Here are some fire safety tips to help prevent a fire in your home and stay calm and safe in an emergency:
1. You should have at least one smoke detector on every floor of your home. Most fire departments recommend changing batteries twice a year — in the fall when you set the clocks back and in the spring when you set them forward.
2. Check your house for fire hazards. Fireplaces and electrical cords should be checked regularly to make sure they are in good working order. If there is someone in the home who smokes, make sure that he disposes of his ashes frequently in a heavy metal container.
3. Make a family fire safety plan. What will you all do if you hear the smoke alarm in the middle of the night? Have the family talk about where to go and what to do in the event of a fire. There should be two ways to escape from every room (in case one way is blocked by fire.) And you should pick a location outside — a neighbor's house, a big tree, a nearby park — where everyone can meet.
4. Practice your fire safety plan. Don't just talk about it —run through your plan to make sure everyone knows what to do. Check windows and screens to make sure that they will open if necessary. And practice meeting up at your assigned location outside.
5. If there is a fire in your home, remember this important fire safety tip: Don't hide, go outside! You may be scared, but never hide during a fire.
6. The best way to escape in the event of a fire is to fall and crawl. Get low to the ground where there is less smoke in the air and crawl your way to safety.
7. If your clothes are on fire, don't panic. Remember to stop, drop and roll. Keep rolling until the fire is out. Don't run — it will make the fire spread faster.
8. Never go back inside a burning building. Once you get to the designated meeting spot, stay there and wait for all the family to arrive.
Always think protection, especially with fire safety!
