Self Inspection
Inspect for fire hazards and make changes.
- Space Heater:
- Is it kept at safe distance from anything that burns?
- Is it shut off when you leave or go to bed?
- If kerosene is permitted, are you using right grade of fuel?
- Wiring:
- Are cords worn or exposed to damage?
- Is your house overloaded, too many appliances plugged in?
- Is your house overloaded, appliance too large for capacity of circuit or extension cord?
- Smoking:
- Look for danger signs, burn marks on furniture.
- Pile-up in ashtray?
- Smoking in bed or if sleepy?
- Are matches – lighters out of sight of small children?
- Cooking:
- Are you always watching what is cooking?
- Are small appliances unplugged?
- Are things kept off or away from stove?
- Clean Up:
- Is old storage or trash piled up? (Don’t give fire a place to start)
- Gasoline:
- Are you watching for explosive vapors?
- Is it used for fuel only?
- Is it stored in approved safety can?
- Never brought indoors. Ever?
- Heating System:
- Do you have your chimney and service furnace inspected each year?
- Are all combustibles kept well away?
- Smoke Detector:
- Are they located at each floor level?
- In each sleeping area?
- Fresh batteries?
- Tested weekly?
- Batteries replaced annually?
- Fire Escape Plan:
- Planned 2 exits from each bedroom (if fire blocks one)?
- Bedroom doors kept closed?
- Little children need to know what to do� Do you have fire drills?
Fire Extinguishers
If you get there with a fire extinguisher right off you can put it out in seconds. But, you’ve got to know how and be ready to act. FAST! To extinguish a fire – YOU TAKE AWAY ANY ONE SIDE of the fire.
To Operate:
Think “PASS”
P – pull locking pin
A – aim nozzle
S – squeeze handle
S – sweep
Types:
Water- Cools/Soaks
- Class A is for ordinary combustible fires
- Not flammable liquids or electrical fires
Dry Chemical- Smothering
- Class BC is for regular type for flammable liquids, electrical-not ordinary combustibles
- Class ABC is a multi purpose type for ordinary combustibles, flammable liquids and electrical fires
Carbon Dioxide CO2- Smothers
- Class BC for flammable liquids, electrical not ordinary combustibles
What’s Burning?
- Ordinary Combustibles – Class A
- Flammable Liquids – Class B
- Live Electrical – Class C
Even if you put out a fire make sure to call the fire department. The fire department checks for hot spots to prevent rekindle.
Prevent Cooking Fires
Cooking, especially when it involves grease, is one of the leading causes of fire in the home. And while kitchen fires seldom kill people, they injure thousands and cause property damage in hundreds of millions of dollars each year.
- Pay attention to your cooking. Don’t overheat grease. Watch for grease overflows that can start fires. If you have to leave the stove to answer the phone or doorbell, turn down the heat. If you’ll be gone more than a few minutes, turn it off.
- If your children help cook, make them aware of cooking hazards. Turn skillet and hot handles toward the center of the stove to prevent accidental overturning.
- Don’t leave towels or napkins on or near the stove. Don’t wear rilly garments – especially those with loose, floppy sleeves – while cooking.
- Keep a Class ABC fire extinguisher in or near the kitchen. (An ABC rating indicates the fire extinguisher can be used on fires involving grease, paper towels, electrical appliances, and other materials commonly found in the kitchen.)
- If the grease fire is small, you may be able to stop it with a handful of baking soda (bicarbonate of soda). But don’t use baking powder, which contains flour or starch and could spread the fire. And never use water on a grease fire; it also increases the chance of this type of fire getting out of hand.
- Always have the pot lid handy to smother a small grease fire.
- Don’t try to move or carry a pan in which there is a grease fire. Even though moving the pan is a common reaction when a grease fire is discovered, it often results in burns to the carrier and additional fire damage.
- If a fire is large and growing, don’t try to fight it – call the fire department!