Most home fires are preventable. Below is a list of some safety tips to assist you.
Watch your cooking
Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, or broiling food. If you must leave, even for a brief time, turn off the stove.
Give space heaters space
Keep fixed and portable space heaters at least three feet from anything that can burn. Turn off heaters when you leave the room or go to sleep.
Smoke outside
Ask smokers to smoke outside. Have sturdy, deep ashtrays for smokers.
Keep matches and lighters out of reach
Keep matches and lighters up high, out of the reach of children, preferably in a cabinet with a child lock.
Inspect electrical cords
Replace cords that are cracked, damaged, have broken plugs, or have loose connections.
Be careful when using candles
Keep candles at least one foot from anything that can burn. Blow out candles when you leave the room or go to sleep.
Have a home fire escape plan
Make a home fire escape plan and practice it at least twice a year.
Install smoke alarms
Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, inside bedrooms and outside sleeping areas. Interconnect smoke alarms throughout the home. When one sounds, they all sound.
Test smoke alarms
Test smoke alarms at least once a month and replace batteries once a year or when the alarm “chirps” to tell you the battery is low. Replace any smoke alarm that is more than 10 years old.
Source: National Fire Protection Association (NFPA®)
More Fire Safety Tips
Install fire protection
Smoke alarms are your best early warning system in the event of fire. Install smoke alarms 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 alarms every month and replace batteries once a year, or whenever an alarm “chirps” to signal low battery power. Never “borrow” a smoke alarm’s battery for another use – a disabled alarm can’t save your life. Replace all alarms that are more than 10 years old. For complete home protection, consider installing an automatic fire sprinkler system.
Plan your escape from fire
If a fire occurs in your home, you have to get out fast. Sit down with your family and work out an escape plan. Be sure that everyone knows at least two unobstructed exits – including windows – from every room. (If you live in an apartment building, use the stairs, not the elevator to escape from fire.) Decide on a meeting place outside. Have your entire household practice you escape plan at least twice a year.
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 fatal. Provide smokers with large, deep, non-tip ashtrays, and soak butts with water before discarding them. Before going to sleep or leaving home after someone has been smoking, check under cushions and around upholstered furniture for smouldering cigarettes.
Remember: matches and lighters are tools, for adults only! Use only child-resistant lighters and store all matches and lighters up high, where kids can’t see or reach them, preferably in locked cabinet. Teach children that matches, and lighters are tools, for grown-ups only. Teach young children to tell a grown-up if they find matches or lighters; older children should bring matches and lighters to an adult immediately.
Kitchen safety
Always stay near cooking to monitor it closely. 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 range. If grease catches fire in a pan, slide a lid over the pan to smother the flames and turn off the heat source. Leave the lid on until the pan is completely cool.
Give space heaters space
Keep portable heaters and space heaters at least three feet (one meter) away from anything that can burn. Keep children and pets away from heaters and turn them off when you leave home or go to sleep.
Use electricity safely
If an electric 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. Plug only one electrical cord into each receptacle. Avoid running any cords under rugs. Don’t tamper with your fuse box or use improper-size fuses.
Cool a burn
Run cool water over a burn for 10 to 15 minutes. Never apply ice. Never put butter or any other grease on a burn. If the burned skin blisters or is charred, see a doctor immediately.
Crawl low under smoke
If you encounter smoke while you are escaping from a fire, use an alternative escape route. If you must escape through smoke, crawl on your hands and knees, keeping your head 12 to 24 inches (30 to 60 centimetres) above the floor, where the air will be cleaner.
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. Cool the burn with water and call for help.
There are several guidelines that must be followed regarding the location and replacement of smoke detectors in Edison.
We are offering the following information to help you, especially during time of resale of a dwelling, when a fire inspection will take place.
⦁ A minimum of one detector shall be located per level of dwelling, including basement.
⦁ In basements, the detector shall be located on the ceiling/beam at the bottom of the stairs.
⦁ Smoke detectors shall be located no farther than 10 feet from bedroom doors.
⦁ Where a loft/attic area is open and can be used as a living space and there is a head space of 7 feet or more, a detector is required.
⦁ A floor level is a level with three steps or more between levels.
⦁ Existing hard-wired detectors cannot be replaced with battery type.
⦁ If an alarm/central station system is in place the following information will be required:
⦁ Alarm company contact information (Including Name and Phone Number).
⦁ Code required to reset system.
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