Fire Facts

• According to the U.S. Fire Administration, the United States has one of the highest fire death rates in the industrialized world.
• Each year, fire kills more Americans than all other natural disasters combined.
• More than 4,000 Americans die each year in fires, and more than 25,000 are injured.
• At least 80 percent of all fire deaths occur in residences.

Escape Safely

• One of the single most important ways you can protect your family is having a working smoke detector on every floor in your house.
• In less than 30 seconds, a small flame can grow into a major fire. An average house can fill with thick black smoke in only minutes. Escape first, then call for help.
• Develop a home fire escape plan, practice it with your children and designate a meeting place outside.
• Never open doors that are hot. Establish two different ways to get out of each room.
• Practice how to open locked or barred doors and windows. Make sure that security bars on your windows and doors have a quick-release device so you can open them immediately.
• Always crawl low under smoke and try to keep your mouth covered. Even small amounts of smoke and toxic gases can make you drowsy, disoriented and short of breath.
• Familiarize your children with the sound of your smoke alarm, and teach them not to hide from firefighters.
• Test each smoke alarm every month, and replace the batteries at least once a year. Replace smoke alarms every 10 years or as recommended by the manufacturer.

Prevention Tips

• Cook safely. Cooking is the leading cause of home fires in the United States, often resulting from unattended cooking or human error rather than mechanical failure of stoves or ovens.
• Avoid careless smoking. If you smoke, consider smolder-resistant bedding and upholstered furniture, which act as significant fire deterrents.
• Don’t overload circuits or extension cords. Immediately shut off and unplug appliances
  that sputter, spark or emit an unusual smell.
• Wood stoves should sit on a non-combustible surface. Fireplaces should have non-combustible materials around the opening and hearth. Space heaters should be placed on a firm surface at least three feet away from combustible items.
• Gasoline and other flammable liquids should never be used to start a wood fire; they might
  cause it to explode or flare up.
• Never use gasoline in kerosene heaters. Even small amounts of gasoline mixed with kerosene can increase the risk of fire.
• Inspect and clean chimneys and vents annually.
• Consider fire-safe landscaping for your property, especially if wildland fires are a potential threat, by creating a defensible space between your home and flammable vegetation.

For more information on home fire safety...

Visit www.firesafety.gov