- Visit
- Kids
Fire Safety Tips
- Sparky
the Fire Dog
- National Fire Protection
- National Red Cross - Fire
- CDC Fire Information
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- Tips to Prevent Fires
Due to Children Playing with Lighters and Matches
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- Keep all Matches and lighters
out of the reach of Children
- Store in a high cabinet, preferably
a locked one. You wouldn't leave a loaded gun lying around an
a lighter can be just as dangerous in a child's hands.
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- Never give a lighter to a
child as a toy
- Children as young as two years
old have been able to operate lighters and to start fires with
them.
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- Use a child resistant lighter:
Do not disable this feature!
- If you smoke, protect your child
by buying child resistant lighters and keeping them out of reach
of you children. Do not disable this feature. Doing so makes
the lighter a major fire risk by itself.
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- Do not leave young children
unattended
- It only takes a few seconds
for a fire to start and get out of control.
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- Teach children to tell a
grown-up when they see matches or lighters
- Praise children when they tell
you they see matches and lighters. Then move them to a safe place,
out of reach of youngsters.
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- Teach you child about safe
use of fire such as cooking, heating, and birthday candles
- Explain that fire is dangerous
and only for grown-ups to use carefully. Tell them that when
they are old enough you will teach them about how to use matches
safely.
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Ten Important Fire Safety Tips
- 1. Install Smoke Detectors.
WORKING SMOKE DETECTORS can alert you to a fire in your home
in time for you to escape, even if you are sleeping. Install
smoke detectors on every level of your home, including the basement,
and outside each sleeping area. If you sleep with the door closed,
install one inside your sleeping area as well.
- Test detectors every month, following the manufacturer's
directions, and replace batteries once a year, or whenever a
detector "chirps" to signal low battery power. Never
"borrow" a smoke detector's battery for another use
- a disabled detector can't save your life. Replace detectors
that are more than 10 years old.
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- 2. Plan Your Escape From Fire.
IF A FIRE BREAKS OUT in your home, you have to get out fast.
Prepare for a fire emergency by sitting down with your family
and agreeing on an escape plan. Be sure that everyone knows at
least two unobstructed exits - doors and windows - from every
room. (If you live in an apartment building, do not include elevators
in your escape plan.) Decide on a meeting place outside where
everyone will meet after they escape. Have your entire household
practice your escape plan at least twice a year.
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- 3. Keep An Eye On Smokers.
Careless smoking is the leading cause of fire deaths in North
America. Smoking in bed or when you are drowsy could be deadly.
Provide smokers with large, deep non-tip ashtrays and soak butts
with water before discarding them. Before going to bed or leaving
home after someone has been smoking, check under and around cushions
and upholstered furniture for smoldering cigarettes.
4. Cook Carefully.
Never leave cooking unattended. Keep cooking areas clear of combustibles
and wear clothes with short, rolled-up or tight-fitting sleeves
when you cook. Turn pot handles inward on the stove where you
can't bump them and children can't grab them. Enforce a "Kid-Free
Zone" three feet (one meter) around your kitchen stove.
If grease catches fire in a pan, slide a lid over the pan to
smother the flames and turn off the heat. Leave the lid on until
cool.
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- 5. Give Space Heaters Space.
Keep portable heaters and space heaters at least three feet (one
meter) from anything that can burn. keep children and pets away
from heaters, and never leave heaters on when you leave home
or go to bed.
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- 6. Remember: Matches And Lighters Are
Tools, Not Toys.
In a child's hand, matches and lighters can be deadly. Use only
child-resistant lighters and store all matches and lighters up
high, where small children can't see or reach them, preferably
in a locked cabinet. Teach your children that matches and lighters
are tools, not toys, and should be used only by adults or with
adult supervision. Teach young children to tell a grown-up if
they find matches or lighters; older children should bring matches
or lighters to an adult immediately.
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- 7. Cool A Burn.
Run cool water over a burn for 10 to 15 minutes. Never put butter
or any grease on a burn. If the burned skin blisters or is charred,
see a doctor immediately. Never use ice.
8. Use Electricity Safely.
If an electrical appliance smokes or has an unusual smell, unplug
it immediately, then have it serviced before using it again.
Replace any electrical cord that is cracked or frayed. Don't
overload extension cords or run them under rugs. Dont' tamper
with your fuse box or use improper-size fuses.
9. Crawl Low Under Smoke.
During a fire, smoke and poisonous gases rise with the heat.
The air is cleaner near the floor. If you encounter smoke while
you are escaping from a fire, use an alternate escape route.
10. Stop, Drop And Roll.
If your clothes catch fire, don't run. Stop where you are, drop
to the ground, cover your face with your hands, and roll over
and over to smother the flames.
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