FIRE SAFETY TIPS

Don't be one of the 6,000 Americans that
die in fires every year!

Don't become a statistic on this site!

    Statistics show that, on average during our lifetime, each of us can expect to be involved in two or three fires serious enough to call the fire department. Whether your fires occur at home, in a hospital, or a hotel, the same principles for survival apply.

Remember, in the event you are ever in a fire
STAY CALM - DON'T PANIC!
With advance planning and precaution, you will survive.

Planning ahead is vital

    People who have planned in advance what to do in a fire emergency and have the determination to survive are most likely to do so. Those who deny the danger, feeling that fire will never happen to them, are most apt to succumb.

    If you leave something cooking on the stove, when someone calls, "Come look at this!" (or when the phone rings), you may find the kitchen engulfed in flames before you return.

    If you smell gas and decide to turn off the lights to prevent an explosion, you may have just blown yourself up anyway. Unfortunately, not only is there a spark when a light is turned on, but also when the circuit is broken by turning it off!
Remember, if you smell gas, GET out!

Children and Fire

    Every year, hundreds of children in the United States die in residential fires started by children who were using or playing with matches or lighters. If your child expresses curiosity about fire, or has been playing with matches or lighters, it's best to explain firmly that matches and lighters are tools for adults to use carefully. Find safe ways to let your child participate in your careful use of fire. Let them blow out candles or put charcoal on the grill before you light it. As children grow older they can learn how to use matches and lighters safely, but only under adult supervision. Until that time, however, KEEP MATCHES AND LIGHTERS AWAY FROM CHILDREN!

    Treat matches and lighters as you would a dangerous weapon. Store them up high, out of children's reach, preferably in a locked cabinet. Teach very young children that if they see matches or lighters they should not touch them, but should tell an adult about them and where they are. School-age children, on the other hand, should be taught to bring matches or lighters to an adult so they can be removed from younger children.

Smoking

    Every year, careless smoking starts about 35,000 home fires. Those fires cause more than 1,200 deaths and lead to hundreds of millions of dollars in property loss. Cigarettes can smolder under the cushions of a chair or sofa for several hours before igniting. That's long enough for the whole family to fall asleep before the fire shows itself. Before leaving a room where people have been smoking, check in and around furniture for hot embers, ashes, butts and matches.
                To reduce the risk of cigarettes starting a fire, have plenty of large, deep ashtrays on hand and empty them often. Fill them with water before dumping cigarette butts into wastebaskets. A lit cigarette left in an ashtray is a fire hazard. It can ignite butts and matchsticks, and, as it burns down, it can easily roll out of the ashtray and cause a fire. WASTEBASKETS ARE NOT ASHTRAYS!
                Never smoke in bed or when you are drowsy. Keep an eye on any smoker who is taking medication that might cause drowsiness. Especially watch anyone who is smoking and drinking.

REMEMBER:
A smoke detector with "NO" battery
does you absolutely "NO" good!
More on Smoke Detectors

Working Smoke Detectors Save Lives!

Other SAFETY tips:

1. Install Fire Protection - Smoke alarms are your best early warning system in the event of fire. Install smoke alarms 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 alarms every month and replace batteries once a year, or whenever an alarm "chirps" to signal low battery power. Never "borrow" a smoke alarm's battery for another use - a disabled alarm can't save your life. Replace all alarms that are more than 10 years old. For complete home protection, consider installing an automatic fire sprinkler system.
   
2. Plan Your Escape From Fire - If a fire occurs in your home, you have to get out fast. Sit down with your family and work out an escape plan in advance. Be sure that everyone knows at least two unobstructed exits, including windows, from every room. (If you live in an apartment building, use the stairs, not the elevator, to escape from fire). 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 fatal. Provide smokers with large, deep, non-tip ashtrays, and soak butts with water before discarding them. Before going to sleep or leaving home after someone has been smoking, check under cushions and around upholstered furniture for smoldering cigarettes.
   
4. Remember, Matches and Lighters are tools for Adults Only - Use only child-resistant lighters and store all matches and lighters up high, where kids can't see or reach them, preferably in a locked cabinet. Teach children that matches and lighters are tools for grown-ups only. Teach young children to tell a grown-up if they find matches or lighters; older children should bring matches and lighters to an adult immediately.
   
5. Cook Safely - Always stay near cooking to monitor it closely. 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 range. If grease catches fire in a pan, slide a lid over the pan to smother the flames and turn off the heat source. Leave the lid on until the pan is completely cool.
   
6. Give Space Heaters Space - Keep portable heaters and space heaters at least three feet (one meter) away from anything that can burn. Keep children and pets away from heaters, and turn them off when you leave home or go to sleep.
   
7. Use Electricity Safely - If an electric 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. Plug only one electrical cord into each receptacle. Avoid running any cords under rugs, extension cords or run them under rugs. Don't tamper with your fuse box or use improper size fuses.
   
8. Cool a Burn - Run cool water over a burn for 10 to 15 minutes. Never apply ice. Never put butter or any other grease on a burn. If the burned skin blisters or is charred, see a doctor immediately.
   
9. Crawl Low Under Smoke - If you encounter smoke while you are escaping from a fire, use an alternative escape route. If you must escape through smoke, crawl on your hands and knees, keeping your head 12 to 24 inches (30 to 60 centimeters) above the floor, where the air will be cleaner.
   
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. Cool the burn with water and call for help.

Working Smoke Detectors Save Lives!

If you would like further information, please contact the Bainbridge Township Fire Department.

    This site is provided by the Bainbridge Township Fire Department for the community that we faithfully serve.
Please contact Asst. Chief Bill Lovell with any bugs, comments or suggestions for improvement so that we can make this site more beneficial. 

            Last Revision:     11/05/04