October 4-10th is Fire Prevention Week, a time to focus on burn awareness and prevention. Keep your family and home safe from the leading causes of home fires.
Here are some tips to prevent fires in your home:
- Make sure your furnace or chimney is checked every year.
- Check to see if you smoke detector is working properly once a month.
- When you change your clocks, change the batteries in your smoke detector.
- Make sure all electrical cords are in good condition.
- Plug appliances and lights into separate outlets.
- Put portable space heaters at least 3 feet away from anything that can catch fire and never leave them on when there is no adult supervision.
- Develop a home escape plan – get instructions here.
- Never leave food cooking on the stove unattended, especially if you have children.
- Keep your clothes dryer vent and filter free of lint.
In 2007, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), there were 399,000 house fires and 2,865 deaths reported in the United States. Most of these fires and injuries can be prevented by taking basic safety precautions and practicing a family escape plan. So when you go home, review this information with your family to stay fire smart and to not get burned.
For more fire safety checklists and interactive games, visit NFPA!
To learn more about how to prevent burns and fires, call your local AARBF office and speak with a burn prevention coordinator.
