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FIGHT FIRE WITH FACTS Each day, an average of three kids die in home fires - 1,100 children each year. About 3,600 children are injured in house fires each year. 90 percent of child fire deaths occur in homes without working smoke detectors. Although smoke detectors are in 92 percent of American homes, nearly one-third don't work because of old or missing batteries. A working smoke detector reduces the risk of dying in a home fire by nearly half. More than 4,000 Americans die each year in fires and more than 25,000 are injured. Many of them might be alive today if they had only the information they needed to avoid a disaster. Eighty percent of all fire deaths occur in the home. Check your home for safety with the Home Fire Safety Check List and the Home Fire Safety Questionnaire. WINTER FIRES Electrical fires are a special concern during the winter months which call for more indoor activities and increases in lighting, heating and appliance use. Deaths caused by winter fires are particularly avoidable. LIFESAVING TIPS 1. Make sure your space heaters have an emergency shut off in case they tip over. ONLY use the fuel recommended by the manufacturer. Never refill a space heater while it is operating or still hot. Refuel outside, away from the house. 2. Make sure wood stoves are properly installed, away from combustable surfaces, have the proper floor support and adequate ventilation. Never use flammable liquids (such as gasoline) to start or accelerate fire. 3. Have your furnace and chimney professionally inspected annually and cleaned if necessary. Chimney tar build-up is a common cause of chimney fires. 4. Use a glass or metal screen in front of your fireplace to prevent sparks from igniting nearby carpets or furniture. 5. Never thaw frozen pipes with a blow torch or other open flame. Use hot water or a UL listed device such as a hand held dryer. 6. Dispose of hot ashes in metal containers placed away from the house. 7. Don't use the oven to heat your home. In addition to being a fire hazard, it can be a source of toxic fumes. 8. If there is a fire hydrant near your home, keep it clear of snow for easy access. 9. Install a smoke alarm on every level of your home. Test the batteries every month and change them at least once a year. CHILDREN & FIRE Each day, an average of three kids die in home fires - 1,100 children each year. About 3,600 children are injured in house fires each year. 90 percent of child fire deaths occur in homes without working smoke detectors. Each year about 300 people are killed and $280 million in property is destroyed in fires attributed to children playing with fire. Deaths due to children playing with fire are particularly avoidable. Having a working smoke alarm nearly doubles one's chances of surviving a fire. LIFESAVING TIPS 1. Keep matches, lighters and other ignitables in a secured drawer or cabinet out of the reach of children. 2. Have your children tell you when they find matches and lighters. 3. Always dress children in pajamas that meet federal flammability standards. Avoid dressing children for sleep in loose-fitting 100 percent cotton garments, such as oversized T-shirts. 4. Teach children not to hide from firefighters, but to get out quickly and call for help from another location. 5. Show children how to crawl low on the floor, below the smoke, to get out of the house and stay out. 6. Teach children a signal to alert the rest of the family to get out if they hear a smoke alarm. 7. Demonstrate how to stop, drop to the ground, and roll if clothes catch fire. 8. Develop a home fire escape plan and designate a meeting place outside. 9. Familiarize children with the sound of your smoke alarm. 10. Help your children test every smoke alarm each month and replace its batteries at least once a year. 11. Replace mattresses made prior to the 1973 Federal Mattress Flammability Standard. 12. Check under beds and in closets for burnt matches, evidence your child may be playing with fire. SENIORS & FIRE Americans over the age of 65 are one of the groups at highest risk of dying in a fire. Every year over 1,200 Americans over the age of 65 die in fires. People over the age of 69 die in fires at a rate three times higher than the rest of the population. Having a working smoke alarm nearly doubles one's chances of surviving a fire. LIFESAVING TIPS 2. Remember not to leave food unattended on the stove. 3. Don't use the oven to heat your home. In addition to being a fire hazard, it can be a source of toxic fumes. 4. Double-check the kitchen to be sure the oven and all appliances are turned off before going to bed. 5. Don't wear loose clothes or have curtains hanging near a hot stove. 6. Never smoke in bed. Replace mattresses made prior to the 1973 Federal Mattress Flammability Standard. 7. Keep flammable materials at least three feet away from your heater. 8. Don't overload electrical outlets with several appliances. 9. In case of a fire stay low to the ground beneath the smoke, and have an escape plan already worked out. 10. Install a smoke alarm on every level of your home. Check the batteries every month and change them at least once a year. SMOKE
ALARMS Nearly half the residential fires and three-fifths of residential fatalities occur at homes with no smoke alarms. LIFESAVING TIPS 2. Check smoke alarms monthly by pushing the test buttons. If you cannot reach the button easily use a broom handle. 3. Change the batteries in your alarms twice a year -- when you change your clocks for Daylight Savings Time. 4. Teach children what the smoke alarm sounds like and what to do when they hear it. 5. If cooking smoke sets off the alarm, do no disable it. Turn on the range fan, open a window or wave a towel near the alarm. 6. Do not remove the batteries to put in other appliances such as personal stereos or games. 7. Smoke alarms wear out over time. Replace yours if it is 10 years old or more. 8. Consider buying a lithium
battery-powered smoke alarm which will operate for 10
years and is sealed so it cannot be tampered with or opened. Deaths due to not being able to escape a fire are particularly avoidable. LIFESAVING TIPS 1. Make sure everyone in your family knows two routes to escape from bedrooms. 2. Buy a collapsible ladder for escape from upper story windows. 3. Keep the fire department's number by the phone. 4. Have a flashlight by your bed, to help you see and a whistle to alert your family. 5. Practice feeling your way out of the house with your eyes closed. 6. Never open doors that are hot to the touch. 7. Teach your family to stop, drop to the ground and roll if their clothes catch fire. 8. Designate a meeting place outside and take attendance. 9. Remember to escape first, then notify the fire department. 10. Install a smoke alarm on every level of your home. Test the batteries every month and change them at least once a year. COOKING
FIRES Deaths due to fire caused by cooking are particularly avoidable. LIFESAVING TIPS 1. Never leave anything cooking unattended. A serious fire can start in just seconds. 2. Always wear short, tight- fitting sleeves when cooking. 3. Turn pot handles inward to avoid spills. Always use a potholder when reaching for handles. 4. Keep towels, pot holders and curtains away from flames and hot surfaces. 5. Clean cooking surfaces and curtains to prevent grease buildup which can ignite. 6. If a fire breaks out while cooking, put a lid on the pan to smother it. You may also use baking soda. Never throw water on a grease fire. 7. Heat oil gradually to avoid burns from spattering grease. Use extra caution when preparing deep-fried foods. 8. Place a rubber mat on the floor in front of your stove to give you added traction in case liquids or grease spill. 9. Never use the range or oven to heat your home. In addition to being a fire hazard, toxic fumes may leak into your home. 10. Double-check the kitchen before you go to bed or leave the house. Make sure all other appliances are turned off. 11. Install a smoke alarm on every level of your home. Test the batteries every month, and change them once a year. CARELESS SMOKING Deaths due to fires caused by careless smoking are particularly avoidable. LIFESAVING TIPS 1. Never smoke in bed. Replace mattresses made prior to the 1973 Federal Mattress Flammability Standard. 2. Do not put ashtrays on the arms of sofas or chairs where they can easily fall or be knocked off. 3. Use large ashtrays with wide lips. While smaller ashtrays may be more attractive they are not safe. Cigarettes can roll off the edge and ashes can easily be blown away. 4. Empty ashtrays into the toilet or an airtight metal container. Warm ashes dumped in waste cans can smolder for hours, then ignite. 5. Do not leave cigarettes,
cigars or pipes unattended. Put out all smoking materials
before you walk away. 7. Close a matchbook before striking and hold it away from your body. Set your cigarette lighter on "low" flame to prevent burns. 8. If friends or relatives who smoke have visited, be sure to check on the floor and around chair cushions for ashes that may have been dropped accidentally. 9. In case of a fire, stay low to the ground beneath the smoke, and have an escape plan already worked out. 10. Install a smoke alarm on every level of your home. Test the batteries every month and change them at least once a year APPLIANCE
SAFETY Some electrical fires are caused by electrical system failures and appliance defects, but many more are caused by misuse and poor maintenance of electrical appliances, incorrectly installed wiring, and overloaded circuits and extension cords. LIFESAVING TIPS 1. Regularly inspect your extension cords for fraying and never use an extension cord as permanent wiring. 2. Instead of a simple extension cord, get a UL-approved unit with built-in circuit breakers. 3. Routinely check your wiring. Look for outlets that don't work, light switches that are hot to the touch and lights that flicker. 4. Never overload outlets or extension cords. 5. Immediately repair appliances or lamps that sputter or spark. 6. Keep appliances away from wet areas in the kitchen, bathroom, basement, and garage. 7. If an appliance has three-prong plug, never force it into a two-slot outlet or extension cord. 8. Don't let children play near electrical space heaters. Keep clothes, curtains, and other flammable items at least three feet away from heaters. 9. In case of a fire, stay low to the ground, beneath the smoke, and have an escape plan already worked out. 10. Install a smoke
alarm on every level of your home. Test the batteries
every month and change them at least once a year. Heating is the second leading cause of residential fires and ties with arson as the second leading cause of fire deaths. Deaths due to heating a home improperly are particularly avoidable. LIFESAVING TIPS 2. Fill your heater with only crystal clear, K-1 Kerosene, not gasoline or camp stove fuel -- both explode easily. 3. Keep the fire in the fireplace by making sure you have a screen large enough to catch flying sparks and rolling logs. 4. Clean your chimney regularly - chimney tar build-up can ignite your chimney roof and the whole house. 5. Space heaters need space. Keep combustibles at least three feet away from each heater. 6. When buying a space heater, look for a control feature that automatically shuts off the power if the heater falls over. 7. Carefully follow manufacturer's installation and maintenance instructions. 8. For wood stove fuel use only seasoned wood, not green wood, artificial logs or trash. 9. In case of a fire, stay low to the ground beneath the smoke, and have an escape plan already worked out. 10. Install a smoke alarm on every level of your home. Test the batteries every month and change them at least once a year. PREVENT BEDROOM FIRES The bedroom is the most common room in the home where electrical fires start. Deaths due to bedroom fires are particularly avoidable. Having a working smoke alarm nearly doubles one's chances of surviving a fire. LIFESAVING TIPS 1. Never smoke in bed. 2. Replace all mattresses made before the 1973 Federal Mattress Flammability Standard. Mattresses made since then are required by law to be safer. 3. Keep lighters, matches and other ignitables in a secured drawer or cabinet out of reach of children. Children are one of the highest risk groups for death in residential fires. 4. Keep lit candles away from bedding curtains, papers and anything else that can ignite easily. 5. Do not run electrical cords under your bed or trap them against a wall where heat can build up. And avoid overloading extension cords. 6. Take extra care when using portable heaters. Keep bedding clothes, curtains and other flammable items at least three feet away from space heaters. 7. Only use lab-approved electric blankets and warmers. Check to make sure the cords are not frayed. 8. Make sure everyone in your family knows at least two escape routes from their bedrooms, and practice these often. 9. In case of a fire, stay low to the ground, beneath the smoke, and use the escape plan you have worked out. Get out and stay out. 10. Install at least one working smoke alarm on each level of your home and in halls outside bedrooms. Test the batteries every month and change them at least once a year. MANUFACTURED HOME SAFETY Smoke alarms are less likely to be present or operating in manufactured homes. Young children account for more than one-fifth of all fire deaths in manufactured homes. Electrical system malfunctions are the leading cause of fires in manufactured homes, nearly twice the incidence in one and two family dwellings. LIFESAVING TIPS 1. Have a minimum of two smoke alarms installed in your home regardless of sleeping space arrangements. 2. Install smoke alarms in accordance with smoke alarm manufacturer guidelines. Test your smoke alarms once a month and replace the batteries at least once a year. 3. Maintain your home heating system by having it serviced at least once a year by a professional. 4. Do not store combustibles or flammables near heat sources. 5. Never overload outlets, extension cords or electrical circuits. If the circuit breaker trips or fuses blow, immediately call a licensed electrician to check your system. 6. Have an escape plan and practice it with your family. 7. Space heaters need their space. Do not place portable space heaters close to drapes, clothing or other combustible materials. 8. Install skirting material to keep leaves and other debris and combustible items from blowing under your manufactured home. 9. When considering a new home, ask if residential sprinklers are available as an option. 10. Develop a home fire escape plan and practice it with your family. 11. If there is a fire - get out immediately, go to a neighbor's and call 911. HOLIDAY
FIRE SAFETY - Also check out our Holiday
Safety Tips Most holiday fires can be easily prevented. Having a working smoke alarm nearly doubles one's chance of surviving a fire. LIFESAVING TIPS 1. Do not place your tree close to a heat source, including fireplace or heat vent. The heat will dry out the tree, causing it to be more easily ignited by heat, flame or sparks. 2. Never put holiday tree branches or needles in a fireplace or wood burning stove. 3. When the tree becomes dry, discard it promptly. The best way to dispose of your tree is by taking it to a recycling center or have it picked up by a community pick-up service. 4. Inspect holiday lights each year for frayed wire, bare spots, gaps in the insulation, broken or cracked sockets, and excessive kinking or wear before putting them up. 5. Only use UL approved lighting. 6. Do not overload outlets. Connect strings of lights to an extension cord before plugging the cord into the outlet. 7. Do not leave lit holiday lights unattended. 8. Never leave fireplaces or space heaters unattended. 9. Avoid using candles. If you do use them, make sure they are in stable holders and place them where they can not be easily knocked down. 10. Never leave the house with candles burning. 11. Install a smoke alarm on every level of your home. Test the batteries every month and change them at least once a year. RURAL FIRE SAFETY Heating is the leading cause of residential structure fires in rural areas. LIFESAVING TIPS 1. Use fire-resistant and protective roofing and materials like stone and metal to protect your home. Avoid using wood materials that offer the least fire protection. 2. Let your landscape defend your property. Create defensible space by thinning trees and brush within 30 feet around your home. 3. Landscape your property with fire resistant plants and vegetation to prevent fire from spreading quickly. 4. Stack firewood at least 30 feet away from your home and other structures. 5. Store flammable materials, liquids and solvents in metal containers outside the home, at least 30 feet away from structures and wooden fences. 6. Burning yard waste in a fire hazard. Check the El Dorado County Burn Line at 530-621-5897 for fire permit requirements and restricted burning times. 7. Have your chimney inspected and cleaned regularly by a certified specialist. 8. Provide emergency vehicle access with properly constructed driveways and roadways, at least 12 feet wide with adequate turnaround space. 9. Post home address signs so that they are clearly visible from the road. 10. Develop and practice fire escape and evacuation plans with your family. 11. Install a smoke alarm on every level of your home. Test smoke alarm batteries every month and change them at least once a year. Consider installing the new long-life smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors |
| Georgetown Fire
Department PO Box 420 Georgetown, CA 95634 Phone 530-333-4111 Fax 530-333-4020 sholmstrom@georgetownfiredepartment.com |