Washington State Patrol
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Safety & Prevention · Home Fire PreventionPrevention is the best way to keep safe from fire. Many people have saved their own lives, or the life of someone else, by following easy fire safety tips. BE PREPARED - Before A Fire StrikesInstall smoke alarms – Always be sure to have smoke alarms outside all sleeping areas or in each bedroom and on every level of your home, including the basement. If you are hearing and/or vision impaired, be sure you have an appropriate smoke alarm. Test your smoke alarms monthly, and change the batteries once a year. A working smoke alarm can alert you to a fire and give you valuable time to escape and call for help. Fore more information,see Smoke Alarms. Plan your escape – Draw a floor plan of your home including windows and doors. Mark two ways out of each room in case smoke or flames block your primary exit. Also, mark the location of each smoke alarm. Choose a meeting place so you can ensure everyone is accounted for and also so you can immediately notify the fire department if someone is missing. Do not go back inside. A home escape plan grid is available on the NFPA Web site at http://www.nfpa.org/assets/files/PDF/FPWgrid03.pdf. Know all exits – If you live in an apartment building, count the number of doorways between your apartment and the two nearest exits. During a fire, you may have to escape in the dark. If your building has outside metal fire-escape stairs, ask your building's owner or landlord to show you how to use them. Be familiar with all exits, even windows.Fore more information, see Fire Drills In the Home. Provide special arrangements – Remember to provide special arrangements for yourself or others with reduced mobility. Have walking aids and a telephone within reach. A first floor bedroom might be better for persons that have difficulty with stairs. PREVENTION - It's Your Best ProtectionBe attentive when you cook – Never leave cooking unattended. Wear clothes with tight-fitting sleeves when you cook. Always use a kitchen timer to remind you to turn off burners or the oven. If a pan containing food catches fire, slide a lid over the pan, then turn off the burner. Keep stove surfaces free of clutter and grease buildup. For more information, see Cooking Fire Safety. Never smoke in bed or while on medication that makes you sleepy – Have large deep ashtrays for smokers. Fill ashtrays with water before emptying them in a safe place. Check upholstered furniture for dropped matches or cigarettes. Fore more information, see Smoking and Fires. Give space heaters space – Be sure space heaters are at least three feet away from everything, including you. A slight brush against one could start a clothing fire. For more information, see Home Heating Fire Safety. REACT FAST - What You Can To Do When Fire StrikesTest the door – Test the door with the back of your hand. If hot, use your second exit. If not, open the door carefully, being ready to close it if heat or smoke rushes in. Crawl low under smoke – Smoke rises while clean air stays low, near the floor. Crawl on the floor, maintaining contact with the walls as you go to the nearest exit. If you are unable to crawl, stay near the floor for clean air, and protect yourself as if you were trapped. Get out, stay out – Exit as quickly as you can. Go to a neighbor's and call the fire department. Do not go back inside. Fore more information, see How to Call for Help. Remain calm if trapped – Close doors between you and smoke. If there is a phone, call the fire department and tell the dispatcher where you are located in the building. Stuff cracks and cover vents to keep smoke out. Wait at a window; signal the firefighters by waving a light colored cloth or flashlight and wait to be rescued. Stop, drop, and roll – If your clothes catch on fire, stop where you are, drop gently to the floor or ground, cover your face with your hands to protect your face from flames, and roll over and over to smother the flames. If you cannot drop to the floor, smother the flames with a blanket or towel. Fore more information, see Burn Prevention and First Aid. STAY INFORMED - Safety Devices & Book ListLithium powered smoke alarms – have non-removable power cells that last for ten years and provide a solution to the problem of missing or dead batteries in smoke alarms. Fore more information, see Smoke Alarms. Smoke alarms for the deaf or hard-of-hearing – Those who are deaf or hard of hearing cannot depend on the sound of the regular alarm to alert them to a fire. There are now a variety of smoke alarms on the market that combine sound and strobe lights to alert those with limited hearing that there is a fire in the home. Fire extinguishers – can save lives and property by putting out a small fire or controlling it until the fire department arrives. Fore more information, see Fire Extinguishers. Residential sprinkler systems – can control or extinguish fires before they spread. This adds valuable time needed to escape from a fire. When the heat of a fire raises the sprinkler temperature to its operating point, that single sprinkler will open, releasing water directly over the source of the heat. A fire sprinkler system costs about the same as carpeting your home. Fore more information, see Residential Sprinkler Systems. Fireplace screens – need to be in front of fireplaces whenever a fire is burning. Also see the information on Chimney Fire Safety. Appliances with automatic turn-off switches – Be sure your curling irons, regular irons, and coffee makers have an automatic turn off feature. This feature gives peace of mind and prevents fires. Also see the information on Electrical Fire Safety. Fire and Life Safety Books for Children – Educational materials are the most productive tool in fire prevention. There are books, videos, software, and other educational materials available. Remember fire life safety education begins at an early age and lasts for a lifetime. Check with a local bookstore or your local fire department. For more information, see our list of books. Home Escape Plan - Develop a home escape plan. Draw a floor plan of your home including window and doors. Mark two ways out of each room. Also, mark the location of each smoke alarm. A home escape plan grid is provided by the National Fire Protection Association at http://www.nfpa.org/assets/files/PDF/FPWgrid03.pdf.
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Home Safety Tips
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