The most effective way to protect yourself and your home from fire is to identify and remove fire
hazards. Sixty-five percent of home fire deaths occur in homes with no working smoke alarms.
During a home fire, working smoke alarms and a fire escape plan that has been practiced regularly can save lives.

• If a fire occurs in your home, GET OUT, STAY OUT and CALL for help.
• Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, inside bedrooms and outside sleeping areas. Test them every month and replace the batteries at least once a year.
• Talk with all household members about a fire escape plan and practice the plan twice a year.

Prevent home fires

• Keep items that can catch on fire at least three feet away from anything that gets hot, such as space heaters.
• Never smoke in bed.
• Talk to children regularly about the dangers of fire, matches and lighters and keep them out of reach.
• Turn portable heaters off when you leave the room or go to sleep.
• Stay in the kitchen when frying, grilling or broiling food. If you leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove.
• Stay in the home while simmering, baking, roasting or boiling food. Check it regularly and use a timer to remind you that food is cooking.
• Keep anything that can catch fire—like potholders, towels, plastic and clothing—away from the stove.
• Keep pets off cooking surfaces and countertops to prevent them from knocking things onto the burner.

Practice fire safety at home

• Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, inside bedrooms and outside sleeping areas.
• Teach children what smoke alarms sound like and what to do when they hear one.
• Once a month check whether each alarm in the home is working properly by pushing the test button.
• Replace batteries in smoke alarms at least once a year. Immediately install a new battery if an alarm chirps, warning the battery is low.
• Smoke alarms should be replaced every 10years. Never disable smoke or carbon monoxide alarms.
• Carbon monoxide alarms are not substitutes for smoke alarms. Know the difference between the sound of smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms.

In case of fire...
Remember to GET OUT, STAY OUT and CALL 9-1-1 or your local emergency phone
number.

• If closed doors or handles are warm, use your second way out. Never open doors that are warm to the touch.
• Crawl low under smoke.
• Go to your outside meeting place and then call for help.
• If smoke, heat or flames block your exit routes, stay in the room with doors closed. Place a wet towel under the door and call the fire department or 9-1-1. Open a window and wave a brightly colored cloth or flashlight to signal for help.

Candles may be pretty to look at but they are a cause of home fires — and home fire deaths. Remember, a candle is an open flame, which means that it can easily ignite anything that can burn.

“CANDLE WITH CARE”

• Blow out all candles when you leave the room or go to bed. Avoid the use of candles in the bedroom and other areas where people may fall asleep.
• Keep candles at least 1 foot (30 centimeters) away from anything that can burn.

If you do burn candles, make sure that you...

• Use candle holders that are sturdy, and won’t tip over easily.
• Put candle holders on a sturdy, uncluttered surface.
• Light candles carefully. Keep your hair and any loose clothing away from the flame.
• Don’t burn a candle all the way down — put it out before it gets too close to the holder or container.
• Never use a candle if oxygen is used in the home.
• Have flashlights and battery-powered lighting ready to use during a power outage. Never use candles.

Often called the invisible killer, carbon monoxide is an invisible, odorless, colorless gas created when fuels (such as gasoline, wood, coal, natural gas, propane, oil, and methane) burn incompletely. In the home, heating and cooking equipment that burn fuel can be sources
of carbon monoxide.

• CO alarms should be installed in a central location outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home and in other locations where required by applicable laws, codes or standards. For the best protection, interconnect all CO alarms throughout the home. When one sounds, they all sound.
• Follow the manufacturer's instructions for placement and mounting height.
• Choose a CO alarm that is listed by a qualified testing laboratory.
• Call the fire department's non-emergency number 408-615-5580 to find out what number to call if the CO alarm sounds.
• Test CO alarms at least once a month; replace them according to the manufacturer's instructions.
• If the audible trouble signal sounds, check for low batteries. If the battery is low, replace it. If it still sounds, call the fire department.
• If the CO alarm sounds, immediately move to a fresh air location outdoors or by an open window or door. Make sure everyone inside the home is accounted for. Call for help from a fresh air location and stay there until emergency personnel declare that it is safe to re-enter the home.
• If you need to warm a vehicle, remove it from the garage immediately after starting it. Do not run a vehicle or other fueled engine or motor indoors, even if garage doors are open. Make sure the exhaust pipe of a running vehicle is not covered with snow.
• During and after a snowstorm, make sure vents for the dryer, furnace, stove, and fireplace are clear of snow build-up.
• A generator should be used in a well-ventilated location outdoors away from windows, doors and vent openings.
• Gas or charcoal grills can produce CO - only use outside.

Have fuel-burning heating equipment and chimneys inspected by a professional every year before cold weather sets in. When using a fireplace, open the flue for adequate ventilation. Never use your oven to heat your home.

A person can be poisoned by a small amount of CO over a longer period of time or by a large amount of CO over a shorter amount of time.

Low level CO poisoning can often be confused with flu symptoms, food poisoning, and other illnesses. Some symptoms include shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, lightheadedness or headaches. When extremely high CO levels are present, confusion, incapacitation and loss of consciousness can occur within minutes.

CO incidents are more common during the colder months. During the period 2006 to 2010 half of CO incidents reported to local fire departments across the U.S. occurred between the months of November and February, peaking in December.

As you deck the halls this holiday season, be fire smart. A small fire that spreads to a Christmas tree can grow large very quickly.

Picking the tree

• Choose a tree with fresh, green needles that do not fall off when touched.

Placing the tree

• Before placing the tree in the stand, cut 2” from the base of the trunk. 
• Make sure the tree is at least three feet away from any heat source, like fireplaces, radiators, candles, heat vents or lights. 
• Make sure the tree is not blocking an exit. 
• Add water to the tree stand. Be sure to add water daily.

Lighting the tree

• Use lights that have the label of a recognized testing laboratory. Some lights are only for indoor or outdoor use. 
• Replace any string of lights with worn or broken cords or loose bulb connections. Read manufacturer’s instructions for number of light strands to connect. 
• Never use lit candles to decorate the tree. 
• Always turn off Christmas tree lights before leaving home or going to bed.

After Christmas
Get rid of the tree after Christmas or when it is dry. Dried-out trees are a fire danger and should not be left in the home or garage, or placed outside against the home.
Check with your local community to find a recycling program.
Bring outdoor electrical lights inside after the holidays to prevent hazards and make them last longer.

Winter storms can happen almost anywhere. They can cause us problems. Know what to do before, during and after a storm. This will help keep you and your family safe from a winter fire.

• Test all smoke alarms. Do this at least once a month. This way you will know they are working. Install carbon monoxide alarms in your home. Test the alarms.
• Plan two ways out of the home in case of an emergency.
• Make sure your house number can be seen from the street. If you need help, firefighters will be able to find you.
• Be ready in case the power goes out. Have flashlights on hand. Also have battery-powered lighting and fresh batteries. Never use candles.
• Stay aware of winter weather. Listen to the television or radio for updates. Watch for bulletins online.
• Check on neighbors. Check on others who may need help.
• Generators should be used outdoors. Keep them away from windows and doors. Do not run a generator inside your garage, even if the door is open.
• Stay away from downed wires. Report any downed wires to authorities.
• Be ready if the heat stops working. Use extra layers of clothes and blankets to stay warm. If you use an emergency heat source, keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet away.
• Turn portable heaters off when you leave the room. Turn them off when you go to bed.

Fireworks are often used to mark special events and holidays. The only safe way to view fireworks is to attend a professional show. With many professional firework shows being canceled this year, it is important to know that fireworks are not safe in the hands of consumers. Fireworks cause thousands of injuries each year.

A few ideas to get into the patriotic spirit, without fireworks:

1. Use glow sticks, they glow in the dark and are a safe alternative to a sparkler. Fun for
   all ages.
2. Loud and proud. Noise makers are sure to make a statement. They can be found at local party supply stores or make your own.
3. Outdoor movie night. Set up a screen and projector. Don’t forget the bug spray!
4. Red, white and blue silly string…fun for all ages.
5. Make a patriotic craft with the family.
6. Throw a birthday party for the USA, and don’t forget the cake.

FACTS

• More than 19,500 reported fires are started by fireworks annually.
• Burns account for 44% of the 9,100 injuries treated in emergency rooms seen in the
  month around July 4.
• Half of the fireworks injuries seen at emergency rooms were extremities: hand, finger, or leg. One-third were to the eye or other parts of the head.
• Children ages 10–14 had the highest rate of fireworks injury, with more than one-third (36%) of the victims of fireworks injuries under age 15.
• Sparklers account for roughly one-quarter of emergency room fireworks injuries.

Halloween is a fun, and spooky, time of year for kids. Make trick-or-treating safe for your little monsters with a few easy safety tips.

• When choosing a costume, stay away from long trailing fabric. If your child is wearing a mask, make sure the eye holes are large enough so he or she can see out.
• Provide children with flashlights to carry for lighting or glow sticks as part of their costume.
• Dried flowers, cornstalks and crepe paper catch fire easily. Keep all decorations away from open flames and other heat sources like light bulbs and heaters.
• Use a battery-operated candle or glow-stick in jack-o-lanterns. If you use a real candle, use extreme caution. Make sure children are watched at all times when candles are lit. When lighting candles inside jack-o-lanterns, use long, fireplace-style matches or a utility lighter. Be sure to place lit pumpkins well away from anything that can burn and far enough out of the way of trick-or-treaters, doorsteps, walkways and yards.
• Remember to keep exits clear of decorations, so nothing blocks escape routes.
• Make sure all smoke alarms in the home are working.
• Tell children to stay away from open flames including jack-o-lanterns with candles in them. Be sure they know how to stop, drop and roll if their clothing catches fire. (Have them practice, stopping immediately, dropping to the ground, covering their face with hands, and rolling over and over to put the flames out.)

Follow these heating tips to help maintain a fire-safe home this winter.

Space Heater

• Keep anything that can burn, such as bedding, clothing and curtains, at least 3 feet away from the heater.
• Make sure the heater has an automatic shut-off, so if it tips over, it shuts off.
• Turn heaters off when you go to bed or leave the room.
• Plug portable heaters directly into outlets and never into an extension cord or power strip.
• Only use portable heaters from a recognized testing laboratory.

Fireplace

• Keep a glass or metal screen in front of the fireplace to prevent embers or sparks jumping out.
• Do not burn paper in your fireplace.
• Put the fire out before you go to sleep or leave your home.
• Put ashes in a metal container with a lid, outside, at least 3 feet from your home.

Wood Stove

• Make sure your wood stove is 3 feet from anything that can burn.
• Do not burn paper in your wood stove.
• Put the fire out before you go to sleep or leave your home.
• Have your chimney inspected and cleaned each year by a professional.

Furnace

• Have your furnace inspected each year.
• Keep anything that can burn away from the furnace.

Kerosene Heater

• Only use kerosene heaters from a recognized testing laboratory.
• Make sure the heater has an automatic shut-off, so if it tips over, it shuts off.
• Refuel your cooled heater outside.

Did you know?
Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires.
When you fry foods, you increase the risk of a cooking fire.

Keep in mind the potential dangers of deep frying a turkey:

• Turkey fryers can easily tip over spilling hot oil across a large area. Use your turkey
  fryer only outdoors on a sturdy, level surface well away from things that can burn.
  Make sure to have a "3-foot kid- and pet-free zone" around your turkey fryer to
  protect against burn injuries.
• An overfilled cooking pot will cause oil to spill over when the turkey is placed inside. Determine the correct amount of oil needed by first placing the turkey in the pot with water.
• A partially frozen turkey will cause hot oil to splatter. Make sure your turkey is completely thawed before you fry it.
• Turkey fryers can easily overheat and start a fire. Check the temperature often with a cooking thermometer so the oil won't overheat.
• The pot, lid and handles of a turkey fryer can get dangerously hot and cause burn injuries. Use long cooking gloves that protect hands and arms when you handle these items.

Smoke alarms are a key part of a home fire escape plan. When there is a fire, smoke spreads fast. Working smoke alarms give you early warning so you can get outside quickly.

Safety Tips

• Install smoke alarms in every bedroom. They should also be outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home. Install alarms in the basement.
• Large homes may need extra smoke alarms.
• It is best to use interconnected smoke alarms. When one smoke alarm sounds, they all sound.
• Test all smoke alarms at least once a month. Press the test button to be sure the alarm is working.
• Current alarms on the market employ different types of technology including multi-sensing, which could include smoke and carbon monoxide combined.
• Today’s smoke alarms will be more technologically advanced to respond to a multitude of fire conditions yet mitigate false alarms.
• A smoke alarm should be on the ceiling or high on a wall. Keep smoke alarms away from the kitchen to reduce false alarms. They should be at least 10 feet (3 meters) from the stove.
• People who are hard-of-hearing or deaf can use special alarms. These alarms have strobe lights and bed shakers.
• Replace all smoke alarms when they are 10 years old.

FACTS

• A closed door may slow the spread of smoke, heat, and fire.
• Smoke alarms should be installed inside every sleeping room, outside each separate sleeping area, and on every level. Smoke alarms should be connected so when one
  sounds, they all sound. Most homes do not have this level of protection.
• Roughly 3 out of 5 fire deaths happen in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.

The kitchen is the heart of the home, especially at Thanksgiving. Kids love to be involved in holiday preparations. Safety in the kitchen is important, especially on Thanksgiving Day when there is a lot of activity and people at home.

• Stay in the kitchen when you are cooking on the stovetop so you can keep an eye on the food.
• Stay in the home when cooking your turkey and check on it frequently.
• Keep children away from the stove. The stove will be hot and kids should stay 3 feet away.
• Make sure kids stay away from hot food and liquids. The steam or splash from vegetables, gravy or coffee could cause serious burns.
• Keep the floor clear so you don’t trip over kids, toys, pocketbooks or bags.
• Keep knives out of the reach of children.
• Be sure electric cords from an electric knife, coffee maker, plate warmer or mixer are not dangling off the counter within easy reach of a child.
• Keep matches and utility lighters out of the reach of children — up high in a locked cabinet.
• Never leave children alone in room with a lit candle.
• Make sure your smoke alarms are working. Test them by pushing the test button.

Did you know?

Thanksgiving is the leading day of the year for home fires involving cooking equipment.

Have activities that keep kids out of the kitchen during this busy time. Games, puzzles or books can keep them busy. Kids can get involved in Thanksgiving preparations with recipes that can be done outside the kitchen.

Winter holidays are a time for families and friends to get together. But that also means a greater risk for fire. Following a few simple tips will ensure a happy and fire-safe holiday season.

Holiday Decorating

• Be careful with holiday decorations. Choose decorations that are flame resistant or flame retardant.
• Keep lit candles away from decorations and other things that can burn.
• Some lights are only for indoor or outdoor use, but not both.
• Replace any string of lights with worn or broken cords or loose bulb connections. Read manufacturer’s instructions for number of light strands to connect.
• Use clips, not nails, to hang lights so the cords do not get damaged.
• Keep decorations away from windows and doors.

Holiday Entertaining

• Test your smoke alarms and tell guests about your home fire escape plan.
• Keep children and pets away from lit candles.
• Keep matches and lighters up high in a locked cabinet.
• Stay in the kitchen when cooking on the stovetop.
• Ask smokers to smoke outside. Remind smokers to keep their smoking materials with them so young children do not touch them.
• Provide large, deep ashtrays for smokers. Wet cigarette butts with water before discarding.