Fire Education/Prevention

Information Obtained Through The NFPA Fire ED Website

Smoke alarms

Fire deaths – no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms

  • Sixty-five percent of home fire deaths result from fires in homes with no working smoke alarms.
Installation
  • Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement. Interconnect all smoke alarms throughout the home. When one sounds, they all sound.
  • An ionization smoke alarm is generally more responsive to flaming fires and a photoelectric smoke alarm is generally more responsive to smoldering fires. Both types of alarms have improved home fire safety.
  • Choose a smoke alarm that has the label of a recognized testing laboratory.

Testing

  • Test smoke alarms at least once a month using the test button.
  • Make sure everyone in your home knows the sound of the smoke alarm.

Deaf or hard of hearing

  • Smoke alarms are available for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. These alarms use strobe lights. Vibration equipment (to shake the bed to wake the person) can be added to these alarms.

Voice alarms

  • Smoke alarms that include a recordable voice announcement in addition to the usual alarm sound may be helpful in waking children with the use of a familiar voice.

Sleeping with bedroom door open or closed

  • Make sure everyone can hear the sound of the smoke alarms and knows what your smoke alarms sound like. If you sleep with bedroom doors closed, have interconnected smoke alarms installed in bedrooms. 

Battery replacement

  • Replace batteries in all smoke alarms at least once a year. If an alarm “chirps,” warning the battery is low, replace the battery right away.

Smoke alarm replacement

  • Replace all smoke alarms, including alarms that use 10-year batteries and hard-wired alarms when they are 10 years old or sooner if they do not respond properly when tested.

Disposal of smoke alarms

Carbon Monoxide

Dangers of Carbon Monoxide

Installation

  1. Install CO alarms inside your home to provide early warning of carbon monoxide.
  2. CO alarms should be installed in a central location outside each separate 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.
  3. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for placement and mounting height.
  4. Combination smoke and CO alarms must be installed in accordance with requirements for smoke alarms.
  5. Choose a CO alarm that has the label of a recognized testing laboratory.
  6. Call your local fire department’s non-emergency number to find out what number to call if the CO alarm sounds. Post that number by your telephone(s). Make sure everyone in the household knows the different between the fire emergency and CO emergency numbers (if there is a difference).

Testing and Replacement

  • Test CO alarms at least once a month and replace CO alarms 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.
  • CO alarms are not substitutes for smoke alarms. Know the difference between the sound of smoke alarms and CO alarms.

Carbon Monoxide Precautions – Inside the home

  • Have fuel-burning heating equipment (fireplaces, furnaces, water heaters, wood and coal stoves, space or portable heaters) 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.
  • When buying an existing home, have a qualified technician evaluate the integrity of the heating and cooking systems, as well as the sealed spaces between the garage and house.
  • When purchasing new heating and cooking equipment, select products tested and labeled by a recognized testing laboratory.

Carbon Monoxide Precautions – Outside 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.
  • Only use barbecue grills – which can produce CO – outside. Never use them in the home, garage or near building openings.
  • Remember to use battery-powered lights in tents, trailers and motor homes and motor boats.

Generators

  • Operate generators in well-ventilated locations outdoors away from all doors, windows and vents and other building openings so that the exhaust fumes cannot enter the home.
  • Install battery-operated CO alarms or plug-in CO alarms with a battery back-up in the home according to the manufacturer’s installation instructions.

If your 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. Remain at a fresh air location until emergency personnel arrives to assist you.

Home Fire Escape Planning

Planning

  • Make a home escape plan. You may want to draw a floor plan of each level of the home. Discuss it with all members of your household.
  • Have a plan for anyone who may need assistance in your home, such as young children, older adults and people with disabilities.
  • Practice the plan at night and during the day with everyone in your home twice a year.
  • Know at least two ways out of every room, if possible. Make sure all doors and windows that lead outside open easily.
  • Windows with security bars, grills, and window guards should have emergency release devices.
  • Make sure everyone in your home knows how to call 9-1-1 or your local emergency number from a cell phone or a neighbor’s phone.
  • Make sure everyone in the home knows how to respond to the sound of the smoke alarm.
  • Have a meeting place (something permanent like a tree, light pole or mailbox) a safe distance from the home where everyone should meet.
  • Make sure your house number can be seen from the street.  

Practice the plan

  • Push the smoke alarm button to start the drill.
  • Get out fast.
  • Practice using different ways out.
  • Close doors behind you as you leave.
  • Go to your outside meeting place. Get out and stay out. Never go back inside for people or pets.

Making a safe escape

Smoke

  • When the smoke alarm sounds, you may have only seconds or minutes to escape safely.
  • If there is smoke blocking your door or first way out, use your second way out.
  • Smoke is toxic. If you must escape through smoke, get low and go under the smoke to your way out.
  • If you can’t get out, close the door to keep smoke out, call for help, and signal for help at the window. Stay below the smoke level.

Feel the door procedure

  • Before opening a door, feel the doorknob and door. If it’s hot, use your second way out.

Use of escape ladders

  • Consider getting escape ladders listed by a recognized testing laboratory for escaping from the second and third floors. Make sure the escape ladder fits the window. Use only if all other exits are blocked. To prevent injury from a fall, only use the ladder in a real emergency.

Assistance to others during escape

  • Teach your children how to escape on their own in case you cannot help them.
  • Have a plan for everyone in your home who has a disability.
  • Practice the plan with overnight guests.
  • Some children and adults may not awaken to the sound of the smoke alarm. They may need help to wake up and escape.
  • If you can’t get to someone needing assistance, leave the home and call the fire department. Tell the fire department where the person is located.

Pets

  • If pets are trapped inside your home, inform firefighters right away.

Smoking

  • To prevent a deadly cigarette fire, you have to be alert. You won’t be alert if you are sleepy, have taken medicine or drugs, or consumed alcohol that makes you drowsy.
  • If you smoke, smoke outside.
  • Never smoke in bed.
  • Never smoke where oxygen is used.
  • Wherever you smoke, use deep, sturdy ashtrays.
  • Before you throw out butts and ashes, make sure they are out. Put them out in water or sand.
  • Before going to bed, check under furniture cushions and in other places people smoke for cigarette butts that may have fallen out of sight.

Hotel/Motel

  • Choose a hotel that’s protected by both smoke alarms and fire sprinklers.
  • When you check in, ask the desk clerk what the fire alarm sounds like.
  • Read the escape plan posted in your room.
  • Count the number of doors between your room and the nearest two fire exits. Open the exit doors to be sure they’re unlocked.
  • Keep you room key by your bed and take it with you if there’s a fire. If you cannot escape, you may have to return to your room.
  • If you hear an alarm, leave immediately, closing all doors behind you.
  • Use the stairs – never use elevators during a fire.
  • If you must escape through smoke, get low and go under the smoke to your exit.
  • If all escape routes are blocked, return to your room. Shut off fans and air conditioners. Stuff wet towels or bedding in the crack around the doors and vents. Call the fire department to let them know your location. Wait at a window and signal for help with a flashlight or light-colored cloth.
  • Bring a flashlight; keep it near your bed