Fire & Safety Tips

Big Fires Start Small

Many people have been severely burned by trying to fight a fire without an extinguisher. Having an extinguisher nearby and knowing how to use it gives you a safe option and a fighting chance to keep a small fire from becoming one that destroys your home.

Don't Forget to Call!

Send someone to call the fire department immediately, even if you have put the fire out. Your firefighters can check to make sure the fire hasn't spread into the attic or other parts of your home. They can also clear the smoke from your home and identify the cause of the fire for you.

Know When to Quit

Fires grow quickly and can flashover to engulf an entire room without warning. Extinguishers are meant for small fires. If you're not immediately successful in extinguishing the fire, get out and stay out.

Purchasing Fire Extinguishers

There are many types of fire extinguishers. A good extinguisher for the home is a multipurpose dry chemical extinguisher containing Monoammonium Phosphate and having a 2-A:10-B:C classification.

Fire Extinguisher Placement

Locate your fire extinguishers where they can be seen, near paths of egress and away from areas that are likely to cause fire such as cooking and heating appliances. Mount your fire extinguishers on wall brackets no more than five feet above the floor. Keep travel distances to extinguishers under 75 feet, more than one extinguisher may be necessary.

Using Your Extinguisher, The P.A.S.S. Method

• P is for PULL, pull the safety pin from the extinguisher handle. The safety pin prevents accidental discharge and should be kept in place when the extinguisher is in storage.
• A is for AIM, aim the extinguisher hose at the base of the flames. Stand back from the fire a distance of 8 feet. Approaching closer puts you in danger and could increase the size of a grease or flammable liquid fire.
• S is for SQUEEZE, squeeze or press the handle of the extinguisher.
• S is for SWEEP, sweep the extinguisher hose from side to side at the base of the flames until the fire goes out.

Click here to learn more about how to use a fire extinguisher. (Interactive)

After The Fire Is Out

It is best to leave the building and wait for the fire department to arrive. Both the smoke from the fire and the extinguishing agent can be irritating to breathe.

Inspection

Inspect your extinguishers regularly. Check that the pressure gauge shows a full charge and check that the safety pin is secured in place. Make these checks a part of your home fire safety inspection.

For more information on Fire Extinguishers - Visit the National Fire Protection Association Webpage.

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Exit Drills In The Home — Get Out Alive!

Death By Fire

Every year thousands of people in the United States die in home fires. Many could survive with early warning and a fast "Get Out, Stay Out" plan. Most fatal home fires occur at night while people are sleeping.

Plan Your Escape

Imagine waking up at 3:00 a.m. to a strange, high-pitched noise. Ten seconds pass before you realize that the noise is your smoke detector alarming. This is not the time to make an escape plan. Make your escape plan today. An escape plan should include two ways out for everyone. Windows and doors are both good exits. If you live in a two-story house, have a safe way to reach the ground. Fire escape ladders can be bought in many stores.

Safe Meeting Place

Have a meeting place outside for everyone to go after leaving the house. Count heads and make sure everyone is there. If someone is missing, tell firefighters when they arrive. Their first priority is protecting lives -- they will search for missing people upon arrival.

Practice Your Plan

Practice your escape plan at least two times each year. Everyone in the family should take part in the "fire drill." Pretend your first way out is blocked by fire, and practice using your secondary exit. Practice in the dark and time your drills.

Crawl Low Under Smoke

During a fire, stay close to the floor. The air at the floor is cleanest and coolest in a fire building. The air above contains deadly smoke, and super-heated fire gases will quickly cause death. Crawl on your hands and knees or on your belly if necessary.

Check That Door For Heat!

Check if a door is hot before opening it. Touch it with the back of your hand. Touch the door, then the doorknob, and then around the crack. If you feel heat, go to another exit to escape. If it's cool, open the door carefully and follow your escape plan.

If You Become Trapped

If you are trapped by flames, close all doors between you and the fire. Stuff the cracks around the door with paper or rags or a rug. Wait near a window. Signal for help with a flashlight or light color cloth. If there is a phone in the room, call 9-1-1 and tell the fire department where you are.

Security Bars & Elevators

If your house has security bars on the windows, be sure everyone in the family knows how to unlock them. If you live in an apartment building, know where all stairways are. Don't plan to use the elevators -- they can fill with smoke, stop between floors, or stop on a floor where there is fire.

No Time To Waste!

If your home is on fire, get out right away. Don't stop to rescue pets or save things. They can be replaced. Follow your escape plan to the safe meeting place and then call 9-1-1 from a neighbor's house.

Double Your Chance For Survival

Most fire deaths occur during the sleeping hours when smoke and fire gases can quickly cause unconsciousness and death. A working smoke detector gives you the chance to wake up and use your escape plan.

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• Low Cost Home Retrofit Checklist
• Wildfire Home Retrofit Guide
• The combustibility of Landscape Mulches

More guides coming soon!