

•Mark the detector with the date installed.

Here are some additional items in that simple list of steps or guidelines that should be gone over with along with smoke alarms in the home.

Escape planning:

•Plan and discuss with your family two ways out of every sleeping area in your home.

•Secondary escape routes from the sleeping areas may include windows.

•Insure bedroom windows open easily for quick use. During a fire, never hesitate to break a window if it will not open. Throw a blanket over the window ledge to help prevent cuts.

•Encourage residents to sleep with their bedroom doors closed. This prevents the room from filling with heat and smoke as quickly.

•Check the doors for heat before opening. If the door is hot, don’t open it. You must use the secondary escape route.

•If there is smoke in the room, crawl low near the floor to reach your exit.

•Have a designated meeting place outside your home where everyone can meet after exiting.

•Never go back inside a burning home.

Things that may be needed:

•ABC fire extinguisher for kitchen and garage.

•Escape ladder for upper levels of the home.

•Quality power strips and extension cords.

•New smoke detectors to replace ones five to 10 years old

•Artificial battery operated candles to replace the open flame candles in our youths’ bedrooms.

•Carbon monoxide detectors.

Help make sure that every home has the appropriate amount of working detectors to keep your family, your community, and co-workers safe from fire. It is encourage that you practice these fire prevention & fire safety steps with your family, and if you need further assistance contact your local community fire department with any questions you may have.

Test Smoke Detectors . . . Save Your Life

The Nichols Fire Department reminds you to test smoke & CO2 detectors at least once a month. A broken detector provides no protection. Don't go without early warning. Make periodic checks routine in your home. Use the "Press To Test" button on detector to test. Train everyone to respond quickly at the sound of the detector. Seconds count! Test your smoke & CO2 detectors and save your live.

Follow these 10 easy tips on smoke alarms:

1. One of the best ways to protect yourself and your family is to have a working smoke alarm that can sound fast for both a fire that has flames, and a smoky fire that has fumes without flames. It is called a "Dual Sensor Smoke Alarm."
2. Place a smoke alarm on the ceiling of every level of your home and outside bedrooms. Children and older people can sleep though the loud sound of a smoke alarm. Make sure your escape plan includes someone that can help children and others wake up immediately to escape from the home.
3. If you keep your bedroom doors closed, place a smoke alarm on the ceiling of each bedroom.
4. Check smoke alarms monthly by pressing the test button.
5. Never take smoke alarm batteries out to put into other items like games or remote controls.
6. Teach children what the smoke alarm sounds like and what to do when they hear the alarm sound.
7. If there is a fire, leave the home right away by crawling low under the smoke and never go back inside.
8. If smoke from cooking makes the alarm sound, press the �hush� button, if your alarm has one. You can also turn on the kitchen fan, open a window or wave a towel near the alarm until it stops making the sound. Never take the battery out of the alarm.
9. Most alarms need a new battery at least once a year. Some smoke alarms have batteries that last for up to 10 years. If your smoke alarm is over 10 years old, replace it with a new alarm and a new battery.
10. If you rent, talk to your landlord about placing a working smoke alarm in your home. You still need to buy a new battery at least once a year for the alarm.

Exit Drills In The Home (E.D.I.T.H)

Once a fire has started, there is no time to plan how to get out. Sit down with your family today, and make a step-by-step plan for escaping a fire. Draw a floor Plan of your Home, marking two ways out of every room - especially sleeping areas. Discuss the escape routes with every member of your household.

Agree on a Meeting Place, where every member of the household will gather outside your home after escaping a fire to wait for the fire department. This allows you to count heads and inform the fire department if anyone is missing or trapped inside the burning building.

Practice your escape plan at least twice a year. Have a fire drill in your home. Appoint someone to be the monitor, and have everyone participate. A fire drill is not a race. Get out quickly, but carefully.

Install smoke detectors and keep them in working order. Make an escape plan and "practice" it.

Use what you've learned. . .

SET UP YOUR PLAN, including two ways out, a meeting place and. . .

CONDUCT A PRACTICE DRILL to determine if anything has been overlooked.

EVERYONE in the household NEEDS TO PARTICIPATE for it to be successful.

It may SAVE YOUR LIFE!!!

Play It Safe…Plan Your Escape!

Electricity . . . Friend or Foe

Short circuits, misuse and abuse of appliances and cords top the list of one of the major causes of fatal home fires . . . Electricity. Pay attention to warnings against overloading electrical outlets. Plug in only what outlets can take directly – without the use of adapters. Overloading causes fires. Damaged cords should be replaced, not repaired. Do not risk your family and possessions to save a few dollars it would cost to buy a new cord.

Have A Merry And Fire-Safe Christmas

To enjoy the holiday season, remember to be cautious with

trees, lights, ornaments and fireplaces during this hectic time.

Fire knows no holiday...buy fresh trees and keep them away

from heat and out the way of exits. Get rid of trees once large

amounts of needles fall. DON'T DISPOSE of trees, decorations

or wrapping paper in the fireplace. Flying sparks can set the

roof or house on fire. Check lights before placing on tree. Frayed

or damage light sets should be replaced.

• ALWAYS REMEMBER keep the tree stand secure and filled with water.

• DO NOT place the tree close to a heat source, including a fireplace or heat vent.

• KEEP open flames away from your tree. Never use candles as decorations.

• ALSO REMEMBER to check and make sure your smoke detector is working and never remove the battery to use for another purpose.

Be Fire Safe To Have A Fun, Enjoyable, Joyous, And Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays!