Home and Business Safety
Cooking Safety
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) urges attention to safety when preparing holiday meals. Check out these links for information on how to stay safe while preparing your holiday and everyday meals.
Home Heating Equipment Safety
Did you know that fall and winter months bring more residential home fires than any other time of year? Many of these causes are from unsafe heating practices and neglectful care of heating equipment. There are many things you can do to prevent heating fires in your home.
Keep a 3-foot area around heating equipment clear of any flammables.
Have a "kid-free" safety zone around open fires and space heaters.
Never use your oven to heat your home.
Remember to turn off portable heaters when leaving the room or going to bed.
Have your heating equipment and chimneys inspected and cleaned annually.
Test smoke alarms once a month.
Check out these links for helpful information on heating equipment maintenance and safety.
Electrical Safety
Electricity helps make our lives easier but there are times when we can take its power and its potential for fire-related hazards for granted. In 2015-2019 electrical distribution or lighting equipment, such as wiring, lighting, cords, and plugs, was involved in an estimated average of roughly 32,620 reported home structure fires per year. These incidents caused an average of 430 civilian deaths, 1,070 civilian injuries, and $1.3 billion in direct property damage annually. To learn more about electrical safety, follow these links:
Fire Preparedness
Is your home equipped with appropriate fire protection for your family? Some tips for general home fire safety and preparedness include:
Working smoke detectors in each bedroom and main area of the home. Smoke detectors are good for 10 years. Batteries should be checked at least twice a year.
Working CO detectors - at least one per level of the home.
Fire Extinguishers - one on each level of the home.
A home fire escape plan. Does each family member have at least two ways out of the home - either by window or door? Do you all know where to meet each other should you need to evacuate the home? Have a plan in place so you can be ready in case of fire.
Learn more fire prevention tips from the American Red Cross's Home Fire Safety.