Personal
Safety - Fire Safety Tips
According
to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the
United States has one of the highest fire death and injury
rates in the world. Fire--in the form of flames and smoke--is
the second leading cause of accidental death in the home.
More than
4,000 people die each year in home fires. Every year, there
are more than 500,000 residential fires serious enough to
be reported to fire departments. More than 90 percent of residential
fire deaths and injuries result from fires in one and two
family houses and apartments. Property losses exceed 4 billion
dollars annually, and the long term emotional damage to victims
and their loved ones is incalculable.
Supplemental
Home Heating
The use
of supplemental room heaters, such as wood and coal burning
stoves, kerosene heaters, gas space heaters and electrical
heaters, has decreased, along with the number of residential
fires. Nonetheless, it is important to remember that more
than 100,000 residential fires still occur annually due to
the use of these heaters, or about 22 percent of all residential
fires. These fires kill more than 600 people annually. They
also contribute to thousands of contact burn injuries and
hundreds of carbon monoxide poisonings.
Cigarette
Smokers
Cigarette
lighters and matches account for hundreds of fire deaths each
year. Many of the victims are children. Never use matches
or cigarette lighters as a form of entertainment for children.
Kids are inherently curious and will find a way to "play"
with your lighter or matches when you least expect it. Understand
that children as young as two years old are capable of lighting
cigarette lighters and matches.
As a smoker,
be certain that you do not smoke in bed. Falling asleep with
a lit cigarette over your flammable sheets will provide you
with a quick wake-up call at best, and possibly a one-way
ticket to the morgue at its worst. Don't toy with something
as serious as a home fire. You could put your own life and
those of brave firefighters at risk for no good reason.
Lastly,
always check to see that cigarettes are completely extinguished
before emptying ashtrays. Stubs that are still burning can
ignite trash. If you have a garbage disposal attached to your
kitchen sink, the safest way to dispose of cigarette ashes
is to wash them into the garbage disposal system.
Christmas
Trees
A Christmas
tree fire does not make for a very merry Christmas. Consider
protecting your family by spraying your live Christmas tree
with a fire retardant spray. Each year there is over $15 million
in damages due directly to Christmas trees catching on fire,
not to mention the countless deaths that also occur. This
is completely avoidable!
Early
Warning
If a fire
does start, your survival may very well depend on being warned
as early as possible and having an escape plan. You should
have a minimum of one functioning smoke alarm on each level
of your home, placed on the ceiling or on the wall no more
than 6 to 12 inches away from the ceiling. Test your smoke
detectors on a regular basis according to the manufacturer's
instructions and replace the batteries at least annually.
Never,
ever, disconnect the batteries. If your smoke detector has
too many nuisance alarms, e.g., from cooking, then consider
relocating the smoke detector further away from the stove
to avoid unnecessary alarms. Always keep your smoke detectors
in proper operating condition with fresh batteries and clean
surfaces. Excessive dust, grease or other material in a smoke
detector can cause it to operate abnormally. Vacuum the grill
work of your smoke detectors and occasionally wipe the surface
with a damp soapy rag to keep it free of debris.
Fire
Escape
Many fire
deaths and fire injuries are actually caused by smoke and
gases. Victims inhale smoke and poisonous gases that rise
ahead of the flames. A fire escape gas mask can help get you
safely through a smoky room to an exit, or keep you breathing
clean air until a firefighter can gain access to rescue you.
This is especially useful in high-rise apartments, hotels,
and office buildings.
