Help Your Fire Department Help you

7/31/2018 (Permalink)

Who better to give you tips on fire safety than firefighters themselves?

• Always practice fire drills- Fire drills shouldn’t stop at your job or at school. They are important for families too. Have an escape plan and review emergency exists in your home. Your family should practice crawling low on hands and knees through the emergency exists.
• Make sure street numbers are visible – Fire fighters and first responders need to find where you live quickly. House numbers should be at least four inches tall, visible from the street. Remember that fire fighters sit higher in their vehicles than drivers of regular automobiles.
• Inspect your extension cords- Extension cords can take a good beating overtime, and damaged ones pose a fire hazard. Make sure to inspect your extension cords and discard and that get hot with use. If their cord or outlet strip looks damaged, throw it away immediately.
• Prevent false alarms- False alarms can cost fire fighters valuable time and money. Make sure your fire alarm system is installed by a licensed professional. It is important to test your fire alarm system monthly, and keep it clean of dust and debris.
• Use proper fuel for your fireplace- Never burn trash or paper in the fireplace. Tiny particles of ignited paper can float up your chimney then onto the roof and into the yard, posing a severe fire risk.
• Get the right extinguisher and learn how to use it- Fire fighters recommend a 2-1/2 pound class ABC multipurpose dry chemical extinguisher for your home. This model can be used to put out many types of fire, including those involving wood, paper, plastics, liquids, electric appliances, or outlets. Review the operating instructions for each fire extinguisher you have. Pull the pin, aim at the base of the fire, squeeze and hold down the handle, and sweep from side to side and front to back.

Source: www.bobvila.com