10 Tips for Fire Safety
1. Install 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 on every level
of your home, including the basement, and outside each sleeping area. If you
sleep with the door closed, install one inside your sleeping area as well.
Test detectors every month, following 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 unobstructed exits - 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. Dont' 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 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.
Home heating and your safety
Keeping home heating costs under control during our long, cold winters can
be a challenge. There are ways you can help manage those costs as part of
your overall home maintenance program. Many of these actions will also help
keep your home and family safe, so follow these steps and you'll have the
peace of mind that comes from knowing your gas appliances are operating
efficiently and safely.
Hire a licensed gas contractor
Have a licensed gas contractor check your gas appliances, chimney and
venting systems at least once a year. Think of it as an investment that
improves the efficiency of your heating system and provides a level of
safety for your family. If you are considering installing any heat-saving
devices, have your contractor ensure that they conform with the operation of
your gas appliances. And, if it's time to replace a heating or gas
appliance, your contractor can help you choose the right equipment and
install it for you.
Do it yourself
There are a number of things you can do yourself as part of your home
maintenance program, but do not attempt to repair gas appliances yourself.
Leave that work for a licensed gas contractor.
One obvious step is to seal up your home to prevent expensive and drafty air
leaks. Use caulking around windows and other openings to stop the cold air
invasion. If you have a window air conditioner, make sure it is well sealed
around the edges, and cover the unit to protect it and keep the cold air
out. Be aware that if you make your house airtight, you will need to install
a combustion air duct into the room containing your major gas heating
appliances. This air duct supplies fresh outside air for burner operation
and helps vent the products of combustion.
Once you've sealed the leaks, you can make your own visual checks of
chimneys, venting systems and filters periodically during the heating
season:
check furnace filters monthly, and clean or replace them when necessary;
remove any additional filters at floor registers and cold air return grills,
as they restrict the air flow your furnace needs to operate properly;
ensure proper heat distribution by keeping registers, grills and heat
radiators free of obstructions such as furniture or carpets; and
if your furnace has a fan belt, check it monthly and replace it when it
shows signs of wear. After you've made your checks, make sure all panels and
doors on your gas appliances are closed properly.
Here are some other tips that will help keep you and your family safe:
keep items away from ventilation openings on gas appliances and never store
flammable liquids or materials near them;
do not use gas appliances such as a range or oven to heat your home;
have wood-burning fireplaces or appliances checked regularly and follow
directions for their safe use;
open a window before lighting your fireplace or wood stove and keep it open
until the fire is completely out;
understand the dangers and symptoms of carbon monoxide (CO), the silent
killer, and consider installing a CO detector in your home; and avoid carbon
monoxide buildup by never running your vehicle or snow blower in the garage
or other enclosed area for extended periods of time.
Propane safety tips for winter
Safe storage for
your propane barbeque:
For
most of us winter means the end of the barbeque season. It also means taking
time to prepare your gas grill for safe storage. It will take about an hour
to clean your grill thoroughly, but some clean-up work now will make it much
easier to start cooking outdoors again in the spring.
To get the job
done you'll need warm, soapy water, a brass bristle brush, a soft cloth,
toothpicks, sandpaper and the owner's manual for your grill.
Begin by turning over the briquettes so the greasy side faces the burner.
Light the grill, close the lid and turn the burner to high for 15 minutes to
burn the grease off the briquettes and cooking grids.
When the grill cools, remove the briquettes and grids. Use the brush and
soapy water to remove any remaining grease from the grids, rinse and dry
them. Then, set the briquettes and grids aside.
Turn the gas off at the
cylinder. Follow instructions in your manual to unfasten the burner, slip
the venturi tubes off the gas lines and remove the unit. Clean any dirt or
grease on the unit using the soft cloth and warm water. Towel dry the unit
and clear each gas port on the burner with a toothpick. Clean the venturi
tubes with warm, soapy water and set the unit aside.
Cover the gas outlets under the grill with aluminum foil, and then clean any
grease buildup inside and outside the grill housing using the brush and
water. Rinse the grill and towel it dry. You can then remove the aluminum
foil.
Examine the grill housing for paint chips
or scrapes. Grills made of aluminum will not rust, but they can corrode if
paint chips are not repaired. Sand the scraped or chipped paint until the
metal is white and shiny. Apply primer and touchup paints designed for high
heat to the sanded areas. When the paint is dry, reattach the burner,
venturi tubes and igniter. Cover the gas line openings with a plastic bag
over the ends to keep insects out. Put the briquettes and cooking grids back
in place.
Check the condition of the propane
cylinder. If it is dented or seriously rusted, replace it immediately. Stop
any minor corrosion following the same procedures as with the grill housing.
Move the barbeque to its winter storage location. If the grill is stored
outside, leave the propane cylinder in its normal position and cover the
entire grill with a protective cover. If the grill is stored indoors,
disconnect the cylinder and store it outdoors in an upright position, away
from dryer or furnace vents, or children's play areas. Never store the
cylinder in an enclosed space.
Fire Safety Tips For Fireplaces and
Wood Burning Stoves
Fireplaces and wood burning stoves are auxiliary home heating
devices that demand care and attention in their purchase,
installation, and maintenance. Following these precautions can
reduce the possibility of a fire or injury related to their use.
All wood burning stoves and fireplaces should be cleaned and
inspected before the heating season begins. Make sure that the
door latch closes properly. Furnaces and water heaters which
have flue pipes attached to the chimney of a fireplace or wood
burning stove should have tight fitting joints and seams.
Fireplaces should be equipped with a tight fitting spark screen
or enclosed with glass doors to stop sparks from landing on
carpet or other nearby combustibles. Special retaining screens
can also keep children and pets at a safe distance from the fire
and so reduce the possibility of accidental burns.
Never use
liquid fuel to start the fire in a fireplace or wood burning
stove.
Ashes
need to be thoroughly dampened, cooled, and stored in metal cans
that are used solely for ash storage, not in compost piles,
cartons, boxes or anything else that is combustible. It is
important to use only thoroughly dried hardwood. This will
prevent or slow the buildup of creosote which is the cause of
many chimney fires. Although these following these precautions
should reduce your risk of a chimney fire, be aware of the signs
of one and know what to do if you encounter them -- a loud roar,
sucking sounds, shaking pipes, hot spots on wall or chimney, or
smoke in the house or apartment.
If you hear or see any of
these sounds shut off the fire's air supply, get everyone out of
the house quickly, and call 9-1-1 from a neighbor's phone.
There is something special about the
feeling of warmth and cheer that surrounds gathering around the
hearth on a cold winter night; take the time to make it a safe
experience for you and your family.
What to do in a Kitchen Fire
Kitchen Fire Safety - Good
reminder for everyone.....
This is a dramatic video (30-second, very short) about how to
deal with a common kitchen fire ... oil in a frying pan. Please read the
following introduction and then watch the show ... It's a real
eye-opener!!
At the Fire
Fighting Training school they would demonstrate this with a deep fat
fryer set on the fire field. An instructor would don a fire suit and
using an 8 oz cup a t the end of a10 foot pole toss water onto the
grease fire. The results got the attention of the students.
The water, being
heavier than the oil, sinks to the bottom where it instantly becomes
superheated. The explosive force of the steam blows the burning oil up
and out. On the open field, it became a thirty foot high fireball that
resembled a nuclear blast. Inside the confines of a kitchen, the fire
ball Hits the ceiling and fills the entire room.
Also, do not throw sugar or flour on a
grease fire. One cup creates the explosive force of two sticks of
dynamite. This is a powerful message----watch the video and don't forget
what you see. Tell your whole family about this video. Or better yet,
send this to them.
