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Home Fire Safety
FA-354
|
August 2020
Fire is fast!
In less than 30 seconds a small ame can turn into
a major re.
Here are some important ways to keep your home safe from re.
Smoke alarms
Working smoke alarms give you early warning if there is a re.
( Put smoke alarms on every level of your home.
(
Place smoke alarms inside and outside of all the sleeping areas.
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Make sure all of your smoke alarms work. Test them eachmonth.
( Replace smoke alarms that are 10 years old or older.
In the kitchen
Cooking is the number one cause of home res.
(
Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, broiling or
boiling food.
( If you leave the kitchen, turn the burner o.
( Keep things that can burn away from your cooking area.
(
Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove so they won’t
get bumped.
Unfold to learn about home fire escape planning
and use the grid to create your own home fire
escape plan.
Home heating
Heating is the second leading cause of home res.
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Keep anything that can burn at least three feet away from
replaces, wood stoves, space heaters and radiators.
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When you leave a room or go to bed, turn heaters o or
unplug them.
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Plug space heaters directly into the outlet and never use an
extension cord or power strip.
( Make sure your heater has an automatic shut-o switch that
turns it o if it tips over.
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Have your furnace, chimney and chimney connector inspected
by a professional each winter. Make repairs before cool weather
sets in.
Install carbon monoxide (CO) alarms and
test them every month.
Smokers
If you smoke in your home, you’re at higher risk to have a re.
No Smoking
You can prevent a re by asking all smokers to:
( Always smoke outside.
( Use deep, sturdy ashtrays.
( Put cigarettes all the way out. Do this every time.
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Put water on cigarette butts before throwing them in the trash.
( Smoke only when alert. Never smoke in bed or if drowsy.
Young children and older adults
If you have young children or older adults living in your home,
they may need your help to stay safe.
Apartment
5B
Call 911
Feel
Teach
Children under four years old are at higher risk of home re injury
and death than other children.
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Keep children at least three feet away from anything that gets
hot, including heaters, the stove and candles.
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Lock cigarette lighters and matches up high, out of a child’s
sight and reach.
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Teach your children how to escape on their own in case you
cannot help them.
Our risk of being injured in a re increases with age.
( Know two ways out of each room. Keep these exits clear.
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Make sure everyone is able to hear the sound of the smoke
alarm and knows how to get outside if it sounds.
( Older adults may need your help escaping. Plan for this.
(
Keep wheelchair, eyeglasses, hearing aids and a telephone
next to the bed.
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If needed, install smoke alarms and alert devices for people
who are deaf or hard of hearing.
www.usfa.fema.gov
FA-354
|
August 2020
Escape plan
Make a plan. Talk to your family about what to do if there is a re.
Practice
2 Exits
Escape Plan
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( Know two ways out of every room.
( Have a meeting place outside your home.
( Know how to call 911 from outside to report a re.
(
Practice your escape plan with everyone who lives in your
home at least twice a year.
How to make a home re escape plan:
ĵ
Draw a map or oor plan of your home. Show all windows
and doors.
ĵ Mark two ways out of each room.
ĵ
Choose a meeting place outside in front of your home.
Draw a picture of your outside meeting place on your
escape plan.
ĵ
Write the emergency telephone number for the fire
department on your escape plan.
ĵ Practice your plan at least two times a year.
Example
Outside
meeting
place
Fire department number:
Our Home Fire Escape Plan