Fire Preparation and Prevention

No one wants to think about having a fire at home. But thinking about fire and being prepared can save lives. Fire departments across the country advise us to change smoke alarm batteries when we change our clocks for Daylight Savings Time, which ends on November 7th this year. Being prepared is key to surviving a home fire. Follow this checklist from the Home Safety Council to both prevent and be prepared for a fire.

* Have working smoke alarms on every level of your home and inside or near every bedroom. Put new batteries in your smoke alarms at least twice a year. Fire departments across the country advise us to change smoke alarm batteries when we change our clocks for Daylight Savings Time, which ends on November 7th this year, but you should test each smoke alarm every month. If your smoke alarms are more than 10 years old, get new ones.

* Young children may sleep through a smoke alarm. Be prepared to wake them.

* Plan your escape route. Find two ways out of every room. Children and older people may need help escaping. Plan for this. Make sure windows and doors open easily. Make sure everyone can reach and open locks on doors and windows and that stairs and doorways are never blocked.

* Have a home fire drill. Practice your plan two times a year. Practice the drill during hours when everyone is asleep at least once. Have a place to meet in front of your home.

* Know your fire department emergency number. In San Francisco this number is 911.

* Get out of the building first. Then call the fire department. Never go back inside a burning building.

* The best way to be safe from fire is to prevent it from happening. Always stay in the kitchen when food is cooking. Make sure there is always at least three feet between a space heater and anything that can burn.

* Turn off space heaters before you sleep or leave the area. Empty ashtrays often. Run water over cigarette butts before putting them in the trash. Look around for cigarettes that may have fallen.

* Only adults should burn candles. Blow out candles if you leave the room or go to sleep. Place candles where children and pets can’t reach them and away from anything that can catch fire.

* Do not leave lighters or matches where children can reach them.