Stay safe from fires and plans to prevent them are two things we can never hear enough of. Information on protecting your home from burning.
To prevent fires in your home there are many things you can do.
1. Be sure nothing, even a lampshade, is touching a lightbulb.
2. Keep burnables, such as clothing and paper, away from radiators or other heating units such as stoves and/or fireplaces. Make sure chimneys are free of creosete every year before the heating season.
3. Be sure small appliances are unplugged when not in use.
4. Do not overload outlets with too many outlet adaptors and/or extension cords.
5. Never run cords under rugs.
6. Keep the whole house clean. Keep burnables from laying around the attic or in your closets and storage areas.
7. If you smoke, don't light up where flammable materials or vapors are present; keep ashtrays clean and never smoke in bed or when drowsy.
8. Never use products with flammable vapors indoors.
9. Keep rags with burnable oils or paint on them kept in metal containers. If you are ready to dispose of them, do so by burning them outdoos, preferably in a burning barrel a safe distance from your house.
10. If you smell gas in your home, open windows and see if you can locate source, such as a snuffed out pilot light on the stove for example. Do leave you house if you can not find the source, and call your gas company. Under no circumstances should you remain in the home or use any appliances, even the telephone.
11. Be sure live Christmas trees are always watered and don't use bulbs on them that are too large or give off too much heat. Try to keep all bulbs from laying directly on needles if possible.
If a fire does start in your home, the first thing you should do is decide whether it is small enough for you to put out quickly If so, do it immediately. If you have any doubts at all about it, call the fire department.
If you don't have a fire extinguisher nearby, use water. Thoroughly soaking the materially continuously is most effetive.
If it is a grease fire, do NOT use water, as it won't mix with oil. This type of fire needs to be smothered by anything large enough to cover the area.
Smaller chemical fires can be put out with handfuls of baking soda.
If clothing catches fire, never run. Immediately drop to the floor and roll. If there is a rug or coat or blanket nearby, grab this and roll it over yourself or other victim.
If you find yourself in a larger fire situation, get yourself and others immediately out of the building. Let the professionally trained firefighters do the search and rescue work.
If there is a lot of smoke, cover your mouth and nose with a cloth (wet preferred) and crawl out. Crawl near a wall as this will lead you to do the door and it is safer.
On stairs stay next to a wall and proceed slowly. Test each step for safety before putting your weight on it.
If you need to go out a window, tie fabrics together with square knots to make a rope, and then tie it to heavy furniture. Climb down rope as far as possible then drop yourself to the ground.
If you cannot get out of a room, close the door, stuff fabric under the edge of it and call for help, preferably from a window.
If a door is hot be careful opening it. If it opens towards you, brace your foot against it, open it slowly to be sure there will be no backdraft. If it opens away, duck to one side as you open it to be sure flames won't lash out.
If you need to help an unconscious person out of a fire, tie their wrists together with anything that will work. Place their arms around your head, keeping their body under you. It is easier to drag them this way while you are crawling. To take them down stairs, keep their hands around your neck but their body needs to face the opposite direction of yours. As you back down the stairs, their head will be under yours but your hands will brace it as you proceed down backwards.
The best fire safety tip of all is to take extra caution in following the fire prevention tips.
