Fire Prevention:

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3 Ways to Plan Home Fire Protection

1. Install Smoke Detectors -- Smoke is responsible for 3 out of 4 fire deaths. The loud siren at the first sign of smoke will give your family those extra few minutes to escape safely. Test it once a month. Change batteries at least twice a year.
2. Establish an Escape Plan -- Have frequent family meetings to establish escape routes from your dwelling. Every room should have 2 means of escape. Rope ladders are recommended for upper floor windows. Have practice drills every 3 months.
3. Have proper fire extinguishers
   • Type A : to extinguish wood, paper and fabric fires. Keep one in the garage and the workshop.
   • Type BC : to extinguish grease, oil, gasoline, petroleum and other flammable liquid fires. Keep one in the kitchen, the garage, the workshop, and the laundry room to extinguish electrical fires.
   • Type ABC : for extinguishing all three types of fires.

How to Get Out Safely

• Stay calm so you can think clearly.
• If door is closed, feel it from bottom to top, as well as the knob. If either is cool, you may open the door. Brace foot and shoulder against the door and open slowly.
• If there is light smoke, crouch low and crawl to the nearest exit with a wet cover over your nose and mouth. Stay low to avoid smoke/toxic gases that collect on ceilings.
• Close all doors behind you.
• Never use an elevator.
• Call the fire department, from the outside.
• Never go back and get anything!

If You Are Trapped

• Don't panic!
• If you exert yourself, you will breathe faster and take in more smoke/toxic gases that can burn your lungs or cause you to become unconscious.
• Feel door from bottom to top and knob. If hot or warm, stuff clothing/towels in the cracks to keep out the smoke/toxic gases.
• Open a window at the top to let out heat/smoke collecting on the ceiling.
• Open window at the bottom and bend down to breathe in fresh air.
• Never open a window if smoke is rising from a lower floor.
• Stand by the window, waving something, and wait for rescue.

If you catch fire

• STOP: where you are. Moving or running feeds air to the flames and worsens the fire.
• DROP: to the floor. If you stand up, the fire can burn your face. Fold your arms high on your chest to protect your face.
• ROLL: slowly on the floor or ground, or in a rug or blanket, if you can. COOL off as soon as possible with water for first and second degree burns. For third degree burns, seek medical attention immediately.

10 Tips for fire safety

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 manufacturers directions, and replace batteries once a year or whenever a detector "chirps" to signal low battery power. Never "borrow" a smoke detectors battery for another use - a disabled detector can't save your life. Replace detectors that are more than 10 years old.
   
   For complete protection, consider installing automatic fire sprinklers in addition to smoke detectors.
2. 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 bed or leaving the home after someone has been smoking, check under and around cushions and upholstered furniture for smoldering cigarettes.
3. Cook Carefully:
   Never leave cooking unattended. keep cooking areas clear of combustibles, 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" that is 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 source. Leave the lid on until the pan is completely cool.
4. 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 designing an escape plan.
5. 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 never leave heaters on when you leave home or go to bed.
6. Remember: Matches And Lighters Are Tools, Not Toys:
   In a child's hands, matches and lighters can be deadly. Use only child-resistant lighters and store all matches and lighters up high, where kids can't see or reach them, preferably in a locked cabinet. Teach young children that matches and lighters are tools, not toys, and should be used by adults only or with adult supervision. Teach young children not to touch them and to tell a grown up if they find matches or lighters; older children should bring matches and lighters to an adult immediately.
7. Cool A Burn:
   Run cool water over a burn for about 10 to 15 minutes. Never apply ice. It is dangerous to put butter or any other grease on a burn because it seals in the heat and can damage the tissue further. If the burned skin blisters or is charred, see a doctor immediately.
8. Use Electricity Safely:
   If an electric appliance smokes or has an unusual smell, unplug it immediately, and 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. Don't tamper with your fuse box or use improperly sized 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 or flames 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 14 inches (30 to 60 centimeters) above the floor.
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.