Winter & Holiday Safety
Thanksgiving Safety
- Test and make sure all smoke alarms are working in your home. Replace the batteries if needed. There should be a smoke alarm in every bedroom, each hallway to the bedroom, and each floor of the home.
- Make sure your oven and stove are clean before starting your meal.
- Don't allow small children in the kitchen and cook prep area.
- Cook on back burners whenever possible and keep pot handles turned toward the back of the stove.
- Never leave the cooking unattended.
- Don't wear loose clothing or jewelry, loose clothing can catch on fire and jewelry can get caught on pot handles creating burns and spills.
- Have a fire extinguisher no more than 10 feet from the stove.
- Make sure your guests know the fire escape plan.
- If smoking is permitted in the house, make sure your ashtrays are large and deep and out f reach of children. After guests leave, look for any cigarette butts in upholstery and the trash can that may be smoldering.
- Test and make sure all smoke alarms are working in your home. Replace the batteries if needed. There should be a smoke alarm in every bedroom, each hallway to the bedroom, and each floor of the home.
- Make sure your oven and stove are clean before starting your meal.
- Don't allow small children in the kitchen and cook prep area.
- Cook on back burners whenever possible and keep pot handles turned toward the back of the stove.
- Never leave the cooking unattended.
- Don't wear loose clothing or jewelry, loose clothing can catch on fire and jewelry can get caught on pot handles creating burns and spills.
- Have a fire extinguisher no more than 10 feet from the stove.
- Make sure your guests know the fire escape plan.
- If smoking is permitted in the house, make sure your ashtrays are large and deep and out f reach of children. After guests leave, look for any cigarette butts in upholstery and the trash can that may be smoldering.
HOLIDAY HAZARDS
- When buying your Christmas Tree, be sure to pick a fresh tree. You'll know it's fresh if the needles are firmly attached. When the tree is in your home, keep plenty of water around the base. A dry tree is the source of more than 1,000 house fires every year.
- Be bright about lights! Don't use lights with worn insulation, broken plugs, and loose sockets. They can cause fires, shocks and even electrocution.
- Be careful when hanging several light strings together. You could have an overload situation. Remember, all lighting inside and out, should be turned off before going to bed. Regular mini lights usually are 3 sets max strung together while newer LED lights are 23 or more.
- Space heaters- keep away from curtains, bedspreads, and furniture. Make sure children know they could get burned if they touch one.
- Are the stockings hung by the chimney with care? Be especially careful if there’s a cozy fire going in the fireplace.
- Be sure fireplaces are covered with a sturdy metal screen or heat tempered glass doors. This reduces the chance of a fire starting from escaping sparks of wood.
- Take the tree down when the holidays are over. Every day it stands in the house, it gets drier.
- Do not coil extension cords or regular light cords. They cause a magnetic field, heat and could cause a fire.
WORRY-FREE WINTER
FIREPLACES & WOODSTOVES: Never leave a fire unattended. Have your chimney & fireplace inspected annually by a certified chimney sweep. They check for cracks, crumbling, obstructions, & creosote build-up. Burn dry, well-seasoned wood to prevent fires in the flue. Make sure your stove burns hot twice a day for 15-30 minutes to reduce creosote build-up. Charcoal can give off lethal amounts of carbon monoxide so never burn it indoors. Make sure the fire is out before going to bed. NEVER close the damper while hot ashes are in the fireplace, this could cause the fire to flare up and cause toxic carbon monoxide to be released to the house. If you use synthetic logs, read the instructions on the package, never break them apart to quicken the fire or use more than one log at a time. Place ashes outdoors in a covered metal container at least 3 feet from anything that can burn.
PORTABLE HEATERS: Make sure you have 3 feet of space between the heater and everything else like stated above. Never leave children unattended around heaters or use extension cords with them. Be sure the heater has a tip-over shut-off function, clean dust from heaters; buildup can ignite and cause a fire. Turn off the heater when leaving the house or sleeping. Avoid using heaters in the bathroom.
FURNACE: Leave furnace work to the experts and have a qualified technician check and clean your unit yearly. The technician should check the wall and ceiling near the furnace and flue. If they are hot you may need extra insulation. Be sure the emergency shut-off and controls are in good condition. Always keep trash, papers, paint etc. away from the furnace.
SMOKE DETECTORS: Install a smoke detector in each level, and each bedroom of your home and test them once a month. Never remove batteries from smoke detector to use in toys or anything similar. Change your batteries twice a year. When you change your clock change your batteries. Smoke detectors save lives!
COLD WEATHER FIRE SAFETY: If your pipes freeze, don't try to them with a blowtorch or other open flame. The pipe can conduct heat and start a fire. Try a hand held dryer, hot water or UL labeled device for thawing. Never use oven or range to heat your home. This is a safety hazard and can build-up toxic fumes. Be certain that all windows used as emergency exits can still be opened in winter. If a fire hydrant is near your house, help keep it clear of snow and debris, it will make it easier for the fire department when they arrive.
ESCAPE PLANNING: Plan a fire escape with your family. Practice the plan twice a year; it’s good to practice in winter so you know what to do in the cold. Make sure all family members know the plan and decide a meeting place outside and away from the house where everyone can be accounted for. If you suspect a fire, get out and call 911 from your cell phone or neighbor’s house. Never re-enter a burning building.
FIREPLACES & WOODSTOVES: Never leave a fire unattended. Have your chimney & fireplace inspected annually by a certified chimney sweep. They check for cracks, crumbling, obstructions, & creosote build-up. Burn dry, well-seasoned wood to prevent fires in the flue. Make sure your stove burns hot twice a day for 15-30 minutes to reduce creosote build-up. Charcoal can give off lethal amounts of carbon monoxide so never burn it indoors. Make sure the fire is out before going to bed. NEVER close the damper while hot ashes are in the fireplace, this could cause the fire to flare up and cause toxic carbon monoxide to be released to the house. If you use synthetic logs, read the instructions on the package, never break them apart to quicken the fire or use more than one log at a time. Place ashes outdoors in a covered metal container at least 3 feet from anything that can burn.
PORTABLE HEATERS: Make sure you have 3 feet of space between the heater and everything else like stated above. Never leave children unattended around heaters or use extension cords with them. Be sure the heater has a tip-over shut-off function, clean dust from heaters; buildup can ignite and cause a fire. Turn off the heater when leaving the house or sleeping. Avoid using heaters in the bathroom.
FURNACE: Leave furnace work to the experts and have a qualified technician check and clean your unit yearly. The technician should check the wall and ceiling near the furnace and flue. If they are hot you may need extra insulation. Be sure the emergency shut-off and controls are in good condition. Always keep trash, papers, paint etc. away from the furnace.
SMOKE DETECTORS: Install a smoke detector in each level, and each bedroom of your home and test them once a month. Never remove batteries from smoke detector to use in toys or anything similar. Change your batteries twice a year. When you change your clock change your batteries. Smoke detectors save lives!
COLD WEATHER FIRE SAFETY: If your pipes freeze, don't try to them with a blowtorch or other open flame. The pipe can conduct heat and start a fire. Try a hand held dryer, hot water or UL labeled device for thawing. Never use oven or range to heat your home. This is a safety hazard and can build-up toxic fumes. Be certain that all windows used as emergency exits can still be opened in winter. If a fire hydrant is near your house, help keep it clear of snow and debris, it will make it easier for the fire department when they arrive.
ESCAPE PLANNING: Plan a fire escape with your family. Practice the plan twice a year; it’s good to practice in winter so you know what to do in the cold. Make sure all family members know the plan and decide a meeting place outside and away from the house where everyone can be accounted for. If you suspect a fire, get out and call 911 from your cell phone or neighbor’s house. Never re-enter a burning building.