Fire Safety Tips

This is the second of a two-part series on fire prevention. Read part 1 Protecting your family and home from fire.

We recommend discussing fire safety with your family as you can reduce the risk of fire with smart, simple safety tips such as…

• Never smoke in bed or in a place where you may fall asleep.
• Never leave a candle burning unattended.
• Have a fire extinguisher in your home for small fires and learn how to use it properly.
• Install a "kid-free zone" rule of at least three feet around the stove and areas where hot food or drink is prepared.
• Stay in the kitchen when you’re cooking as many kitchen fires are caused by inattention.
• Remember to never use water on a grease fire. This will cause the hot grease to splatter, which could burn you or allow the fire to spread. Smother the flames with a lid or another pan, and then turn off the burner.
• Keep a portable fire escape ladder upstairs.
• Store matches and lighters in a safe place that’s out of the reach of children.
• Never run electrical cords under rugs or heavy furniture.
• Inspect your home for fire hazards, such as overloaded electrical circuits, or light bulbs with greater wattage than a light fixture is rated.
• Keep any combustible items away from all portable space heaters, water heaters, furnaces or other heat sources.
• Never use gasoline or other flammable liquids in your home or basement.
• Store flammable liquids in approved containers designed to store such liquids and keep them in a locked, detached shed.
• If you operate a wood-burning appliance or fireplace, educate your family on its safe operation and maintenance as well as how to burn wood safely.
• Have your wood burning appliance and chimney inspected by a qualified technician.